Page 5 - Essex Mason Issue 85

Provincial

By Jack Gilliland
Essex Pathway Launch Provincial Membership Officer
pmo@essexpgl.org.uk

n Saturday 2nd February 2019 the Provincial Membership and Mentoring Teams, working jointly as the Provincial
OPathway Team, hosted a Pathway Conference to launch the Membership Pathway and the ‘PGM’s Pathway
Lodge’ scheme in Essex.
It was held at Saxon Hall, Aviation Way, Southend-on-Sea and a finger buffet lunch was provided to all
attendees.
The objective of this event was to share information and details of the new Membership Pathway to help
lodges to better understand the Pathway documents distributed from United Grand Lodge of England in
October 2018.
The PGM, DepPGM and members of the Provincial Executive attended, along with keynote guest
speakers from UGLE, the Improvement & Delivery Group (IDG) and other Provinces where this scheme
is already delivering improvements in recruitment & retention.

Lodge of Hope 433 We Will Remember Them

The Lodge of Hope No.433, based in Brightlingsea Essex, dedicated and unveil a bronze memorial at their
meeting on November 2018. The memorial was created in memory of the 64 members of the Lodge of Hope
that were in service during the Great War 1914-1918, and the 3 members that lost their lives in that conflict.
Two Past Masters of the Lodge, Jeff Hirons and John Carr, created the design of the memorial. It was felt that a simple design showing 2 pillars cast in
bronze with a stainless steel engraved plate would help to depict the high regard that the members of Hope have for the members that fought in the
conflict. Jeff Hirons proved his skills by creating a mould which Brafe Engineering Ltd in Woodbridge Suffolk cast.
The Lodge of Hope are very grateful to the Mr Chris Heath, Production Director of Brafe engineering who donated both time and expertise for the
memorial. They are also grateful for input that Mr Bill Hiskett at NES Signs in Colchester gave. Speaking on how the plaque looked after coming out of the
mould Jeff remarked on how the roughness of the bronze helped to depict the trench conditions of the war, it was felt that inserting a polished stainless
steel engraved plate in the bronze, would help to aid reflection, on the campaign.
The memorial will be dedicated by the Provincial Grand Chaplin, the Rev. Mick Scotchmer where Past Master, John Carr will be presenting a paper
entitled “A talk on the early history of the Lodge of Hope No.433, and Brightlingsea during the Great War 1914 – 1918” Member’s wives, partners and
non-masonic guests have been invited to the talk and the white table afterwards. The dedicated bronze will be mounted on brickwork at the front of the
Hall in Brightlingsea.

Ostrea Lodge 8209
50th Anniversary 1968 - 2018

n the 7th June 2018, Ostrea Lodge N° 8209 held an extraordinary meeting at the St.
OGiles Masonic Centre in Colchester to celebrate, to the day, the consecration of the
Lodge in 1968. The meeting was attended by over 80 people including brethren from Essex,
Suffolk, Scotland and several members of the Essex Provincial Executive including the Deputy
Provincial Grand Master V.W.Bro. Paul George Reeves and W.Bro. Rev. Martin Howse - Assistant
V.W.Bro. W.Bro Rev.
Paul Reeves Martin Howse Provincial Grand Master.

To commemorate this very important milestone in the Lodge’s
history, we took this opportunity to renew and replace most of the
Lodge furniture, which had served us well for 50 years. Handmade
Wardens Columns, Deacon & DC’s wands, Collars & Jewels and
a new Banner was commissioned. It was therefore decided to
combine the 50th anniversary celebrations with the dedication of
the new Banner.
After the Lodge was opened, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master
and the Provincial team were received and the dispensation was
read W.Bro. Paul Fell (Lodge Secretary) gave a brief history of the Lodge, which he managed to do without embarrassing the senior members of
the Lodge too much!
The Banner dedication followed, with the Banner party provided by members of the Lodge, comprising both young and old. The dedication
ceremony was conducted in a most excellent manner by W.Bro. Mark Gurteen (ProvDepGDC) and W.Bro. Rev. Michael Scotchmer (ProvGChap).
This was W.Bro. Scotchmer’s first banner dedication and his oration and dedication impressed all those present.
The final item of business was for the Worshipful Master to present the Deputy Provincial Grand Master with a cheque for £3,300.00 for the Festival
2022, the cheque was received with thanks by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master who proceeded to present the Worshipful Master with a Festival
2022 Grand Patron Certificate.
After the meeting the brethren enjoyed an excellent Festive Board at which all present received commemorative cuff-links, napkin chains and
napkins to compliment their copies of the Lodge 50 year history. A 50th Anniversary, a Banner dedication and a Grand Patron certificate, all in all
extraordinary meetings don’t come much more extraordinary!

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