Foreword
In 1978/9, 30 founder members met to form the Prestbury Lodge, they consisted of 20 Past Masters and 10 other brethren. Collectively they represented 55 lodges in the Provinces of Cheshire, East and West Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, and the Scottish Constitution. One of the founders was an Assistant Provincial Grand Master (West Lancashire). Later, two other founders became Provincial Grand Masters (one in East Lancashire, and one in Cheshire).
Those founder members intended that Prestbury Lodge should set high standards of:
Friendliness to visitors and its own members
Generosity to Masonic charities
Good food and drink at the festive boards
Over the 25 years of the existence of the lodge, it would seem that those standards have been maintained, judging by the number of visitors who have decided to join the lodge since its consecration in September 1979.
For the future success of the lodge, it is hoped that the founders wishes will be perpetuated.
The founding of Prestbury Lodge In 1977, WBro Don Nichols (a Grand Officer from West Lancashire, and resident of Prestbury), approached WBro Raymond Richards (a Grand Officer of Cheshire, resident in Gawsworth, and a member of Unity Lodge, and the Combermere Lodge of Union in Macclesfield), to find out whether he and the Lodge of Unity would favour, support, and nurture a lodge for senior masons living in Cheshire, but who were not members of a Cheshire lodge.
A meeting was held at Gawsworth Hall in 1977 to discuss the details and “feel” of the proposed lodge.
Items discussed included:
The lodge should be for senior masons living in the area good food and fine wines should be consumed at the festive board,
Dinner jackets should be worn;
Gloves should not be worn,
A relaxed atmosphere should be encouraged,
Brethren should sit wherever they chose in the lodge room,
The lodge to be centred on the village of Prestbury
The social board should be held at Prestbury Golf Club,
A number of discussions between W.Bros Nichols and Richards, and the then Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro H Evans, led to a further meeting, this time with the Provincial Grand Master (RWBro Arthur Johnstone).
After this meeting, approval was given “in principle” for the formation of the new lodge.
On 11th June 1977, a meeting of the prospective founders took place, including the following members of Macclesfield lodges:
Lodge of Unity:W.Bro R Richards, W.Bro ER Faulkner, and Bro H Mayers
Combermere Lodge of Union: W.Bro JC Wellings, W.Bro JB Jackson, and W.Bro W Knight
Cheadle Hulme Lodge: W.Bro JB Haslam
Duke of Connaught Lodge: W.Bro EH Walker
A number of conditions were insisted upon by the Province, as follows:
Members should not be poached from other lodges to their detriment
Meetings must be held in consecrated premises
Emulation working must be adopted
This last point was not well received by the founders, who were asked to sign a written declaration that only Emulation working would be used. This request was met with an uproar of offended dignity, and the declaration was never signed. The founders were also informed that a ‘dining only’ lodge was not permissible and that candidates should be sought, and ceremonies worked.
Additionally, it was decreed that the lodge should not dine at Prestbury Golf Club for logistical reasons.
The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution that a new lodge should be formed, to be called Prestbury Lodge, to meet at Macclesfield on the third Tuesday of October, November, March and May. It was agreed that Lodge of Unity 267 should be asked to sponsor the lodge.
Sadly, during this phase of founding the lodge, Raymond Richards died and it was decided that, for the sake of continuity, and to mark the role which he had played in the initial stages of founding the lodge, his son, Timothy Richards, would be invited to join the founders - an invitation which was cheerfully accepted.
At a meeting of the founders in November 1978, the secretary designate (W.Bro Sam Storer) read a list of 29 founder members, comprising: 3 Grand Lodge Officers, 8 Provincial Grand Lodge Officers, 1 holder of London Grand Rank, 8 Past Masters, 1 Worshipful Master, and 8 Master Masons.
At the same meeting the founders were informed that Province had insisted that an additional 5th meeting date be added, which was confirmed as the third Tuesday in February. The addition of an extra meeting appears to have been a compromise, as the original requirement from Province was that there should be a minimum of seven meetings per year.
The initial list of Officers was confirmed as follows:
Worshipful Master, W.Bro D.L. Nichols, P.J.G.D.
IPM, W.Bro D. Ryan, P.S.G.D., A.Pr.G.M. (West Lancs)
Senior Warden, Bro J.V. Worthington
Junior Warden, Bro W.E.J. Scott
Chaplain, W.Bro J.C. Wellings
Treasurer, W.Bro J.H. Whittaker, P.Pr.G.D.
