Adelphi Lodge No 6819 is 75 years old this year, having been consecrated in May 1949, and is perhaps unusual within the Gladstone Group in that it only meets four times a year. The original intention of the founders of the lodge was that it would accept just one candidate a year, who would then be made a master Mason, having been initiated, passed, and raised in a single Masonic year, with the fourth meeting being the annual installation meeting.
Since its consecration, it has held true to its founding principles and has enjoyed an almost unbroken run of selecting a new master every year, with most of the lodge officers being light blues, progressing up the ladder and becoming master. For the first time in nearly 20 years, on this occasion a past master would be installed into the chair of King Solomon.
Under the expert guidance of director of ceremonies, Paul Dooley, the required ritual for installing a past master was dusted off and the brethren had been practicing for weeks ready for the installation of master elect Tom Smith.
WM Stuart Allen welcomed all the many visitors and brethren to the lodge and wished them all a very pleasant evening. Without further ado, the lodge was opened in the first degree and the evenings installation ceremony began. Having progressed to the third degree, the assistant director of ceremonies, Paul Shirley retired from the lodge, and having re-entered announced that Mark Dimelow Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master, the representative of the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews stood without.
Mark was admitted and was accompanied by John Reynolds Provincial Senior Grand Deacon, Matt Casson, Gladstone Group Vice Chairman, Paul McLachlan Gladstone Group Treasurer and grand officer David Hilliard. Mark was formally introduced to Stuart, and once seated, Paul Shirley led the brethren in the necessary salutations.
Labour having resumed in the second degree, presenting officer Colin Higginson collected master elect, Tom Smith, and presented him to Stuart for the benefit of installation. Tom was faultless in his obligation as master elect, and having been duly obligated, Stuart asked all the officers of the lodge to line up and thanked them for their hard work and grateful support to him in his year as master which had flown by.
A board of installed masters having been duly constituted, Tom was installed in fine form by Stuart and placed in the chair of King Solomon, for the first time as WM of Adelphi Lodge. Tom, having invested Stuart as immediate past master, thanked him for his reliance on his continued support. It was the cue for Mike Fox to request admission of master Masons and the salutations of that degree were given to a new master, with Matt Brook giving a fantastic rendition of the working tools of a master Mason.
It was then turn for fellow crafts to be admitted and having attended to the necessary salutations, David Beckett was selected and delivered a fine oration of the working tools of a fellow craft Freemason. In no time at all, entered apprentices were then admitted and finally it fell to entered apprentice himself, Joseph Lynch to deliver an amazing rendition of the working tools of an entered apprentice, very impressive considering this was only his second meeting as a Mason.
Paul Shirley presented the warrant, book of constitutions and by-laws to master Tom, and then crossing the lodge floor, gave the address to the master. It is safe to say that assistant director of ceremonies Paul wore many hats during the evening, not only directing the installation ceremony itself but also the appointments of the officers of the lodge.
Past master, Dean Dwyer, gave the collar address to newly appointed senior warden Colin Higginson, with past master Dave Douglas giving the address to the wardens, following the appointment of Tom Murphy as junior warden. At the appointment of the senior and junior deacons, Darren Fulton and David Beckett respectively, Paul Shirley collected Provincial Grand Deacon John Reynolds who had very kindly agreed to give the address to the deacons. Finally, John Hibbert having been invested as tyler, Paul Shirley gave the address to John, presenting him with the very special and splendid lodge sword.
Mark Dimelow then rose and gave a very sincere address to the brethren of the lodge, and upon completion, master Tom requested would Mark accept cheques on behalf of the charities. Mark explained to the assembled brethren that the lodge had donated the fantastic sum of £1,000 to the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, and £250 to Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Liverpool. Mark congratulated the brethren on their generosity.
Mark then brought his own congratulations, congratulating Tom on being installed as master and thanking Stuart for his part in installing Tom, and praising Paul Shirley in the conducting of the installation and the junior brethren who had taken part in the ‘tools’.
The lodge business was quickly wrapped up and the stewards having already been excused to prepare the bar as installations are ‘thirsty work’, set about serving drinks as the brethren and guests were seated for the festive board. The festive board was a lively occasion and the long tables were close enough for the brethren on both sides to engage in conversation.
At the festive board, principal guest Mark Dimelow, explained that he had last been to Adelphi Lodge for the installation of Stuart Irvine, which by a quirk of coincidence had also been the last master to have been installed as a past master in recent history. Mark explained that at the time he didn’t think that it would have been 18 years almost before he visited again, and he hoped that his next visit to the lodge would be much sooner next time.
Immediate past master Stuart led the toast to the health of WM Tom Smith, explaining that he had really enjoyed his time as master and that he hoped that the ensuing year for Tom would be as equally happy and enjoyable as his had been.
In response, Tom explained to all present, that he was both happy and sad to be master of the lodge, happy to have been installed in the chair of Adelphi Lodge which has been his home for many years now, but equally sad that his long-term friend and Don Edwards couldn’t be there to see the occasion.
Don Edwards was lodge chaplain at Adelphi Lodge and had a unique deep voice, which when a prayer was read was instantly recognisable, although many brethren have filled the role since the passing of Don, the memory of his readings still brings a smile to the brethren of Adelphi Lodge. Tom explained that Don was a proponent of charity and a Mason, and introduced to Tom the principle of brotherly love, relief and truth.
Tom was subsequently initiated into the Lodge of Sincerity No 292, becoming master in 2007. Tom and Don both joined Adelphi Lodge in 2010 as joining members, with the rest becoming, as they say, history. The brethren of Adelphi lodge wished Tom good health in his year in office and drank a hearty toast in tribute to Don.
