Future Work of the Lodge

Our next “regular” Lodge meeting will be on 24th January 2025 when we will be Installing our new Master for the year Paresh Pandya.

As ever we are always happy to welcome guests from other Lodges so please do make contact through this site or the Facebook page if you wish to make the necessary arrangements

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Past Events & Meetings

2024

17/05/24 we had a meeting to listen to the First Degree Tracing Board Lecture delivered by Mike Martin with the chance to discuss it, which turned out to be more interesting than anyone expected.

2023

28/01/23: 2023 got off to a great start at our Installation Meeting as our longstanding (due to Covid19) Master Bro. Harjit Bains finally got to Install his Successor Bro. Rob Ware into the Chair of King Solomon with “guest” appearances from several Past Masters of the Lodge playing parts and delivering various addresses to the Brethren. It didn’t stop there though as Bro. David Benson presented Bro. Ian Munro with a certificate marking 50 years of service to Freemasonry in general and Mersey Lodge in particular.

2022

28/01/22 – Installation Meeting- details to follow

2020 – 2021

22/10/21 – Mersey Lodges meetings resume, detail to follow.
05/11/20 – Masonic meetings were further suspended from 5th November 2020 until further notice.
On 17th March 2020, due to the nationwide Covid19 pandemic, the Most Worshipful Grand Master suspended Freemasonry in UGLE for a period of four months. As a result our Installation meeting which should have taken place on 21st March 2020 was not possible and the existing Worshipful Master remained in post. This first suspension ended on 17th July 20.

2018

26th October Another happy evening as Mersey Lodge welcomed Raj Bains into membership as our newest Entered Apprentice.
24th March A great team effort led by The Master Brian Lynch, ably assisted by the IPM Bob Bateman in the Initiation of Bro. Sukhdeep (Billy) Bains as a new member of the Lodge.
26th January 2018 Bro. Bob Bateman Installed his successor Bro. Brian Lynch into the Chair of King Solomon for the first time.

2017

24.11.17: Another enjoyable evening at Mersey Lodge where amongst other things our Met Grand Inspector Bro. David Cuckow presented Bro. Geoff Stokell with a Certificate from the Met Grand Master to mark the 50th anniversary of his Initiation into Mersey Lodge, Mersey also welcomed a trio of joining members into the Lodge.
27.10.17: A wonderful evening where we witnessed the Initiation of Bro. Roy Colby’s Grandson Tomek into the Lodge.
22/09/17 – We held our Summer Committee Meeting at Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street and amongst the business items was the interview of a prospective Candidate for Initiation. This was followed by our usual an informal meal at Wolfes Restaurant (also in Great Queen Street) where we were joined by another man interested in membership who got to meet some of the members and put questions etc.
27.01.17: The year got off to a great start with Bro. Bateman remaining in the Chair for a further year. Not to mention 8 guests joining the Lodge for the evening.

2016

03.10.16: Bro K. Rose delivered a talk entitled a Commentary on “The Charge after Initiation” which had originally been given by VW, Bro. the Revd Neville Barker Cryer M.A. PGChap Prestonian Lecturer 1974. Batham Lecturer 1996/8. The membership found the paper very interesting and the Master thanked Bro. Ken. The Lodge also voted to make donations to three local charities that helped the homeless in London in the hope that it would help extra people to have a better Christmas. They were: 1, The Connection at St. Martins, 2, St Mungo’s and 3, Centre Point.
01.04.16: we Raised Bro. Ryan Rayman to the Third Degree.
22.01.16: 2016 got off to a fantastic start at our Installation Meeting on 22 January! Bro P French Installed his Successor Bro. B Bateman into the Chair of King Solomon with “guest” appearances from several Past masters of the Lodge giving various addresses.

2015

27/11/15: The Lodge had a fantastic evening with a great mixture of “new” and “old”. First the Master (with some assistance from his Officers) Passed Bro. R. Rayman to the Second Degree. This amazing feat was followed by the presentation, by our Met. Grand Inspector D. Cuckow, of a certificate to mark the 50th Anniversary of Bro. H. Bowley’s Initiation into Mersey Lodge back in 1965.
24/10/15: The Lodge was very pleased to welcome Visitors both from the River Lodges Association and the Province of Leicestershire & Rutland. More detail to follow.

