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St. Helens and Prescot
Group News
Masonic hall is part of Heritage Open Day
Prescot Masonic Hall was again delighted to take part in the town’s Heritage Open Day......<more>
Memorable birthday for Jim
A new Masonic Luncheon Club for the St Helens and Prescot Group has started and offers a meal and good company at St Helens Masonic Hall ..............<more>
Lodge celebrates Silver Jubilee
One of the biggest Lodges in the Province celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Consecration..........<more>
Freemasons in town’s Heritage Open Day
For the second successive year Prescot Masonic Hall took part in the town’s Heritage Open Day.........<more>
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Masonic hall is part of Heritage Open Day
Prescot Masonic Hall was again delighted to take part in the town’s Heritage Open Day.
The event was honoured by a visit from the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Knowsely, Councillor David Smithson and Mrs Smithson. The Mayor was greeted by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Eddie Caulfield.
This year it was decided to ask some of the non Masonic charities both locally and nationally we support to attend our open day. Seven charities accepted the invitation including the North West Air Ambulance.
More than 50 people signed the visitors’ book and most of them were surprised to discover what an outward and forward looking organisation Freemasonry is.
Graham Hughes, chairman of Prescot Masonic Hall said: “I am sure occasions like this can do nothing but good to change the minds of the general population and dispel some of the myths that surround what we all know to be a force for good in a troubled world.”
Prescot Masonic Hall chairman Gordon Hughes and Assistant Provincial Grand Master Eddie Caulfield are pictured in the Lodge room with the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Knowsley, Clr and Mrs David Smithson.
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Memorable birthday for Jim
A new Masonic Luncheon Club for the St Helens and Prescot Group has started and offers a meal and good company at St Helens Masonic Hall for a growing number of brethren in the group. The meal is followed by a varied program of talks and it also hopes to arrange visits out and about as the season progresses.
A founder member of the club, Jim Gornall, is an active member of the committee. At the February meeting the Brethren were happy to be joined by him as it was his 95th birthday on that day.
After the members had given a hearty rendition of Happy Birthday, Jim ceremonially cut the specially made cake.
A tribute to Jim was then given by his son, Group Chairman, Lionel Gornall.
Jim said he hopes to see everyone again at his 100th birthday.
Jim is very active still attending his lodge, chapter and Mark lodge.
Jim Gornall is pictured cutting his birthday cake.
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Freemasons in town’s Heritage Open Day
For the second successive year Prescot Masonic Hall took part in the town’s Heritage Open Day in conjunction with Prescot Museum.
The event was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Knowsley, Councillor Michael Foulkes, who was welcomed by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Eddie Caulfield.
Although the number attending showed a slight decrease on last year those who did attend were complementary about the Craft.
Prescot Masonic Hall Chairman, Graham Hughes, said it had been “a worthwhile event” to take part in.
Prescot Masonic Hall was also delighted to accept the invitation from Prescot Museums to take part in The Big History Show in St George’s Hall, Liverpool which was celebrating 800 years of Liverpool’s history.
Master Masons, Past Masters, Provincial Officers, Group Officials and Assistant Provincial Grand Master Eddie Caulfield all helped to run the Hall’s stand over the three days of the show.
Hall Chairman Graham Hughes said that although there were some visitors to the show who still have negative and derogative thoughts about Freemasonry he was certain that the only way to dispel these is by taking part in events similar to this one.
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Lodge celebrates Silver Jubilee
One of the biggest Lodges in the Province celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Consecration following the Installation of its new Worshipful Master.
To mark the Silver Jubilee of the Mersey Valley Lodge of Installed Masters No 9057, Derek Hunt, a founder, had written a history of the Lodge and an Honours Board had been made.
The Lodge was the brainchild of WBro Arthur Osborne who was then the Assistant Provincial Grand Master with responsibility for the Warrington, St Helens and Prescot and Leigh Groups of Lodges. He convinced the Province that a Past Masters’ Lodge would foster greater links between the Lodges under his jurisdiction while also providing leading speakers and demonstration teams to further the Masonic knowledge of its members. The Widnes Group later became part of Mersey Valley and all four groups provide a WM in rotation. WBro Osborne was the first WM of the Lodge.
When the Lodge was Consecrated more than 320 Brethren attended which was believed to be the largest attendance for such a meeting of any West Lancashire Lodge – but the ceremony had to be held in Cheshire as there was no hall within the three groups which was large enough to host the event. The first meeting had to be held at a hotel in Cheshire.
At the special Silver Jubilee celebration the Lodge was honoured to have among its guests three members of the Provincial Team which Consecrated the Lodge – Brian Gillbanks who was then Senior Warden of the Province; Tom Blackburn who was the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and the Rev Harry Ross who was Chaplain.
VWBro Gillbanks attended the Installation Ceremony as the principal guest and then occupied the Chair of the Lodge for the Silver Jubilee celebration. He invited Derek Hunt to present the first copy of the history he had written to the new WM, Joe Hine.
The 48-page book, A Lodge of Our Time, contained the full history of the Lodge from when the idea for its formation was first voiced, a list of all its guest speakers and demonstration teams and a large selection of colour photographs.
The Lodge had never had an Honours Board listing the names of all its Worshipful Masters so it was decided to have one made as part of the special celebrations. The Honours Board was Dedicated by Assistant Provincial Grand Master, the Rev Harry Ross. The Board had been made by WBro Keith Gatley and the Lodge name and list of Past Masters was put on it by WBro Les Ashcroft. The Honours Board will be hung in the large Lodge Room at Warrington Masonic Hall.
Nearly 130 members and guests attended the meeting in Leigh Masonic Hall. A toast to the Founders was proposed by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Eddie Caulfield and the response was by Alec Parkin, the founding secretary who travelled from his home in the South of England to be present.
Derek Hunt presents the first copy of A Lodge of Our Time to the new Worshipful Master of the Mersey Valley Lodge of Installed Masters No 9057, Joe Hine.
Past Masters of the Mersey Valley Lodge of Installed Masters with Deputy Provincial Grand Master Brian Gillbanks, Assistant Provincial Grand Masters Eddie Caulfield, Dennis Rudd and the Rev Harry Ross, and Tom Blackburn (who was Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies when the Lodge was Consecrated) at the new Honours Board.
At the special Silver Jubilee celebration the Lodge was honoured to have among its guests three members of the Provincial Team which Consecrated the Lodge – Brian Gillbanks who was then Senior Warden of the Province; Tom Blackburn who was the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and the Rev Harry Ross who was Chaplain.
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