To celebrate our 25th Anniversary as a Lodge, we decided to copy the event we held on the evening of its Consecration; this was a dinner dance open to all members and friends. A black tie event
So, we repeated the formula of keeping it simple, not too Masonic, just a good time for all!
We commenced proceedings with all attending having their photograph taken on arrival by Tony Ward, a superb three course dinner provided by the Tickton Grange Hotel, table magic during the meal by Russ Allenby, singing interlude by Carrie Martin, a terrific raffle raising £500 for our good causes and then we danced the night away to the best band, the Skylarks!
One lucky couple won a Sunday lunch for two courtesy of the Tickton Grange and another a Xmas wreath making class at the hotel. The Ladies all received a Swarovski crystal encrusted key ring and all of the men earned some badly needed ‘brownie’ points!
We danced away until midnight, a few of stayed over at the hotel and enjoyed a great breakfast and some more good company, with not a hangover in sight…
This meeting was held to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of the Lodge at its Consecration on the 19th of November 1999, as closely as possible to the actual date by dispensation of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, and was held in the morning, as was the Consecration Meeting.
On this occasion we were honoured by the presence of W Bro Christopher Thomas the Assistant Provincial Grand Master accompanied by a team of active rank Provincial Officers.
The main business of the meeting was to carry out a double third degree ceremony for Brothers Phil Lord and Chris Wall, friends from their school days, and still joined at the hip! It was a fantastic way to celebrate 25 years of our Lodge’s existence, and for our two Brothers achieve their major milestone together. Friends amongst friends, the Wyke Millennium ethos.
The Worshipful Master proposed the Lodge donate the sum of £200 towards the Festival, which was seconded by W Bro Lewis and approved by all present, and was well received by W Bro Chris Thomas on behalf of the Province.
The next order of business was the presentation by W Bro Thomas to the Worshipful Master and the Lodge of a 25 Year Certificate on behalf of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master.
The Worshipful Master gratefully received the certificate and went on to describe the founding of the Lodge and its genesis. The Worshipful Master reflected on the work done by W Bro Brian Baker our first Secretary, who went on to become Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra in the Chapter and subsequently the Provincial Grand Secretary in the Craft, carrying on those roles with dedication and high competence.
The Worshipful Master also spoke of the founding members we have lost over the years and the parts they played in the early life of the Lodge, losing two of our founders too early in their life, recalling to our thoughts W Bro Digby Bates and W Bro Nigel Steel.
The Worshipful Master was pleased to point out our Honours Board on display and fully lettered up to date for the first time, despite having been made especially for us many years ago. A story to be told there Brethren. It is a fine piece of oak furniture, made by a master craftsman to be collapsible like all of our Lodge furniture, and which will now be proudly on display at all of our future meetings.
At the Festive Board, we enjoyed an excellent buffet meal. The Worshipful Master gave all five formal toasts.
The Assistant Provincial Grand Master was gracious in responding to the fifth toast and once again congratulated the Worshipful Master and the Lodge on its 25 years of existence and the conduct of a fine double ceremony of Raising to mark the event.
The Assistant Provincial Grand Master congratulated our two candidates, Bros Phil Lord, and Chris Wall on their achieving the third degree in Freemasonry and their individual performance during the ceremony, which was excellent.
W Bro Mike Roberts PSGD a past master of the Old Hymerian Lodge No 6885, our Mother Lodge, proposed the toast to the Founders of the Lodge and took us on a tour of the history of the Lodge and the manner it was brought to life. Some of the Founders had already been mentioned by the Worshipful Master during the Lodge meeting, W Bro Roberts recalled some of the other key players in the creation of this fine modern Lodge, W Bro Kevin Shilcock, the Founding Master and one of the instigators of the creation of the Lodge; W Bro Roger Lewis the first Almoner, W Bro David Taylor the first Chaplain, W Bro Dieter Elwood the first DC, W Bro Ted Gillard the first IPM and of course W Bro Malcolm Grange the first Senior Deacon.
The Worshipful Master duly responded and thanked W Bro Roberts for his kind toast and the reminisces that were brought to mind because of it. The Worshipful Master also brought a few anecdotes to mind on how we achieved what we did, and the parts played by, amongst others, the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the day, Right Worshipful Brother, His Honour, Gerald James Kay-Coles QC, an outstanding man of his time and a great supporter of this Lodge.
The Junior Warden W Bro Roger Lewis proposed the toast to our Visitors, and W Bro David Waddington the Worshipful Master of the Old Hymerian Lodge No 6885, our Mother Lodge duly responded, complaining (in jest) that everyone who had spoken before had stolen all his best lines! Nonetheless, W Bro Waddington gave a fine response on behalf of the Visitors and stated what all felt, it had been a good day and well done to all taking part and congratulations on 25 years well achieved.
All of the members and guests present were given a piece of memorabilia by the Lodge consisting of a business card holder and money clip, with the Lodge Name and anniversary year printed on the face of the insert on each. Something to remind us all of an idea brought to life and nurtured successfully for 25 years.
We are grateful for the Whymant family’s continued hospitality.
Here’s to the next 25 years of this fine modern Lodge!
A fine bunch of men!The WM and members of The PGStwds Lodge No 9611The WM proposes the toastsYou can’t stop him!You just can’t stop him!You really can’t stop him!The APGM kindly respondsMembers and guestsMembers and guestsMembers and guestsMembers and guestsMembers and guestsMembers and guests
This meeting provided the opportunity to rehearse for our planned 25th Anniversary in November, where we intend to carry out a double third degree ceremony. Quite a challenge for a small Lodge such as ours.