Secretary, W.Bro S.A. Storer, P.Pr.G.W.
D.C., W.Bro E.R. Faulkner
Almoner, W.Bro J.M. Hartley
Charity Steward, W.Bro R.W. Clayton
Senior Deacon, Bro J.F. Shepherd
Junior Deacon, Bro G. Benn
A.D.C., W.Bro J.B. Haslam, P.Pr.G.D.
Assistant Secretary, W.Bro H. Mayers
Organist, W.Bro F. Wemyss-Smith
Inner Guard, Bro T.R.R. Richards
The founders fee was fixed at £30, with an annual subscription of £25. On top of this was the first year’s dining fee of £30 (payable in advance). It was also minuted that no Brother should hold the same office for more than five years.
An estimate of £287 for the lodge equipment had been received from Carringtons, and it was also noted that certain items would be given to the lodge.
The founders expressed their wish that each initiate should be presented with a Bible, and two candidates were nominated (W.Bro PJ Verdellis nominated his son, and W.Bro Nichols nominated Mr J Andrew).
A further note in the minutes of this meeting records that the dress for all lodge meetings would be dinner jackets. Grand Lodge Officers and Provincial Grand Lodge Officers would wear full dress regalia at Installation meetings, and undress regalia at all other meetings.
On 25th April 1978, the petitioners met with W.Bro Harold Evans, PSGD (the Assistant Provincial Grand Master), and the Provincial Grand Secretary, W.Bro John Howarth, PAGDC. Following this meeting, a report was submitted to the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, who confirmed in May 1978 that he was satisfied that all the necessary requirements for the formation of the lodge had been satisfied.
The final petition bearing the signatures of 30 founder members was signed by the Principal Officers of Unity Lodge on 18th January 1979. The summons for Lodge of Unity’s meeting on this date carries as item 3 on the business:
“To consider a notice of motion, proposed by W.Bro ER Faulkner, PPGD, at the regular lodge meeting on December 21st 1978 ‘to receive, and if recommended, sign a petition from the petitioners of the proposed new Prestbury Lodge, to meet at the Masonic Hall, Macclesfield’ .”
The petition was signed by the Provincial Grand Master on 27th February 1979.
On 20th March 1979, the founding Secretary was informed by the Provincial Grand Secretary, that the Most Worshipful the Grand Master had acceded to the prayers of the petitioners, and Prestbury Lodge became Prestbury Lodge 8880 on the register of Grand Lodge.
The date of the consecration was fixed for Tuesday 18th September 1979, and at 2.45 pm on this date, the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and the consecrating officers assembled in the main lodge room at the Masonic Hall, Riseley Street, Macclesfield, to conduct the ceremony.
The consecration meeting was attended by 127 brethren.
In addition to the Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master (W.Bro FH Ashcroft) and two Assistant Provincial Grand Masters (W.Bros H Evans and RH Ormerod) supported the consecrating team. These brethren were subsequently offered honorary membership of the lodge.
The festive board after the consecration was held at the Masonic Hall, Macclesfield, at which a toast to the founders was proposed by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro Harold Evans, to which W.Bro Sam Storer responded.
A collection for masonic charities was taken, raising £150.
The cost of the social board after the consecration (including drinks) came to £11.15 per head. (25 years on, this has almost doubled to £21 per head - the standards appear to have been maintained).
The Prestbury Lodge Crest
The Prestbury Lodge crest consists of two crossed keys. This design was taken from the crest used by the Parish of Prestbury, the only difference being that the Parish crest has a unicorn’s head on it - the emblem of the Legh family of Adlington. Permission to use the crest was sought from the Vicar and Parish Church Council of St. Peter’s, Prestbury during the first months of 1979, and formal approval for the lodge to use the “Crossed Keys of St. Peter” was granted by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master on 6th April 1979. This design has been in use throughout the history of the lodge, and is incorporated into the enamel work of the lodge’s Past Masters’ jewels.
The scriptural reference to St Peter’s keys to heaven is as follows:
Peter's Confession of Christ
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Matthew 16:13-20 (NIV)
Highlights of the first 25 years
The first 25 years of Prestbury Lodge have been particularly eventful. This section of the history booklet has been compiled from the lodge minute book, retained documents, and very importantly, personal recollections and anecdotes.
The minutes of Prestbury Lodge have always been kept in great detail, by the six secretaries who have served the lodge so well over its 25 year history. The following notes represent some of the notable events which took place at lodge meetings during this time.
