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The month of April finished with a flurry of activity spread over three days. It was that time of the year when Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter honour its Brethren and Companions and the Province of West Lancashire was well represented.

For my part, I arrived on the Tuesday, 28 April 2009, and my first duty was to attend on the Pro Grand Master along with my Provincial Grand Master and District Grand Master colleagues. At the meeting, the most interesting item was the initial showing of the new Grand Lodge Website in its embryo form. I can tell you that Grand Lodge is placing considerable weight on the new Website for recruitment and for marketing and promoting an increased use of Great Queen Street. Having realised that Matt’s Blog on our own Provincial Website brings a new dimension to our Freemasonry, I suggested to the High Rulers that this type of feature, or similar, was worthy of inclusion, to provide a better balance for the Grand Lodge Website. We shall see what happens when the final version of the Grand Lodge Website goes live!

After the meeting, the Provincial and District Grand Masters were entertained by our High Rulers at Lincoln’s Inn, and what a magnificent occasion it was. I hasten to add that this is the only ‘freebie’ that we enjoy at the hands of Grand Lodge. At table, I had the privilege of sitting opposite our Grand Master, the Duke of Kent, and I can tell you that he was a most interesting and delightful colleague to dine with.

On the Wednesday morning, the Provincial Grand Masters held their own private forum on various issues raised internally by them and also on matters that had been referred to them for discussion. I found this to be most helpful and informative, but I had to constantly remind myself that each Province is unique, and also that whereas our Province has some 418 lodges, Herefordshire, for example, has only 14 lodges. One size does not fit all and each Province has developed its own style and its own practices and procedures, and we must never forget this.

On Wednesday afternoon, before a capacity attendance, I was so pleased and proud to see our West Lancashire Brethren invested, and to receive their respective collars whether by way of appointment or promotion. I warmly congratulate them all, and I trust that they will have many years to enjoy their rank. I am sure that you all know that apppointments to and promotions in Grand Rank are very special and, significantly, are becoming fewer and fewer because of the amended rules promulgated by Grand Lodge. In short, in each Province, ranks are now based upon the number of subscribing members and not the number of lodges.

The Grand Festival in the evening, following the Craft Investiture, was held at the Guildhall and it was very special indeed. I take the view that not only should we support our Grand Master by attending the Grand Festival after the Investiture, but also that being honoured in Grand Rank is worthy of everything that the Grand Festival stands for and has to offer. I had the privilege of sitting on the Assistant Grand Master’s table, and as always, he was in good form. I regret that celebrants cannot be accompanied at the Grand Festival by their personal guests, but this shortcoming must surely be outweighed by the very special nature of the Grand Festival.

On the Thursday, it was the turn of Supreme Grand Chapter and, again, I was so pleased and proud to see our West Lancashire Companions invested, and to receive their respective collars whether by way of appointment or promotion. I congratulate them all. It was good to see that Supreme Grand Chapter enjoyed a near capacity attendance, which was most encouraging. Afterwards, the Celebratory Luncheon was first class, and I was able to sit with and enjoy the company of my West Lancashire Companions. This was a marvellous final event to my visit to London.   

As it happens, the month of April also included another day for celebration, when, on 22 April, we held Provincial Grand Chapter at the Guildhall Preston. I found this to be a particularly happy day, and it reminded me, if such a reminder is necessary, that the Royal Arch is a most enjoyable and colourful degree. It is my sincere hope that more Craft Masons will join us in the Royal Arch, each one completing his own special journey of antient and pure Masonry. For now, I congratulate each Companion who had been appointed or promoted in Provincial Grand Chapter; it was well earned and well deserved.

During the month, I visited Liverpool Masonic Hall twice in relatively quick succession. On 8 April, I attended Temple Lodge No 1094, and on 15 April, I attended West Derby Castle Lodge No 5821, in both cases with my Provincial Team. Both were hugely successful visits, and I was pleased to find that both lodges were in such good heart. The Installation Meetings of the two lodges were of the highest standard and the Masonic Hall did us proud for each banquet afterwards.

In April, I attended my last group dinner, and this time it was the Leyland Group. I have been impressed with all the groups dinners which I have been to during the Masonic season, and the Leyland Group was no exception. The group chairman, Peter Hadfield, and his team have been most effective in leading and developing the Leyland Group.

I write this diary at the very beginning of May, in which we look forward, particularly, to ProvIncial Grand Lodge and to the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Festival at Southport.     

Peter Hosker