We had reached out for support and that was answered by the Worshipful Master of the Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge, W Bro Harry Elliott, and W Bro Andy Hinchcliffe one of the active rank Stewards of the year. W Bro Andy provided us with the double third ritual used by the Invictus Lodge, and W Bro Harry and he agreed to take key roles in the ceremony.
W Bro Harry as the Lead Ambassador for the Festival took the opportunity to speak about Festival 2029 and what that meant in terms of support given to our members in the Province; the last Festival in the Province had raised some £1.8m, the target for 2029 is to raise £3m, which was achievable by all members of the Province all for less than the price of a coffee each week.
We had a good rehearsal and were well prepared for our 25th Anniversary in November.
At the Festive Board we enjoyed an excellent meal (as usual). The first verse of the National Anthem was sung. The Worshipful Master gave the first two formal toasts only.
W Bro Elliott and W Bro Hinchcliffe performed an excellent double act in signing up new contributors to the Festival and handing them their Festival Jewels, as well as selling other Festival memorabilia. What a team!
We are grateful for the Whymant family’s continued hospitality.
The Worshipful Master thanked those who took part in the ceremony and for everyone present for their support and wished them all a safe return home, particularly those who had come from afar to support us this evening, much appreciated.
So, we all left the hotel having welcomed a new joining member into our Lodge, enjoyed good company, and had a full belly of delicious food. So that’s most definitely what it’s all about!
This meeting was special as we initiated a new member to our Lodge and to the Fraternity, Mr Martin (now Brother) Omond enjoyed an excellent ceremony and was welcomed by friends new and old to our Lodge. It was great to see another new member take his first step in Freemasonry, may he enjoy a long and happy time as a Mason!
At the Festive Board we were treated to the usual high quality Tickton Grange meal and we express our thanks to the Whymant family for their continued hospitality.
Bro Chris Wall gave the toast of the evening to our candidate Bro Martin Omond, which gave us all some good insight into our newly made brother’s life and character and validated the selection we had made.
The Entered Apprentice’s song was ‘sung’ in varying degrees of competence by those present, but always with gusto, at the final verse a Masonic Chain was formed and the explanation of it was given by W Bro Kevin Shilcock. The final verse was sung with meaning and verve. Well done all, a proper welcome to our newly made Brother!
Brother Martin responded to the toast with an excellent and heart felt response, which was just right.
W Bro Tim Haley the Senior Warden proposed the toast to the Sister Lodges and the visiting brethren.
W Bro David Waddington the Worshipful Master of our Mother Lodge the Old Hymerian Lodge, responded on behalf of the visitors and congratulated Bro Martin on his initiation, and said what an enjoyable evening it had been for all the visitors, and he hoped to see Bro Martin visiting the Old Hymerian Lodge when he could. W Bro Alan Todd extended a personal invitation to the Humber Lodge’s meeting in July where they would be conducting an initiation ceremony of their own.
The Worshipful Master gave a few ‘parish notices’, focusing particularly on our planned 25th Anniversary celebrations in November, where we plan to hold a daylight Lodge meeting on the 23rd November, to be followed by a celebratory dinner dance on the evening, with photographs, table magic, a lady singer, the Skylarks band playing us around the dance floor and a big old raffle, all for £45 per head. Both parts of the day will be excellent and reflect the day of the Consecration where we followed the same pattern.
So we we all departed home feeling fully satisfied with our evening, celebrating our newly made brother and with belly full of delicious food. So that’s what it is definitely what its all about…
This month was our Installation meeting where we Install the Master Elect for the ensuing year. This year saw a continuation in office of Worshipful Brother Mal Grange, as our Worshipful Master and we could not be in better hands!
On this occasion we were pleased to welcome W Bro Paul Harper PJGD representing the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, who willingly accepted a contribution from the Lodge towards Festival 2029.
At the Festive Board, the Worshipful Master gave the five formal toasts, linking toast number 5 with W Bro Paul Harper the Representative of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, carefully skirting around some stories of their joint time in the Police force – tales for another day…
W Bro Burns called the attention of the brethren for W Bro Harper who was pleased to respond to the toast. W Bro Harper congratulated the Worshipful Master on taking the chair of the Lodge once again (third time!) and also the Lodge on the ceremony and the evening so far and commented on the ‘can do attitude’ being exhibited in a small Lodge. W Bro Harper expressed the view that with that approach he was confident that Wyke Millennium would flourish. The stress being felt by many Lodges was gradually turning, and the interest in Freemasonry was once again growing as was the membership, but we must always keep the fraternity relevant and interesting to the brethren. Good words.
W Bro Brian Baker proposed the toast of the evening to the Worshipful Master and his officers, and outlined the background to the formation of the Lodge and its ethos as a group of friends, which he was happy to say continued to this day and was as valuable, if not more so than just being a Lodge. W Bro Brian said that the Worshipful Master was committed to following this ethos during his year and to extending it to make sure the families of the members and particularly their wives and partners felt included in our organisation.
The Worshipful Master duly responded and thanked W Bro Brian Baker for his kind words and confirmed his commitment to the importance of friendship and family in this Lodge, and W Bro Roger for his rendition of the Master’s Song.
W Bro Roger Lewis the Junior Warden proposed the toast to the Sister Lodges and the visiting brethren.
W Bro Malcolm Forbes responded on behalf of the visitors, and congratulated the Worshipful Master once again, and said what an enjoyable evening it had been for all the visitors.
So that’s what its all about…
The Worshipful MasterW Bro HarperW Bro Brian Baker
