Page 1 - TRIANGLE Summer 2015 issue18

FOR MARK MASTER MASONS and ROYAL ARK MARINERS OF SOMERSET
ISSUE 18 Summer 2015 http://www.somersetmarkmason.co.uk

Provincial Grand Lodge 2015

On Saturday 2 May 2015, the Annual Meeting of Provincial
nd
Grand Lodge was held at its usual venue, The Webbington Hotel,
near Axbridge, under the banner of the William de Irwin Lodge
No. 162.
How time flies, it hardly seems a year since Right Worshipful
Brother John Morgan was Installed as Provincial Grand Master
for Somerset.
The meeting following its usual tried & tested format, was opened
at 3.00pm with the entry of visiting dignitaries & Provincial
Guests both old & new. At the command of our Provincial Grand
Director of Ceremony, Ray Johnstone-Smith, all rose to receive
RWBrother John together with his deputy, W. Brother Philip
Voisey accompanied by the Provincial Team. The opening hymn
was sung & Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in due form.
Moving through the usual business items, the PGM warmly
welcomed a delegation of Royal Ark Mariners dressed in their
Rainbow Regalia representing the ten RAM lodges in the
Province.
A roll of Somerset & RAM lodges was called & it was gratifying
to note that every lodge was answered by their members present.
The Provincial Grand Treasurer presented his report, which was
duly approved by the brethren.
Following this, the PGM re-appointed W. Brother Philip Clifford Voisey as his Deputy, after which he appointed & invested the Officers
of Provincial Grand Lodge.
Next on the agenda saw the Worshipful Master & brethren of the Science Lodge, No. 128 present the Travelling Keystone to the
th
RWBrother John who pledges that he would deliver it to the Isle of Wedmore Lodge, No. 1912 on Wednesday 17 June 2015.
The PGM next addressed the assembly which included inviting RWBrother John Prizeman, President of the Mark Benevolent Fund to
address the meeting. He made the brethren aware of recent large donations to the scheme, “Hope for
Tomorrow” who was donating a number of mobile Chemotherapy Units across the country; Somerset
already has a unit in operation.
There followed a representative number of newly advanced brethren who were individually presented
to the PGM who awarded them with a lapel badge to ‘Mark’ the occasion!
Cheques each for £2,000 were presented to R.W.Brothers Peter Hawken MBE, PGM for Devonshire &
Richard Oliver PGM for Berkshire to assist in raising funds for their forthcoming Provincial Festivals.
And so this special day’s business ended, the closing ode was sung & alms collected.
Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in due form, the National Anthem was sung & the PGM & his
retinue retired to acclamation.
Our ladies, who had previously been entertained by Mrs. Hillary May with an interesting talk on ‘The
West Somerset Stroke Unit’, joined their brethren in the bar before being escorted into the dining room
for dinner.
…Copy/pics, Ed. More pictures page 6