Notes from the Provincial Grand Master’s Address
Brother Mess President, thank you for those kind words and to you, Brethren, for the way you apparently have received them, I am as always very grateful. I must say you had me worried. After listening to your feedback about moving the Mess around the Province and looking at the website a couple of weeks ago I thought we were going to be sitting here with around 40 members, but you have come up trumps again brethren with just under 100, a fantastic turnout! Thank you. Brethren may I publicly give my sincere thanks once again to WBro. Tony Goater and those behind the scenes for organising and arranging this wonderful Officer’s Mess. I also thank, on your behalf, this evenings' wine stewards who have done a splendid job without any fuss or moaning, thank you.
My thanks also go to the Kirby Cross Masonic Centre for accommodating us and making us feel welcome. You know, Brethren, last year at Chingford the management and staff there went out of their way to welcome us; they bent over backwards to accommodate us and the philosophy was “the answer is yes! What’s the question?” The same has happened this year, Kirby Cross staff have made us very welcome, they have gone out of their way to accommodate us and again “the answer is yes, what’s the question?” So, well done to them; I am also pleased to say this same “can do welcome” has already been experienced from next years venue.
Brethren, I am sure most of you will have once again seen the tremendous support the Active Provincial Officers have given to me, the Province and your Lodges during this last year. I really do believe their presence adds to any meeting they attend, also at their own time and expense and so once again I thank them for their support. I, of course, thank you all as well for making the effort to attend this evening, I know the venue is not the easiest one to get to and so I really do appreciate your attendance. I can tell you we have at least 35 of our 48 Mark Lodges directly represented and probably most others when you take multi memberships into account. You all know that it was the wishes of the majority of Grand and Provincial Officers to move this mess around the Province and the numbers here this evening have convinced me it was the right thing to do. So, on that subject I can tell you next years Mess will be held on Friday 27th November at Hutton.
This has been a busy year for the Province with a new Banner being dedicated for Wayfarers Lodge at Colchester, the
re-opening of the Fillebrook RAM Lodge as a new DC’s Lodge of improvement and ritual support team and the consecration of two new Lodges; The Northern Star Saturday morning breakfast lodge and the Essex Armed Forces Lodge. Our membership continues to grow in both the Mark and Royal Ark Mariners and I thank you for your continued work in this area. I also hope you have noticed the work of the newly restructured Media team, which has helped to increase our communications, media presence and to keep you informed of what is happening in Lodges and the Province.
Brethren, I also ask you, some time this evening, to spare a thought for W.Bro John Edwards who many of you will know passed away last year immediately after the meeting at Chingford after spending a happy evening with his friends. John left the Province a donation in his Will and I can tell you we are having a double sided cloth for the Secretary’s Table made in his name. On one side will be the Essex Mark logo and that of our Provincial Grand Lodge and on the other side the logo but this time with the Installed Commanders and Masters wording on, both sides will also include Johns name, we will use the cloth at Felsted and all 1044 meetings in his memory.
Brethren you will know that it has been the tradition at this meeting for me to announce the Provincial Wardens and Grand Steward nomination for next year. So, my nomination for Provincial Senior Warden joined the Mark 20 years ago. He is a member of four Mark Lodges and has been the Secretary of one of them for 5 years and has recently become the Secretary of another. He was first promoted to Provincial Grand rank in 2014.
This brother has been an active member of the Province and supports Provincial and social meetings whenever he can, he has been a member of the media team and more recently had a major influence in the administration and eventual consecration of the new Essex Armed Forces Lodge. I know this brother will continue to support the Province to the best of his ability and serve us all well.
Brethren my nomination for Provincial Senior Warden is:
W.Bro Ray McKerron from the Mark of Industry Lodge.
My next nomination joined the Mark 21 years ago and is a member of three Mark Lodges. He has been the Secretary of one of his Mark Lodge for nearly 4 years and was first promoted to Provincial Grand Rank in 2015. This brother also supports Provincial Meetings and other functions, in fact I saw him only a few weeks ago enjoying a bacon roll prior to the consecration of the Northern Star Lodge here at Kirby Cross. This brother is one of the stalwarts of his mother lodge and has ensured a steady stream of candidates. I have known this brother personally for over 40 years and so I have every confidence in his abilities to serve the Province and you to the best of his abilities. This brother is a gentle man and his services to music and the community were recognised by her Majesty the Queen in 2005 when he was awarded with an MBE.
Brethren my nomination for Provincial Junior Warden and next years Mess president is:
W. Bro Norman Eastbrook of Easterford Lodge
Before I make my next announcement I must as always add the caveat that this nomination is subject to the existing rules on Grand Stewards not changing. That being the case, this brother joined the Mark 13 years ago and is a member of two Mark Lodges. Like my other nominations this brother always supports the Province at meetings and other social functions and is also at the forefront when it comes to helping with fund raising, in fact he has been hard at it again today. He is one of the first faces you see at the annual golf day selling bonus balls, he is always in attendance at the Annual meeting again raising money on behalf of the Province, in fact wherever he goes he is helping in one way or another and in addition to all these activities he is also at the forefront in the organisation of the annual Crowstone Charity Chinese buffet meal night, which this year raised £700 for the Welfare Fund.
Brethren I am very pleased to say my nomination for next years Grand Steward is:
W. Bro Peter Steele from Crowstone Lodge.
Brethren I hope these nominations meet with your approval.
Lastly, brethren, we will be having an Official visit at our next Provincial Meeting at Felsted from one of the Rulers. It will be either the Deputy or Assistant Grand Master so I hope you will all make that extra effort to attend.
May I also take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and for those who may not celebrate Christmas a very happy holiday period and a healthy and successful new year.
