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I am beginning to enjoy this!

The beginning of November was delightful. On 31 October 2008, my wife Julie and I flew to the Isle of Man for two reasons. The first reason was to enable me to attend the IOM Provincial Grand Lodge on the Friday night and the Rulers’ Forum Group Meeting on the Saturday morning. The second reason was a nostalgic one because Julie’s grandmother lived, for many years, at Onchan which is just north of Douglas.

Although I referred to the IOM Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting in my October Diary, I have reflected further on my visit.

The IOM Provincial Grand Lodge dates back to 1886 and is special to the Province of West Lancashire, being our daughter province. The Provincial Grand Master is George Peake and the Province has 17 Craft Lodges and six Royal Arch Chapters. Not surprisingly, the Provincial Grand Master knows all of his brethren and there is, therefore, a very personal and warm feel about Freemasonry on the Island. At the banquet, which followed the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, I was called upon to reply to the toast to the visitors, during which I referred to England as the mainland. This was immediately met with good natured sounds of derision, and it was politely pointed out to me that I should not say ‘the mainland’, rather ‘the adjacent island’.

I attended the Rulers’ Forum Group on the Saturday morning, I November, which was also attended by the Provincial Grand Masters of the IOM and East Lancashire together with other colleagues from each of the three Provinces. This was a useful meeting because it enabled the three Provinces to talk about matters of mutual interest as well as matters that have been raised by Grand Lodge for discussion and feedback.

Julie and I have visited the IOM on several occasions, particularly to see and stay with Julie’s grandmother. As a result, we were taught by grandmother very early on to respect ‘Themselves’, namely the Fairies. Indeed to this day, there is still a healthy respect for ‘Themselves’ on the Island. Accordingly, visitors are strongly recommended, when crossing the Fairy Bridge on the Douglas to Castletown road, to be polite and say hello to the ‘Themselves’. And they say that Freemasonry has some bizarre practices!!
My visit to the Installation of Spartan Lodge No 8084, in the North Fylde Group, was an important one. It gave me the opportunity to thank the Lodge and the Group for their outstanding work for charity, particularly for the 2010 Festival. At the time of my visit, the Lodge had already given more than £25,000 to the 2010 Festival, and then it presented me with another cheque. The Group Charity Steward, Trevor Hunt, who is a member of the Lodge, has raised more than £250,000 for the 2010 Festival and I presented an Achievement Certificate toTrevor for his remarkable fundraising efforts. He really is a role model for charitable work

On 6 November, I dedicated the newly built Garstang Masonic Hall, supported by my Provincial Team. I have many memories of the old Garstang Masonic Hall, going back to 1987 when I first visited it as the then Provincial Junior Grand Warden. It was friendly, charitable and very noisy. The level of enjoyment was wonderful to behold and it left an everlasting imprint upon my mind. Those involved with building and furnishing the new Hall, aided and abetted by a few canny farmers, have done an absolutely fantastic job. They worked together as a team and engaged in a full and complete consultation process. Although it is, of course, important that men should join Freemasonry for the right reasons and that they are uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motives, I cannot but help thinking that an attractive and welcoming masonic hall must play a significant part in the process of attracting men to our Order. I recommend all brethren to visit Garstang Masonic Hall.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, I took part in a Remembrance Service at the War Memorial which is located in the Masonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool. Although the War Memorial only contains the names of those Freemasons who gave their lives during the First World War, we remembered and paid tribute to all Freemasons who had made the ultimate sacrifice not only during the First and Second World Wars but also during the many conflicts thereafter. This is a sensitive and moving service which was started by Provincial Grand Master Kenneth Moxley (1990 – 1997) during his term in office and he wisely invited the Reverend Kenneth Cox to prepare and deliver a suitable service. He continues doing that to this date.

I approached 14 November anxiously, because I had agreed to lead the 50TH Anniversary Celebrations at Baines Lodge No 7844, in the South Fylde Group, for Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master Brian Wright, who has not enjoyed the best of health since he retired as an Assistant in 2007. In the event, the evening was an outstanding success and I am sure that we did full justice to the celebrations. Apart from being a very popular Craft Assistant for many years, Brian has the unique distinction of having been a Group Officer in three different Groups: South Fylde Group Secretary; South Blackpool Group Vice Chairman; and North Blackpool Group Chairman. He is that rare type of man and Mason who manages to be everyone’s  friend. What a wonderful Freemason.

The month continued to be busy and I attended, with my Provincial Team, the Installations of Rose of Lancaster Lodge No 2325 (Southport Group), Acacia Lodge No 4512 (Liverpool Wellington Group) and Ancient Union and Princes Lodge No 203 (Garston Group). All three visits gave me much pleasure and my team and I are very grateful to the Masters and Brethren of each for their warm welcome, company and generous hospitality. Can I say again how much I appreciated the help and support of the Southport Group, under the chairmanship of Chris Hamilton, for being the Host Group at my Installations on the 28 July 2008. Chris made an inspired choice in inviting Robert Wright to be the Captain of Stewards. 

On 27 November, I attended the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire Meeting at Blackburn. The new Provincial Grand Master Jack Price is doing a splendid job and it was good to see the event so well supported. I look forward to working with him in the future for the benefit of our two Provinces which have always been close. Both Provinces will greatly benefit from that continuing relationship.

As a footnote, and at the very end of the month, I was invited and agreed to be interviewed on City Talk Liverpool at the beginning of December, and therefore the month ended with much preparation for every eventuality and every question!

Peter Hosker