Our only daylight Mark Lodge, Wilder Lodge of MMM No 1868, held its regular meeting at the Sindlesham Masonic Centre on the 24th October 2017 with a very full programme and was honoured by the presence of the RW Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Richard Olliver, accompanied by 14 active Provincial Officers and a goodly number of members and visitors.
The Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Master, W Bro David Lewenden, back in his rightful place after a troublesome period of ill health. The Provincial Grand Master after accepting the gavel from the Worshipful Master, then presented a Grand Patron Mark Benevolent Fund Jewel to the Worshipful Master on behalf of the Lodge thanking them for their generous support of the 2017 Festival. Determined to extract maximum effort from our PGM he was then invited and willingly undertook a presentation of Grand Lodge certificates to Bro’s Terry Bailey and Cliff Home.
After a ballot, that proved in favour of the candidate Bro Paramjit (know as Pom) Jutla, W Bro Gerry Preston, the candidate’s proposer, then took the chair and conducted the ceremony of Advancement in full, well assisted by the Lodge Officers. At the conclusion of the Advancement Ceremony, the WM welcomed Bro Pom to Wilder Mark Lodge whilst the PGM welcomed him to the wider community stressing that he hoped that he would have a long and happy association with the Order.
W Bro Lewenden then resumed the chair, Installed the Provincial Wardens into the Wardens offices and proceeded with the Ceremony of Installation. The Master Elect, Bro Henry Wade, was presented to the Worshipful Master who then proceeded to invest him as the new master in a most warm and convivial manner. The new master assumed the office in a positive manner and then entrusted his new officers.
On the cessation of the Installation ceremony W Bro Lewenden was presented with a Past Masters jewel by W Bro Tony Hardiman who thanked him for his services to the Lodge.
It was at this point, with the clock ticking, that the Lodge Secretary, VW Bro Alan Smee disappeared from the Lodge for a short while to rearrange the timings for dinner and delayed its start by some 30 minutes.
On his return after yet more routine business had been undertaken the new WM closed this marathon session of work and all present retired to the festive board, which was full of its usual “Bon Amie”, and good-natured banter.
The attached photograph shows the new WM, W Bro Henry Wade, centre, who appears weighed down by his new responsibilities, the PGM (who else), W Bro David Lewenden, the Installing Master, W Bro Gerry Preston, Bro Pom Jutla the candidate, and Bro’s Terry Bailey and Cliff Home with their recently presented Grand Lodge Certificates.
