Assistant Provincial Grand Master Duncan Smith oversaw the final meeting of Norcliffe Lodge No 7371 as the lodge surrendered its warrant prior to merging with Lodge of Good Hope No 6937 to become a brand-new entity of Norcliffe Lodge of Good Hope No 6937.
Visitors to the final meeting, including many members of Lodge of Good Hope, were treated to a ceremony of excellence in every department, as a confident mix of light and dark blues went through their obviously well-rehearsed routines – a result of the watchful eye of director of ceremonies Tony Blundell.
WM Jason Bleakley first asked lodge secretary Peter Clay to read the dispensation received from United Grand Lodge granting permission to move the meeting from its usual day to that of the closure of the lodge. Jason then proceeded to deal with the administrative duties of Northcliffe Lodge in a very business-like manner.
Brethren heard that an apology for absence had been received from several members including Harry Cox, currently convalescing from illness. Harry had written to say how sad he was that Norcliffe Lodge was closing. He had many happy memories of evenings spent in the company of the lodge, adding that Norcliffe Lodge had been the first in the North Fylde Group to grant him honorary membership. He wished the lodge well for the future in its decision to become a new merged lodge.
Jason raised the lodge to the third degree before Duncan Smith, accompanied by newly promoted to grand office, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Jason Dell who, with colleagues Peter Greathead and Jim Woods, North Fylde Group Chairman John Cross and other acting Provincial Grand officers were admitted to the lodge room.
Duncan Smith was invited to receive the lodge gavel by the WM, which Duncan politely declined. Jason resumed the lodge in the first degree and the brethren were treated to confident, faultless, presentations of the working tools by father and son team, chaplain and junior deacon, Geoff and Matt Brady and by Frank Howarth. Jason Dell next rose to say that if the WM was to present the gavel to Duncan that he might, on the second time of asking, accept it, which Duncan duly did.
Once Duncan occupied the WM’s chair he greeted the brethren and welcomed them to the last meeting of Norcliffe Lodge which he said, though a sad occasion, was by no means a one-off and that the evening was an opportunity to celebrate the contribution Norcliffe Lodge had made to Freemasonry and the Fylde Coast over the past 67 years since its consecration in March 1955.
He said that the lodge had practised its Freemasonry with pride, dignity and a generosity of spirit which had endeared it to everyone with whom it had come in contact and, in the process, had brought together diverse men of very different backgrounds, introducing them to the fellowship that the Craft has to offer. As a consequence, the lodge had produced and nurtured a long succession of Masons who had proved to be a credit both to the lodge and to themselves.
Duncan continued that the occasion of a lodge surrendering its warrant was not a new thing and had happened throughout the whole history of Freemasonry. He said that there were many reasons why a lodge surrenders its warrant and the members of Norcliffe were aware of its own particular circumstances. What was evident across the constitution is that the number of members is in decline.
Duncan went on to describe how Masonry had arrived at the present impasse, that the 1,000s who had joined in the 50s, 60s and 70s have passed away and have not been replaced in equivalent numbers which meant that there are now too many lodges. Norcliffe fitted the timeline perfectly after being a valuable member of the Masonic circle for so long.
He went on to say that Norcliffe Lodge was the 5th lodge closure in his experience as an AProvGM. He added that in the demography of these lodges the average age was around 60 years and that the Craft now exist in a totally different Masonic environment.
Norcliffe Lodge had recognised that they had to make the sad, but understandable, decision to surrender its warrant having looked ahead 10 years or so hence. The lodge had embraced the opportunity of merging which was in his view the most sensible option.
Duncan then regaled an enthralled audience with tales of the personalities and the circumstances of how Norcliffe Lodge had come into existence after a humble meeting where a few men who had come together to play snooker at Bispham Conservative Club decided to form a new lodge. He traced how Norcliffe Lodge had come to select its name and its meeting place.
He asked the secretary to read out the minutes of the consecration meeting and brethren discovered that the annual subscription then was six guineas! One guinea Duncan said is equivalent of £1.05 today so subscriptions were £6.30 and that included seven festive boards!
Duncan charted how the lodge moved from the Norbreck Hydro Hotel to the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, and finally to Cleveleys Masonic Hall after the Imperial Hotel had made things difficult by increasing rents and dining fees and providing poor service.
Duncan gave a very humorous description of the personalities involved in the lodge’s earlier days and some of their antics such as setting off the fire alarm after an annoyance at the Imperial Hotel’s Tannoy system and forcing some 200 people to evacuate into the rain. At a Ladies Evening, the WM’s wife lost her false teeth and a £50 reward to the finder of them went to a member of the hotel staff. Duncan gave several other anecdotes about the early history of the lodge which proved very entertaining.
Duncan thanked and acknowledged the assistance of lodge secretary Peter Clay and of Peter Greathead in researching the history of the lodge. Duncan wished the lodge well for the future as Norcliffe Lodge of Good Hope saying that the lodge was in good shape with a good number of light blues though with a shortage of senior members who have been taking on the non-progressive offices several times. The merger with Lodge of Good Hope would help to alleviate the shortage of personnel Norcliffe Lodge was experiencing and give the senior officers a well-deserved rest. The new meeting date will be the second Thursday of the month. To read Duncan’s speech in full, click here.
Duncan returned the chair to the WM Jason Bleakley for the last time and following the closure of the lodge Duncan accepted Norcliffe Lodge’s warrant as it was surrendered. Thereafter the lodge retired to the festive board for an experience of very tasty dining.
Jason Bleakley was presented with a past master’s 100-year-old gold jewel at the festive board and in turn he presented Duncan and several members of the lodge with bottles of whisky to thank them for their attendance.
A raffle raised a magnificent sum of £295 for charity. Cheques were presented to Blue Skies Appeal of Blackpool Victoria Hospital for £1,000, West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity £2,000 and Carping for Cancer £1,000 – a total of £4,000. Jason in his toast said how sadness at the closure of the lodge had suddenly crept up on him but also gladness that a new lodge was beginning. He finished with a rousing: “Thanks to all!”