At the first meeting after consecration, the lodge was immediately put to work, with an initiation ceremony. On this occasion, the candidate Mr John Robert Seddon Verdellis, was initiated by his father WBro Panyotis John Verdellis. The first joining member of the lodge was also welcomed at this meeting - Bro Edward J Hill, of Sefton Lodge 680.
At the February 1980 meeting, it was announced with deep regret that the Provincial Grand Secretary had been called to higher service. WBro John Howarth had worked tirelessly to ensure that the procedures for founding the lodge were correctly followed, and that Prestbury Lodge received the best possible start in life.
May 1980 saw the election of Bro JV Worthington as the second Master of the lodge, however, tragedy struck on 3rd October, when he sadly died, just two weeks before his installation. What happened next is as follows:
Shortly after the founding of the lodge, W.Bro Wilf Knight had expressed his desire to serve as WM when a suitable occasion presented itself. As a coal mining engineer, he was invited during September 1980 to join a delegation to Czechoslovakia. Whilst underground, he received a message to contact the British Embassy in Prague, which he did. The message was from the secretary of Prestbury Lodge, Sam Storer, requesting that he make contact urgently. Upon making contact, he was informed that the Master Elect had sadly died, and that the committee would like Wilf to undertake the duties for the forthcoming year.
An emergency meeting of the lodge was called on 11th October 1980, and Wilf was duly elected Master of the lodge. He was accordingly installed as WM later that month. The Provincial Grand Master attended the Installation meeting, and a cheque for £1000 was presented to him for the 1981 festival for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls.
During Wilf’s tenure as WM, the lodge underwent a crisis, relating to the alleged criminal record of one of the founder members. The issue threatened to split the lodge, which would have caused untold damage to the lodge in its infancy. As WM, he exercised his authority over this unpleasant situation, which resulted in the resignation of only one member of the lodge.
1981 saw WBro Wilf receiving Provincial honours from his mother Province (Nottinghamshire), however, the end of his year was marred by his involvement in a road accident on the day of the May meeting.
Bill Scott was the next Master of the lodge, during whose year in the chair, the lodge suffered the loss of WBro Don Nichols. A full complement of ceremonies were worked, and subscriptions were increased to £40.
The ceremonial workload of the lodge continued unabated for many years, and it wasn’t until the 50th meeting of the lodge in 1989 that the officers of the lodge took a break. On this occasion WBro Eric Walker delivered two papers entitled “The Lodge and the New Mason” and “Misconceptions regarding the Landmarks”.
It is appropriate here to return to the issue of Emulation working, as was insisted upon at the foundation of the lodge. A number of deviations from Emulation were introduced from the outset. For example, sharing of the work has been actively encouraged in the workings of the lodge (a practice which has allowed many members of the lodge to take on a piece of the ceremonial work, and enjoy participating in the proceedings, whilst at the same time taking some of the pressure off the WM).
Successive mentions were made at Installation meetings by the representatives of the Provincial Grand Master, of the lodges failure to adhere to a strict Emulation working. However, with the best will in the world, the combination of so many experienced Past Masters from so many Provinces, and Constitutions, each with his own knowledge of different workings, has meant that whilst close to Emulation working, Prestbury has (and probably never will) do things by the book.
Other highlights and noteworthy items from the minute book (up to the 10th anniversary) include:
the presentation to the lodge of a Bible cushion by WBro Harry Hunt the initiations of Bro’s Ian Clark and Pat Brogan the admission of Bro’s Eric Lysons, and Brian Glover as joining membersa visit by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master WBro David Livingstone in March 1985 the first Provincial honours for Prestbury Lodge-W.Bro Bill Scott was appointed Past Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies the death of W.Bro Roy Faulkner, who had been the first Director of Ceremonies of the lodge.
There is also a footnote in the minutes for the May 1988 meeting, where it is mentioned that this was the first meeting which WBro Harry Hunt had been able to attend for 2½ years following a very serious road accident.
Harry’s accident occurred on the M6 on his way home from a lodge meeting in Lancashire. A lorry jack-knifed across all 3 lanes of the motorway, killing a policeman in the outside lane, and seriously injuring Harry in the middle lane. He was given a 20% chance of recovery. Harry, a first class Rugby League referee, did recover from his injuries, however, the confident, vibrant man, who was the life and soul of any social gathering, never fully regained his zeal for life after the accident.