Thank you
Brother Mess President, thank you for those kind words and to you, Brethren, for the way you apparently have received them, I am as always very grateful. I must say you had me worried. After listening to your feedback about moving the Mess around the Province and looking at the website a couple of weeks ago I thought we were going to be sitting here with around 40 members, but you have come up trumps again brethren with just under 100, a fantastic turnout! Thank you. Brethren may I publicly give my sincere thanks once again to WBro. Tony Goater and those behind the scenes for organising and arranging this wonderful Officer’s Mess. I also thank, on your behalf, this evenings' wine stewards who have done a splendid job without any fuss or moaning, thank you.
My thanks also go to the Kirby Cross Masonic Centre for accommodating us and making us feel welcome. You know, Brethren, last year at Chingford the management and staff there went out of their way to welcome us; they bent over backwards to accommodate us and the philosophy was “the answer is yes! What’s the question?” The same has happened this year, Kirby Cross staff have made us very welcome, they have gone out of their way to accommodate us and again “the answer is yes, what’s the question?” So, well done to them; I am also pleased to say this same “can do welcome” has already been experienced from next years venue.
Brethren, I am sure most of you will have once again seen the tremendous support the Active Provincial Officers have given to me, the Province and your Lodges during this last year. I really do believe their presence adds to any meeting they attend, also at their own time and expense and so once again I thank them for their support. I, of course, thank you all as well for making the effort to attend this evening, I know the venue is not the easiest one to get to and so I really do appreciate your attendance. I can tell you we have at least 35 of our 48 Mark Lodges directly represented and probably most others when you take multi memberships into account. You all know that it was the wishes of the majority of Grand and Provincial Officers to move this mess around the Province and the numbers here this evening have convinced me it was the right thing to do. So, on that subject I can tell you next years Mess will be held on Friday 27th November at Hutton.
This has been a busy year for the Province with a new Banner being dedicated for Wayfarers Lodge at Colchester, the
re-opening of the Fillebrook RAM Lodge as a new DC’s Lodge of improvement and ritual support team and the consecration of two new Lodges; The Northern Star Saturday morning breakfast lodge and the Essex Armed Forces Lodge. Our membership continues to grow in both the Mark and Royal Ark Mariners and I thank you for your continued work in this area. I also hope you have noticed the work of the newly restructured Media team, which has helped to increase our communications, media presence and to keep you informed of what is happening in Lodges and the Province.
Brethren, I also ask you, some time this evening, to spare a thought for W.Bro John Edwards who many of you will know passed away last year immediately after the meeting at Chingford after spending a happy evening with his friends. John left the Province a donation in his Will and I can tell you we are having a double sided cloth for the Secretary’s Table made in his name. On one side will be the Essex Mark logo and that of our Provincial Grand Lodge and on the other side the logo but this time with the Installed Commanders and Masters wording on, both sides will also include Johns name, we will use the cloth at Felsted and all 1044 meetings in his memory.
Brethren you will know that it has been the tradition at this meeting for me to announce the Provincial Wardens and Grand Steward nomination for next year. So, my nomination for Provincial Senior Warden joined the Mark 20 years ago. He is a member of four Mark Lodges and has been the Secretary of one of them for 5 years and has recently become the Secretary of another. He was first promoted to Provincial Grand rank in 2014.
This brother has been an active member of the Province and supports Provincial and social meetings whenever he can, he has been a member of the media team and more recently had a major influence in the administration and eventual consecration of the new Essex Armed Forces Lodge. I know this brother will continue to support the Province to the best of his ability and serve us all well.
Brethren my nomination for Provincial Senior Warden is:
W.Bro Ray McKerron from the Mark of Industry Lodge.
My next nomination joined the Mark 21 years ago and is a member of three Mark Lodges. He has been the Secretary of one of his Mark Lodge for nearly 4 years and was first promoted to Provincial Grand Rank in 2015. This brother also supports Provincial Meetings and other functions, in fact I saw him only a few weeks ago enjoying a bacon roll prior to the consecration of the Northern Star Lodge here at Kirby Cross. This brother is one of the stalwarts of his mother lodge and has ensured a steady stream of candidates. I have known this brother personally for over 40 years and so I have every confidence in his abilities to serve the Province and you to the best of his abilities. This brother is a gentle man and his services to music and the community were recognised by her Majesty the Queen in 2005 when he was awarded with an MBE.
Brethren my nomination for Provincial Junior Warden and next years Mess president is:
W. Bro Norman Eastbrook of Easterford Lodge
Before I make my next announcement I must as always add the caveat that this nomination is subject to the existing rules on Grand Stewards not changing. That being the case, this brother joined the Mark 13 years ago and is a member of two Mark Lodges. Like my other nominations this brother always supports the Province at meetings and other social functions and is also at the forefront when it comes to helping with fund raising, in fact he has been hard at it again today. He is one of the first faces you see at the annual golf day selling bonus balls, he is always in attendance at the Annual meeting again raising money on behalf of the Province, in fact wherever he goes he is helping in one way or another and in addition to all these activities he is also at the forefront in the organisation of the annual Crowstone Charity Chinese buffet meal night, which this year raised £700 for the Welfare Fund.
Brethren I am very pleased to say my nomination for next years Grand Steward is:
W. Bro Peter Steele from Crowstone Lodge.
Brethren I hope these nominations meet with your approval.
Lastly, brethren, we will be having an Official visit at our next Provincial Meeting at Felsted from one of the Rulers. It will be either the Deputy or Assistant Grand Master so I hope you will all make that extra effort to attend.
May I also take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and for those who may not celebrate Christmas a very happy holiday period and a healthy and successful new year.
Thank you
