Amongst the 86 members and guests attending the banner dedication meeting of Pro Patria Lodge No 9952, not many could say that they had seen a ceremony of this kind before. With Assistant Provincial Grand Master Duncan Smith in attendance to preside over the main event it promised to be a treat.
The bugle fanfare ‘Pro Patria’ was sounded, and the WM Juan Topping and his officers entered the lodge room, preceded by the Union Flag. The lodge was then opened in due form and the brethren stood to order in respect of departed merit. The secretary, Bob Wareham, then presented the dispensation to hold the meeting at St Annes Palace and several items of lodge business were despatched including the successful election of six joining members. A successful ballot also approved a candidate for initiation at a future meeting.
The Provincial Grand Organist was admitted and took his place at the keyboard. Then the Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Gary Smith was admitted and announced that Assistant Provincial Grand Master Duncan Smith was without and demanded admission. Duncan Smith accompanied by a retinue of grand, Provincial grand and Acting Provincial grand officers then entered the lodge. The WM welcomed Duncan and offered him the gavel of the lodge, which on this occasion, Duncan accepted.
The members of the banner dedication team were then invited to take their places in the lodge and Duncan proceeded to deliver the introduction to the ceremony. He began by declaring that this meeting of Pro Patria Lodge was something very special indeed, for we don’t see a banner dedication ceremony very often, and in the life of any particular lodge, a banner is dedicated only once, if at all.
Duncan explained that the origin of banners can be traced back to ancient Rome and ancient Greece and that they were used as a rallying point for the followers of various military organisations as well as political organisations and trade unions in more modern times. He made the connection between banners and coats of arms as forms of identification and used as an example the past Provincial Grand Master, Sir Knowles Edge Bart, who’s coat of arms were carried into Provincial Grand Lodge whenever he attended.
Duncan made the connection to the number of lodges who have banners, some of which are regularly paraded into a lodge meeting prior to opening. In some Provinces lodges have their banners on or near the table where they are to dine during the festive board. He concluded by saying that for the world at large, a banner makes a statement about a lodge’s presence, history and purpose. The banner symbolises all that the lodge stands for, the embodiment of our beliefs and the honour of those who sit beneath it.
At this point the Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a deputation to parade the new banner into the lodge room while Godfrey Hirst performed the incredible feat of sounding like a choir while singing the banner anthem. For those who know Godfrey well, this was no surprise despite the other choristers being taken out of the equation by COVID!
The banner was carried into the lodge room to the strains of the opening hymn, sung by many of the brethren and the ceremony was opened by the dedication prayer led by John Hall, the Provincial Grand Chaplain. Duncan then declared: “Brethren, by virtue of the power in me vested by my Patent of Appointment, I now dedicate this banner to Freemasonry, to the Province of West Lancashire, and to all of the members of Pro Patria Lodge No 9952 now and in the future. WM, it therefore gives me great pleasure to deliver this banner into your keeping on behalf of the lodge, knowing that it will be passed on to your successor pure and unsullied as you now receive it”.
This was followed by Godfrey singing Psalm No 150, then an oration delivered by John Hall in which he thanked the founders of the lodge for the vision to create the lodge and the banner which would create the identity of the lodge and enthuse the members to loyalty with a purpose. He concluded by telling the brethren that they were creating history on this occasion and wondered how this event would be remembered. This concluded the ceremony and the master resumed his chair, thanking Duncan and his officers for attending and performing such a memorable ceremony. The final items of business were conducted, which included the collection of alms and a donation of £500 to St Annes Palace.
The brethren the retired to the banqueting suite where they enjoyed a sumptuous four course meal with wine and port. During the meal a raffle was held for some excellent prizes and raised the sum of £506, which when combined with the alms collection in the lodge, raised £719 will be donated to various worthy causes.
As a footnote, the following is an explanation of the symbolism represented on the new banner, provided by lodge member Terry Stevens-Lewing, who was heavily involved in its design and production:
The image of Britannia has for 100s of years been synonymous with Great Britain and because as the lodge name ‘Pro Patria’ means ‘for one’s country’. The Union Flag shield is again representative of the country. The square and compasses shows that we are a Masonic lodge. The lion is a supporter of the shield and the military connection to English medieval warriors such as Richard the Lionheart. The trident is representative of Neptune and the sea, as we are an island nation. The drinking cup in Britannia’s hand represents absent brethren, or more specifically our toast to them that we drink at the festive board. The three colours that surround and support the figure are the colours associated with the three armed forces represented by the lodge membership; red for the Army, navy blue for the Royal Navy and light blue for the Royal Air Force.
After negotiations with Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge, representatives with regards to the banner background colour and some of the design, Terry thought about what would represent the lodge in an appropriate manor and it struck him that the Queens Armed Forces flag would be the most suitable, so adding the lodge logo as designed by Bob Wareham, Juan Topping and Mark Tomlinson, he put forward seven designs to the lodge, which were whittled down to three, the lodge members then voted on the final design.