Road accidents feature three times in the minute book, with an initiation in 1990 being deferred following a serious accident involving the wife and daughter of the candidate. On this occasion WBro Eric Walker came to the rescue with another paper entitled “Free-masonry and the Modern World”.
Returning briefly to 1989, the lodge was delighted to receive a presentation of 18 engraved officers collar jewels, with refurbished collars from W.Bro Eric Lysons.
In 1990, Stewart Holmes was installed as Master. Stewart had for many years been responsible for providing the lodge with supplies of Cheshire blue cheese for the festive boards. Also in 1990, WBro Frank Wemyss-Smith died. Frank had been the lodge organist for many years, an office which Stewart later took on and which he still holds today.
In the year 1991, Prestbury Lodge was honoured by a visit from the Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Rev Canon W Stanley Walker, and the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Norman Plant. The lodge was also delighted to learn that WBro Timothy Richards was to be appointed Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies of the United Grand Lodge of England. The sad news for the year was the loss of the founding Secretary, WBro Sam Storer. Outside of masonry, one of WBro Sam’s claims to fame was that he had been a Wimbledon umpire, and had officiated over matches featuring the volatile John McEnroe. His umpires uniform is still in the possession of WBro Wilf Knight.
Items of note from the next few years include:
A visit to the lodge from a delegation of Masters and Immediate Past Masters from the Widnes Group in 1992 (organised by WBro Eric Lysons). Intervisitation between Prestbury Lodge and Equity Lodge 1384 (Province of West Lancashire) continues today, which WBro Lysons still organises.
The first acting Provincial Officer appointed from Prestbury Lodge was WBro Ian Clark, who was appointed Provincial Grand Steward in 1992.
A set of gavels was donated to the lodge by WBro Brian Sidebotham.
In 1992 the lodge was granted Patronage of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
In 1993 there is an interesting entry in the minutes for 15th February 1994, which states:
“The secretary advised that the lodge committee had decided to establish a masonic forum, whereby members are invited to submit questions, preferably in writing, on any masonic subject, and every effort will be made to give definitive answers in open lodge on appropriate occasions. It is considered that such a forum could further our masonic knowledge”
The success of this initiative remains unclear, as there is only one meeting where a question being answered is minuted, however, talks, papers, and presentations continue to feature as part of the lodge’s work up to the present day. Interestingly, at a meeting in 2003, the minutes record that the lodge was called off (a very rare event), to enable the members to participate in a masonic quiz, an event which everyone present at the meeting enjoyed.
From 1994 onwards, meetings showed a slowing in the number of initiations, although the admission of joining members, in particular from other Provinces, kept the membership steady.
In 1995, subscriptions rose to £80, and the lodge was saddened to learn of the death of WBro Harold Evans, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master who had convinced the Provincial Grand Master of the need to consecrate Prestbury Lodge.
Without doubt, the highlight of 1996 was the announcement that WBro Timothy Richards was to be appointed Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire.
The lodge minutes for 1997 record the death of WBro Desmond Ryan, the first Immediate Past Master of the lodge, on 14th December 1996, a matter of weeks after the lodge had elected him as an honorary member.
Also in 1997, the lodge was honoured by a visit from the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Norman Plant; subscriptions increased to £95; and WBro Wilf Knight decided to step down as Director of Ceremonies after 15 years in office. So much for the founders' wishes!
The lodge was honoured by visits from the Provincial Grand Master in November 1997; and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, WBro Norman Plant in May 1998; and WBro Dr Peter John Lorraine Chapman, in February 2003.
In October 2003, the lodge was honoured by the appointment of another Provincial Grand Steward (WBro Jon Clipsham) as well as receiving a certificate of Patronage of the 2005 festival in aid of the Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.
The meeting in February 2004 was a unique occasion, both for Macclesfield Freemasons, and for Prestbury Lodge. The lodge was requested to host the investiture of two new Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, WBro Michael Shaw and WBro Nigel Cooper. The investiture was conducted by the Provincial Grand Master, accompanied by the Provincial team. At the social board 119 enjoyed the now traditional Prestbury Lodge hospitality - a fine ceremony, followed by fine food and wine.
At the May 2004 meeting, WBro Wilf Knight was elected to serve as the 25th Worshipful Master of Prestbury Lodge, having served as its second Master in 1980.
At the time of writing, it is planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Prestbury Lodge at the regular lodge meeting in November 2004.
With many thanks to W.Bro Jon Clipsham for his help in producing this web page. |
