Members and visitors alike had a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday afternoon being in attendance at Flixton Lodge No 4869 on the occasion of their installation ceremony. Not only did they have an afternoon and evening of wit and humour, but also an outstanding installation ceremony carried out in a very high standard.
In the absence of incumbent WM Paul Heathcote, Phil Burrows, a past master of the lodge, served a very skilfully delivered ceremony as the installing master emanating in Geoff Collantine being installed for the ensuing year, indeed a third time of mastership in Geoff’s Masonic career.
The representative of Province Grand Master Mark Matthews was Brian Hayes. South Eastern Group Chairman Gareth Jones, group secretary Eddie Wilkinson and Provincial Grand Steward Shaun Brookhouse, were greeted by the WM, Phil Burrows.
During the ceremony, there were immaculate word-perfect presentations of the tools; those to an installed master were given in the board of installed masters by Eddie Wilkinson, and equally in the third degree the tools to a master Mason were given by Adam Walker, an excellent delivery in the second degree by Colin Wilcox and finally in the first degree an excellent presentation given by Matthew Goodwin.
There were then addresses to the WM given by Phil Burrow, followed by the address to the wardens by Eddie Wilkinson and finally to the brethren of the lodge given with much heartfelt effect by Brian Hayes.
On completion of the installation ceremony, Brian Hayes rose to bring greetings and good wishes from the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, to which Geoff rose to thank Brian for conveying those wishes and in return asked Brian to reciprocate those good wishes back to Mark Matthews. It was at that point Geoff had a pleasurable task in presenting Brian with a cheque made out in favour of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity for £500, to which Brian thanked the lodge brethren on behalf of those who we would never know but would receive such sure support from Flixton Lodge.
In the first rising, group chairman Gareth Jones gave his own congratulatory remarks to the lodge brethren for the standard of the installation ceremony and in particular to Phil Burrow for his work during the ceremony.
At the festive board, Brian further congratulated Phil on a tremendous job in installing Geoff and again heaped warm wishes on Geoff for his term as master. The brethren enjoyed a memorable, pleasurable event, feted with food, wine, fun and fellowship, they retired home content, having witnessed a superb installation.
