Southport Group News - Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire

Special jewel returned to Lodge
A collar jewel presented to a member when he became Junior Warden of the Province has been returned to the Southport Lodge which purchased it 76 years ago.....<more>

Southport Freemasons donate £17,650
More than 100 Freemasons attended the Southport Masonic Group’s annual Masters and First Principals’ Festival. The guest of honour was Provincial Grand Secretary.....<more>

Masonic Sky Dive
W. Bro. Malcolm Gregson of Perfect Ashlar Lodge has just returned from a holiday in the U.S., where he carried out a sponsored skydive .....<more>

Southport Masters Festival
The Southport Group of Lodges recently enjoyed a most successful Master’s and First Principal’s Festival.........<more>

A collar jewel presented to a member when he became Junior Warden of the Province has been returned to the Southport Lodge which purchased it 76 years ago.

When George Radcliffe was appointed Provincial Junior Grand Warden of Lancashire Western Division in 1932 members of his Lodge decided they should mark the special honour.

They purchased a collar jewel from Toye and Co and had it inscribed on the reverse side: “Presented to WBro Geo Radcliffe, ProvJGWarden, Lancashire WD, 15th June 1932. As a token of appreciation and esteem from the Brethren of His Mother Lodge, Southport Emulation Lodge No 3675.”

The jewel was presented to the WM, Nic Carapanagiotu, by Derek Hunt who discovered it among Masonic memorabilia which had been collected by WBro Ken Foulkes PAGDC of Warrington.

When Ken died, Derek was asked to assist his family by sorting through all his regalia and other items he had collected over many years.

Ken held active Provincial Rank for 11 years as Provincial Grand Pursuivant and Provincial Grand Tyler travelling the length and breadth of the Province. During this time he collected many items of Masonic interest.

There were many items in Ken’s collection including quite a few collar jewels but it was one in a brown leather case that caught Derek’s attention and at first it appeared to be like any other very old collar jewel. It was only later that he looked at the back and found the special inscription.

George Radcliffe, who was born in 1879, was Initiated into Freemasonry in Southport Emulation Lodge in 1914. He was Installed as Worshipful Master in 1926. After serving as Junior Warden of the Province he remained very active and was appointed as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1942. In 1948 George served as Worshipful Master of Lathom Lodge No 2229. He died in 1962.

The jewel will be put on display in a showcase along with other special Southport memorabilia in Southport Masonic Hall.

More than 100 Freemasons attended the Southport Masonic Group’s annual Masters and First Principals’ Festival. The guest of honour was Provincial Grand Secretary Geoffrey Lee.

As always, a highlight of the event was the presentation of cheques donated for Masonic and non-Masonic charities and other causes.

A splendid total of £17,650 was donated, with beneficiaries including Queenscourt and Derian House Hospices, the Samaritans and the Thomas Henshaw Trust, as well as the new West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, the Friends of Tithebarn and the Masonic Hall Foundation.

Southport Group Chairman Chris Hamilton presents cheques totalling £2,000 to Queenscourt Hospice medical director Dr Karen Groves watched by Alan Sainter (Masonic Regalia Agency) and Brian Haliwell, Head of Queenscourt Fundraising.

In the first Inspection by Sefton Environmental health Department since Billy and Sheilah Nolan took over the catering, Southport Masonic Hall has received the maximum FIVE STAR ***** rating for food hygiene. Click here to see the online report.

This places the Masonic Hall in the top 12 of nearly 300 food establishments rated on the 'Scores on the Doors' web site for PR8, click here for the list. This is good news fo all of us who dine at the Hall, and excellent news for the Hall as a business.

We can all be pleased and proud of this this achievement. Well done, Billy and Sheilah!

W. Bro. Malcolm Gregson of Perfect Ashlar Lodge has just returned from a holiday in the U.S., where he carried out a sponsored skydive in support of the Southport Masonic Hall Foundation.

A video of Malcolm's dive is on Youtube - to view it, click here. A report is also expected in the Southport Visiter.

Well done, Malcolm - a great initiative! If you haven't sponsored Malcolm yet, and would like to do so, contact him on 01704 834301, e-mail <msg1@blueyonder.co.uk>

The Southport Group of Lodges recently enjoyed a most successful Master’s and First Principal’s Festival. After a searching and interesting question and answer session, one and twenty Brethren dined at the Masonic Hall. During the evening, several donations were presented to the Group Chairman, W.Bro.Chris Hamilton for the benefit of various Masonic and Non-masonic charities, in total; the magnificent sum of £12,000 was given to charity.”

In November, 40 members and guests attended the first annual Dinner of the newly formed Three Degrees Club for new Freemasons. The principle Guest was John Moore, M.B.E., Assistant Provincial Grand Master.

The Three Degrees Club welcomes Initiates into the Southport Group; encouraging them to make friends and meet other new members from other Lodges, and promotes inter-visiting. The Club also gives new members opportunities to learn about the history of Freemasonry and the meaning of our ceremonies.

Every Initiate receives a welcome pack from the Club on the night of his Initiation, free membership and a card from the Group Chairman. There is an annual Dinner in the autumn, and a social event in the spring. The club has its own e-mail list to keep members up to date.

Members meet the Group Officials, and the Club gives them a "voice" to put forward ideas and suggestions - or criticisms! The Three Degrees Club will add to the enjoyment of new Freemasons and retention of new members. The Club is chaired by Geoff Wilcock, Eric Morris is Secretary and Michael Poll Treasurer.