Province of East District News Letter –December 2018 Supporting Oldham District Masons

News in Brief Horton Lodge No 8528

The next meeting of Horton Lodge will take place at Crompton Lodge Programme of Forthcoming 6.30pm on Tuesday 4th December 2018 at Middleton Events Masonic Hall. The meeting will include the Raising of

Bro Robin Whalley passed 3rd October 2017. Anyone wishing to attend please contact the Secretary WBro Roger Norris on 0161 6336834 or email [email protected]

Ben Brierley Lodge No 3317

The next meeting of Ben Brierley Lodge will take place at 6.30pm on Monday 10th December 2018 at Middleton Masonic Hall. The meeting will include the Raising of Bro David Watts passed 12th November 2018. Anyone wishing to attend please contact the Secretary WBro Graham Holmes on 0161 766 6674 or email [email protected]

Imperial George Chapter No 78

The next meeting of Imperial George Chapter will take place at 5.00pm on Tuesday 11th December 2018 at Middleton Masonic Hall. The meeting will include the Installation of the Three Principles :- EComp Michael Naylor as Z, EComp H Munton as H and Comp J Walker as J. Anyone wishing to attend please contact the Stanley Lodge Programme Of Forthcoming Scribe E Roger Guest on 0161 6432676 or email Events [email protected]

13th of December 2018 The Lodge Christmas Party with the Ladies Tonge Hall Lodge No 8763 17th of January 2019 The Raising of Bro Ugo Onyemaobi. WBro Fred Whittingham’s Personal 50th 21st of February 2019 The Lodge Installation On Wednesday 21st November 2018 Tonge Hall Lodge 21st of March 2019 The Initiation of Mr Karl Purkhardt hosted a personal 50th Celebration for WBro Fred Whittingham. The meeting was attended by our new All contacts to WBro Frank Craig on email at Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Rhodes. A [email protected] convivial evening was had by all and Fred received a certificate sent from the Provincial Grand Master and presented by our new APGM :-

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Province of East Lancashire Oldham District News Letter –December 2018 Supporting Oldham District Masons

Imperial George Chapter 75th Celebration

On Tuesday, 30th October the Chapter celebrated its 75th anniversary. They were especially pleased to welcome EComp Have Basger, 2nd Prov P accompanied by EComp David Halford, 3rd Prov P and a delegation of Provincial and District officers. After entering the meeting they were firstly entertained with a short presentation with the three principals each describing respectively the masonic histories of the first three founding principals, EComp Peter Nucator Scott; EComp Herbert Berry and EComp Henry Simpson together with a short account by EComp David Clayton of the unusual history of the two Bridge brothers Jonathan and David, also founder members. This was followed by EComp Basger presenting Companion Jacob Green with his Grand Chapter certificate and then giving an excellent explanation of it. In thanking EComp Basger their acting First Principal presented him with a cheque for £750 for ELMC. The social Board which followed was a most enjoyable affair with much humour. All those attending received a copy of the history of the Chapter together with a pen suitably engraved.

Photos in order are “ EComp Havey Basger presenting a Grand Chapter certificate to Comp Jacob Green. The Chapter principals with the Provincial and District delegation. The Principal take wine with EComp Basger.

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Province of East Lancashire Oldham District News Letter –December 2018 Supporting Oldham District Masons

Members’ Pathway Initiative

Brethren, you may be aware of the Members’ Pathway Initiative developed by UGLE. This is an initiative designed to help us locate suitable candidates, recruit them into Freemasonry and retain them long term. It is now being rolled out across the Province with a rollout meeting taking place in each District. In Oldham this will be on Tuesday 29th of January at Middleton Masonic Hall start time 7:00 for 7:30pm. We would expect all Lodge Membership Officers and Mentors to attend but the meeting is open to all Masons and I would strongly recommend everyone who can to attend. The Pathway has been designed to help US secure the future of our Lodges and the future of Freemasonry in general. I am sure there are few of us who would not agree that we need to attract candidates for our Lodges and that they need to be the right candidates; the time has come to be proactive about this. The rollout meeting is the first step in this, and I would ask you the question ‘Do you want to help

with making your Lodge stronger?’ if the answer is yes

please come along and see how you might achieve it.

Albert Lodge No 854 Annual Provincial Carol Service Albert Lodge 854 has decided to invite their ladies, partners and guests to their December meeting Social The Provincial Christmas Carol Service at St. Ann’s Board, to be held on 12th December 2018 at 7:30pm, Church, , which is organised by the East Shaw Masonic Hall. Lancashire Provincial Grand Officers’ Lodge No.3747, The Brethren will hold a short meeting and then join has now become a well-established annual event and their ladies, partners and guests at the social board will be held this year on Sunday, 9 December where thy will enjoy a full Christmas fair and 2018, commencing at 2:00pm. The Rector of St. Ann’s sing carols accompanied by a Brass Band. will lead the Service and we are again most fortunate In order to assist with the organisation of the social to have additional Carols from the Chetham’s Chamber board please contact WBro Howard Freear Choir. by Monday 3rd December 2018 on email at [email protected] I am approaching all Lodges and Chapters, in the hope that you will, once again, be able to support the event.

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Province of East Lancashire Oldham District News Letter –December 2018 Supporting Oldham District Masons

Orders of Service will be available, on the day, for Oldham District Freemasons Sponsor Local which there is a suggested donation of £2 each; Amateur Football Club! although any amount over that will be gratefully received. I do hope that you and other members of Lions! your Lodge or Chapter might be able to attend and enjoy this occasion to be together at the start of the The Lions started playing in 2014, where they played 5 Christmas period. The proceeds from the sale of the aside football in the North Bury Junior League. th Orders of Service, together with any other donations They are now in their 5 season, still in North Bury received will, after meeting the expenses of the Junior league, but now playing 9 aside games. Chamber Choir, go to the East Lancashire Masonic Their season, in the new kit has started well, winning 8 Charity (ELMC). The collection that takes place during of their opening 10 games! The last game they won the Church Service will go entirely towards Church 12-2 funds. They play in several towns, and the average supporter attendance is 30-40 each week. Oldham District The Carol Service is a very fitting start to the Christmas Freemasons have sponsored them for 2 years! Season and a most welcome focus when so many things around us can lead us to forget what we are Quote from John McAllister team manager! celebrating. I do hope that you, your members, families and friends are able to be with us to enjoy this “We would like to say a big thank you to Oldham happy occasion together. District Freemasons who have sponsored our new playing shirts and rain Jackets for this season. If, however, you or your Members are unable to Without their support we would have really attend, perhaps you might consider sending a donation struggled. We really do look very professional and on behalf of your Lodge or Chapter. Donations are also stand out from our competitors!” welcome by electronic bank transfer. If you wish to take advantage of this facility, please use your Chadderton Park is one of the biggest amateur sports Lodge/Chapter as a reference when making your clubs in the North West. Currently they have 94 teams donation. registered for the 2018/2019 season. The ages are Bank details are; Account Name: ELPGO Lodge No from under 7’s right through to Open age and over 35 3747; Sort Code: 20-55-59; Account vets. They play Netball and Rounders, and now have a Number: 70335088 Football Academy for under 5’s! Towns played in: Bury, Radcliffe. Whitefield, , Yours fraternally, Ramsbottom, Heywood, Middleton, Chadderton, Bamford and Wardle Martin P Roche,

Provincial Grand Secretary / Scribe E

Please send donations to: Andrew Holland, c/o Rossendale Masonic Hall, Ashday Lea, Road, , BB4 6QX

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Province of East Lancashire Oldham District News Letter –December 2018 Supporting Oldham District Masons

And Finally ……………..

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