Sadly, at just over 110 years the Ceres Lodge No 3501 has returned its warrant. This warrant was issued on 27 January 1911 with the lodge consecrated on 11 March 1911 at the Angel Hotel, Dale Street, Liverpool. Although a ‘daughter lodge’ of Goodacre Lodge No 2495, the 21 original petitioners came from various lodges throughout the area and as the name Ceres suggests, they were mainly affiliated with the cereal trade which was based at the Liverpool Corn Exchange.
The closure of the lodge took place in the Adams Suite at Liverpool Masonic Hall on Hope Street on Tuesday 25 January 2022. The lodge was opened in due form by the WM John Lewis and his officers, along with guests. Also In attendance was Assistant Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, accompanied by Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Robb Fitzsimmons and Liverpool Group Chairman Dave Johnson. In line with protocol the gavel of the lodge was offered to Mark Matthews, which was accepted then temporarily returned to John Lewis. Salutations were then given to Mark, who responded appropriately.
Following the completion of general business, the gavel was again offered to Mark, who this time accepted it and took his place in the master’s chair. The purpose of this was to deliver the following address with regard to lodge closure.
“The closure of a lodge and the surrender of its warrant is always a very sad occasion. Indeed, it is my solemn duty tonight to officiate over the closure of Ceres Lodge No 3501 and to accept the surrender of the lodge warrant. I hope that you will agree with me that tonight should also be a significant celebration of a lodge that has been in existence for 111 illustrious years.
Ceres Lodge had its warrant granted in January 1911, the founders of the lodge being associated with the Liverpool Corn Exchange, and came from other lodges situated in the Provinces of Liverpool and Cheshire. Quite appropriately, the name of the lodge being Ceres, is that of ‘the Goddess of the Earth and Produce’, depicted on the lodge crest, Ceres surrounded by ears of corn. The lodge was consecrated on Saturday 11 March 1911, at three o’clock in the afternoon at The Angel Hotel, originally an old coaching inn and situated in Dale Street Liverpool.
Events of interest occurring during the year of Ceres’s consecration included the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary at Westminster Abbey on 22 June. At exactly the same time as the coronation, the clocks in the new-build Royal Liver Building on Liverpool waterfront were started. Prior to the coronation, other events included the siege of Sidney Street in London on 3 January; the 1911 census was held on 2 April; the unsinkable Titanic was launched on 31 May in Belfast, while a sister ship the Olympic sailed from there to Liverpool the same day in readiness to start her transatlantic service. In Liverpool the general transport strike begins on 14 June, which necessitated troops being brought in to assist in the movement of goods. This degenerated over a period of time into street violence and on 15 August two men are shot dead by mounted troops on Vauxhall Road near to the docks.
On 20 September the Olympic collides with the naval vessel cruiser HMS Hawke at Southampton and returns to Belfast for repairs, leading to the still controversial conspiracy theory that a name swop later occurred with Titanic, and it was the original Olympic which sank when hitting an iceberg. Nearing the end of 1911, an explosion at Bibby’s Oil Cake Mill occurred in Liverpool on 21 November, starting in the basement of the building it resulted in 39 dead and a further 101 people injured, most quite badly. The King and Queen were crowned Emperor of India and Emperor consort of India respectively on 11 December at the Delhi Durbar in India.
Going back to the lodge consecration meeting, there were 21 founding members and 38 guests. The initiation fee was eight guineas, (eight pounds and eight shillings). The joining fee was four guineas, (four pounds and four shillings). The fee for visitors was six shillings. Interestingly, and quite generously, the master had the right to invite three guests to each meeting at the expense of the lodge.
Only a short space of time after the lodge consecration the First World War broke out, and a number to the members of Ceres Lodge volunteered to ‘join the colours’, amongst the first being Norman Lloyd Williams who attested into the Liverpool Pals on 4 September 1914. He was the eighth initiate into the lodge, his brother Osmond Trevor being the ninth. Although quite a number served, Norman was the only known fatality from the conflict and this is reported in the Liverpool Echo of 21 July 1916 which stated:
‘The flag is flying at half-mast to-day over the Liverpool Corn Market in memory of Norman L Williams, of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment). He was one of the first to join the ‘Pals’. He is reported to have been working with a bombing party when he was struck in the head and killed. Before joining the army, he was engaged for many years by Messrs Oswald Dobell and Co, whose business was afterwards merged into the firm of Messrs John Barber and Co, corn merchants, Corn Exchange buildings.’
As time progressed Ceres Lodge continued to flourish. Even during the two World Wars, the brethren maintained their Freemasonry whilst also serving their country, other work and the local communities. During the Second World War the Liverpool Corn Exchange, with which the lodge closely identifies, suffered severely. The Corn Exchange itself was completely destroyed by the bombings of the German Luftwaffe.
In 1947 a certain Alan Fletcher Ferris was proposed and seconded and was initiated into the lodge in January 1948. Alan Ferris went on to become a highly successful Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies. He became an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1976 and ultimately our Provincial Grand Master in 1981, an office he held with great distinction until 1990. In 1992 Alan was awarded the Order of Service to Masonry.
In 2011 Ceres Lodge successfully celebrated its centenary; at that time the lodge was described as strong with more initiates coming forward. Unfortunately, in more recent years the membership of the lodge has continued to decrease and the difficult decision to close and surrender the lodge warrant has been taken.
Ceres Lodge has a rich and meaningful history. It has been an introductory route into Freemasonry for many men from all walks of life. I make no apology for repeating what I outlined at the start of this address; this is indeed a sad occasion. But it is also a celebration of 111 illustrious years of a fine and very distinguished lodge.
Brethren of Ceres Lodge, I thank you and your predecessors for your services to your country and our local communities. I also thank you for your services to Freemasonry in general and within the Province of West Lancashire and offer you my sincere personal thanks for your commitment, hard work and loyalty to the Liverpool Group of lodges and chapters here at Hope Street Masonic Hall.”
On completion of his address Mark invited the WM John Lewis to resume his rightful place in the lodge. The lodge was closed in due form and Deputy Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Robb Fitzsimmons collected the lodge warrant from the acting secretary Alan Roberts and pasted it on to the WM, who then reverentially surrendered it to Mark Matthews. The brethren then processed out.
A festive board followed, which whilst in many ways was a solemn affair, it was also celebratory in terms of the rich history of the lodge and what it had achieved. Group secretary Dave Johnson proposed the toast to Mark who responded and then proposed the toast to the late Ceres Lodge and was particularly pleased to note that all the lodge members were remaining in Freemasonry. John Lewis responded to the toast from Mark on behalf of the brethren.
