The Magic of the Mark reaches Warwickshire Installed Masters’

The recent meeting of the Warwickshire Installed Masters’ Lodge was, as usual, very special.   The second biggest Craft lodge in the Constitution, the Mastership of this eminent lodge is a Provincial Grand Master’s appointment.  The recent installation meeting saw RWBro Phil Wills, the Mark ProvGM for Warwickshire, take the Chair.  The Craft ProvGM, WBro Phil Hall PGSD, was closely involved, both presenting RWBro Phil and then addressing him – Provincial Grand Master to Provincial Grand Master!  Having invested his new team, the tradition of the lodge is for the new Master to address the meeting on some topic close to his heart.  Speculation may have been rife as to what be RWBro Phil’s focus.  The odds were probably not great as he talked about the Mark Degree.

He started with the origins of the order and that it has grown into the ‘friendly degree’.  He mentioned Lord Leigh who was the Mark Grand Master at the same time as being the Craft ProvGM – perhaps one of Warwickshire earliest members of the ‘two chains club’?  WBro Howard Smith is currently a member of this august club as he is an AsstPGM in both Craft and Mark – not an easy task not just in terms of commitment but also as the two different addresses to the Master are, well, not so different!

He also touched on the amazing work of the Mark Benevolent Fund, adding that it prides itself on the speed with which it responds.  Indeed, its principle guideline is still ‘he gives twice who gives promptly’.  Bro Phil is Warwickshire’s 16^th Mark ProvGM and is clearly very proud to have served in such a tangible way, leading the Province through the difficult years of the pandemic and setting the foundations for the forthcoming 2027 MBF Festival (https://warksmarkpgl.co.uk/2027-mark-festival/).  His retirement will be well deserved and the annual meeting of PGL next month will see WBro Andrew Armbrister, currently the Mark DepPGM, succeed Bro Phil.

With the alms, in aid of the Warwickshire Tercentenary Fund, which is supporting Fisher House (https://warwickshirefreemasons.org.uk/2028-appeal/), amounting to over £700, all in all, it was indeed a very special evening.  With such an experienced mason at the helm, the lodge is in for a special year.  Mark my words, it’s bound to be magic!

Simon Grove Oct 2024