27/03/15: We were proud to Initiate our newest member Mr Ryan Rayman this evening, the Ceremony was carried out by W. Bro Paul French, ably assisted by his Wardens: Bros. R. Colby and R Batemen and the Officers of the Lodge.

23/01/15 Bro P French was voted in and proclaimed as Master of the Lodge for a second year.

2014

25/10/14 The Secretary notified the Lodge that a petition for Initiation had been received from a Candidate Proposed by Bro. B Lynch and Seconded by Bro. M Martin and that the Lodge would be balloted at the November meeting for its decision.

24/01/14 At our Installation meeting Bro. Paul French was regularly installed into the Chair of King Solomon and he appointed Bros. Bob Bateman and Roy Colby as his Wardens.

28/03/14 At the March meeting it was decided to go through the full Openings and Closings of the Lodge accompanied by a perfect presentation of the 2nd Degree Tracing Board by Bro. Colby and and the same with the Address to the Brethren by Bro. Rose given for the benefit and educatuion of the members and visitors.

24/01/14 At our Installation meeting Bro. Paul French was regularly installed into the Chair of King Solomon and he appointed Bros. Bob Bateman and Roy Colby as his Wardens.

2013

22/11/13 Unfortunately the Master was not available for this meeting and so it fell to Bro. Geoff Stokell to stand in and in the course of the evening the Lodge chose Bro. Paul French to be its Master for the coming year and the following ballot confirmed him as Master Elect for 2014/15.

26/10/13 A relatively quiet meeting including the presentation of a talk on ths subject of Masonic Education, presented by Bro, Mike Martin.

22/06/13 Due to the success of the previous Dinner/Cruise, the brethren of Mersey Lodge once again decided to have a boat trip on the River Thames combined with a meal to thank their wives and partners for supporting them in their Freemasonry. This year it was decided to have the meal aboard the boat and so we booked tables onboard. The Lodge thanked Bro Paul Davison for his hard work organising yet another fantastic day and it was agreed that we want more of the same next year.

22/03/13 Mersey Lodge was very pleased to host the fascinating presentation by the Talking Heads team at its March meeting. The subject of the presentation is the Royal Arch and all present found it of interest and quite entertaining. It is targeted toward Master Masons who have not been Exhalted and those who have only recently gone into Chapter. We were also proud to host a deputation from Metropolitan Grand Lodge.

25/01/13 At our Installation meeting the outgoing Master Bro. Roy Colby Installed his successor and the Master for 2013 Bro. Peter Dora. He in turn Invested his Officers for the coming year including Bro. Paul French as Senior Warden and Bro. Ian Munro as Junior Warden.

2012

23/11/12 We had a couple of quiet meetings during the year but at the November meeting the Lodge voted on and elected Bro, Peter Dora to be the Master for 2013. Bro. Mike Martin (Lodge Mentor) also presented an abbreviated version of the Prestonian Lecture from 1967 entitled The Grand Lodge of England – the First Hundred Years.

27/01/12. The new Master, Bro. Roy Colby was Installed into the Chair of King Solomon with due ceremonials by Mike Martin his predeccessor. He then proceeded to invest brothers Peter Dora as Senior Warden and Paul French as Junior Warden.

2011

25/11/11. The Lectures of the First Degree were finished off with a masterful recitation of the First Degree Tracing Board given by Bro. R Freeeman. It was so good that the Lodge broke out into completely spontaneous applause at its conclusion. The Master, Treasurer and Tyler for 2012 were elected for the coming year and the Master was also very pleased to be able to present Bros B. Hawley and M Robinson with mementos to mark having both reached 40 years as members of the Lodge.

28/10/11. We presented the remaining sections of the Lecture of the First Degree.

25/06/11. The brethren of Mersey Lodge opted for a “social outing” this year rather than the traditional Ladies’ Night. The activities of the day consisted of us all meeting up at Westminster Pier in beautiful sunshine and having a leisurely cruise down the River Thames, this was followed by a slap-up meal in the Trafalgar Tavern at Greenwich. All attendees had a thoroughly lovely day and said they’d like to do it again.

25/03/11. We presented the first four sections of the Lecture of the First Degree. The lectures (aka the Catechisms) were the actual method employed by the brethren of the 18th and 19th Centuries to teach new members about the customs and meanings of Freemasonry. A strong knowledge of the Lecture was required prior to elevation within the degrees, hence it was not unusual, amongst our forebears, for men not to progress beyond Fellowcraft or Entered Apprentice

26/02/11 – Due to the removal of our regular meeting in February it was decided that the Lodge would have a social get-together in February. We met for dinner at the Tandoori Nights restaurant in Great Queen Street WC2 and had a lovely time all agreed that this should be come a new tradition of the Lodge until time and circumstances allow us to reinstate our February meeting.

25/01/11 – Bro. M. Martin was re-Installed as Master of Mersey Lodge for 2011 and he appointed Bro.s R. Colby and P.Dora as his Senior and Junior Wardens respectively.

2010

26/11/10: The brethren had an open discussion regarding the effects and implications of recent events (related to its financial management) within MMH on the Lodge’s finances. Due to the large increases in the costs of room hire and Dining, the Lodge was put into the position of having to vote to reduce our meetings to four per year. This vote was carried although not happily. There is a plan to replace the February meeting with an informal get together of Lodge members.

28/10/10: The Lodge having no ceremonial duties for the evening had an open discussion regarding the Royal Arch its benefits and story.

26/03/10: Bro. D Mitchell was Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason.

22/01/10: Bro M Martin was installed into the Chair of King Solomon by his predecessor Bro. I Munro and he invested Bro.s P Fabb and J Reynolds as his Senior and Junior Wardens.

2009

23/10/09: Bro. B. Gilbert of Hygeia Lodge No. 2664 gave a lecture entitled “Freemasonry and the Second World War”. The lecture was very informative and interesting. Despite its serious nature he still found some amusing anecdotes to lighten it a little. The lecture received a round of applause from all and the WM thanked Bro Gilbert

27/03/09: Bro. D. Mitchell was Passed to the Degree of Fellow Craft

27/02/09: Bro. P. French was raised to the Degree of a Master Mason. The ceremony was carried out by Bro. Bob Bateman with Charge being delivered by Bro. T. Munro and the Working Tools from Bro. M. Martin. Visitors to the Lodge included Brothers R Freeman of Cornubian Lodge No. 450, CR Grindley of Invictus Lodge No. 5187 and R. Colby of Clarendon Lodge No. 1769

23/01/09: The 75th Anniversary Installation meeting turned into a truly “bumper” affair. The guests outnumbered members nearly 2-1 which was fantastic even though quite a few of our non-Dining members were in attendance. It was also a bit of a spectacle as we received W.Bro. P Lewin the Metropolitan Grand Inspector into the Lodge, he also presented (brilliantly) a Master Mason’s certificate to Bro. P. Dora. A brief history of the Lodge was presented by Bro. M Martin. The Lodge also voted to make donations to several Charities

2008

28/11/08: A quiet meeting, notices of motion were proposed to make donations to several Charities.

24/10/08: Our first meeting after the Summer break was, as is usual, a mirth filled event, as usual. The Master passed control of the Lodge to Bro. Paul Davison who very expertly carried out the Initiation of our newest member Bro. D. Mitchell. The Charge to the Initiate was delivered, in a most polished fashon, by Bro. Ken Rose with the Working Tools presented by Bro. M. Martin. We also enjoyed the pleasure of visits by Bro.s R Colby and H O’Brien (our Visiting Officer)

28/03/08: This evening Bro. P Dora was Raised to the Degree of a Master Mason under the expert hands of Bro. B Bateman. Bro T Munro explained the traditional history and Bro. M Martin presented the Working Tools. The Lodge was very saddened to accept the resignation of Bro. J Moden due to him leaving the country and wished him well in his future endeavours.

22/02/08: This evening Bro P French was Passed to the Degree of a Fellow Craft by Bro P Davison, the Working Tools were presented by Bro K Batchelor. The Master Bro. I Munro was also pleased to present Bro P Davison with a Past Master’s jewel to mark his time in the Chair

25/01/08: Mersey’s 74th Installation meeting was one of much mirth and merriment. Bro. Ian Munro was Installed as Master of the Lodge in due form by the outgoing Master and remarked at the fact of it being 27 years since he had had the honour for the first time. The evening was also gladdened by the welcome return of Bro S McHale who had left the Lodge some years ago and who has decided to re-join us. At the Festive Board the new Master was given a wonderful rendition of the Master’s song given by Bro. Bob Bateman and accompanied by the inimitable Bro Geoffrey Stokell on the piano

2007

24/11/07: Mersey had its first Ladies Night for several years. Arranged by the Master, it took place at the Renaissance Hotel near Heathrow. It was a fun night out and thoroughly enjoyed by all of those in attendance who were particularly priviledged to witness some of the Master’s “moves” on the Dance Floor.

23/11/07: Tonight’s meeting was one of the most enjoyable for some time with two major occurences. The first was that we welcomed Mr Simon Cathcart as a new Initiate to the Lodge and secondly we had the great pleasure of marking the 40th Anniversary meeting of W. Bro Geoffrey Stokell (our DC) with a presentation by W. Bro Mike Martin and a small token of appreciation presented by the WM on behalf of the Lodge. We also had the pleasure of hosting 4 Visitors to the Lodge: W. Bro Ken Batchelor (who for once didn’t have to do a job), along with: W, Bro.s C. Gridley and T Gridley both of Invictus Lodge No. 5951 and W, Bro. E. Faulkener of Sunnymead Lodge No. 9313

26/10/07: This evening Peter Dora was passed from the first to the second Degree in antient form, the ceremony, as well as the evening generally, was a great success. We were also happy to see the unexpected return of Bro.s Paul Fabb and Trevor Bruno (who we haven’t seen for a while) along with the return of visitor Bro. Ken Batchelor (St Paulinus Lodge No. 7992) and a first time visit by Bro. Jamie Urban (Bowes Park Lodge No. 3119). As well as a few of us swapping seats both of our guests volunteered and very ably, assisted with the ceremony.

23/03/07: Fortune appears to be smiling on our Lodge at the moment as we were once again called upon to Initiate a new member Mr Paul French. The ceremony was ably carried out by the Master of the Lodge, assisted by his Officers. We were also very pleased to welcome two first-time Visitors to the lodge in the persons of W. Bro J Lunn of Mizpam Lodge No. 1671 and Bro. B Harrison of Warwickshire Lodge No. 3846 as well as the welcome return of W. Bro. K Batchelor of Lodge St. Paulinus Lodge No. 7992

23/02/07: We were proud to Initiate our newest member Mr Peter Dora this evening, the Ceremony was carried out by W. Bro Bob Bateman assisted by the officers of the Lodge. We were proud to play host to W. Bro P Miles of Dewisant A Gwalia Lodge No. 7893, Bro A Brennecke of Norma Lodge No. 5902 and Bro. J Urban of Bowes Park lodge No. 3119 along with the welcome return of W. Bro R Colby,

26/01/07: W. Bro Paul Davison was installed, in due form, into the Chair of King Solomon. The Lodge was pleased to welcome both of its Honorary Members: W. Bro.s Arthur Craddock and Brian Hawley as well as three first-time visitors W. Bro.s P Drew – Earl of Stafford Lodge No. 3520, T McHale – Duke of Albany Lodge No. 1963 and A Pulford – Circle of Friendship Lodge No. 7320. During the meeting plans were begun to celebrate Mersey Lodge’s 75th Anniversary in 2009

2006

25/03/06: The Brethren of Mersey Lodge were proud to Initiate our newest member Jason Moden at our meeting last night The ceremony was ably performed by his Proposer, W. Bro Paul Davison assisted by W. Bro Ken Rose and the Officers of the Lodge. We were very pleased to receive a first-time visitor to the Lodge, W. Bro Ken Batchelor from Lodge St Paulinus No. 7992 in the Province of West Kent.