Kenlis Lodge No 1267 – Sesquicentennial Celebrations
On Tuesday 26th November, after many months of planning and organising the Egremont Masonic Hall was the venue for a special occasion, where members of Kenlis Lodge No 1267 and their guests gathered to celebrate a significant milestone in their history ….. 150 years since its consecration in 1869.
The Lodge is the oldest in Egremont and the 12th oldest on the Province, and to put the age of the lodge a little more into perspective, on that the same day the Cutty Shark was launched and during that year the Suez Canal was opened, the American outlaw Jesse James commits his first bank robbery.
The Lodge first met in the Cat Inn, Egremont, on the second Tuesday of every month and was named after Lord Kenlis, who at the time was the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, he was later known as the Earl of Bective. The Lodge moved around various locations around the town, finally moving to its present location in 1965.
The Petition to form the Lodge at Egremont was granted on 22nd May 1869 on behalf of signatories from the Sun, Square & Compasses Lodge No 119 and Lewis Lodge No 872.
The Centenary celebration meeting was attended by the RW Provincial Grand Master William John Bewley, he was accompanied by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master William Henry Morley BEM and the two Assistant PGM’s Ian St John Darcy and Keith Robert Beaumont. All were under the watchful eye of the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Michael Howard Cameron. In addition there were a large number of both Grand Lodge and Provincial Lodge Officers in attendance
The Lodge was opened in due and ancient form by the Worshipful Master Bro. Ian Pattinson, having completed the necessary lodge business, the Provincial Director of Ceremonies entered the Lodge room to announce that the RW PGM stood without and demanded admission. He was warmly welcomed by the WM and was offered the gavel of the Lodge which he duly accepted.
The RW PGM opened Provincial Grand Lodge, and the minutes of the Consecration meeting were read. The warrant of the Lodge was read out by the Provincial Grand Secretary W.Bro John Fielding.
A short history of the Lodge was read by Bro Brian Ritson, thereafter the Master of the Lodge expressed his thanks on behalf of the Lodge to The RW PGM and the Provincial Officers for attending and presented him with a cheque for £1267 to be applied to Masonic Charities.
During the ceremony the RW PGM promoted 2 members of the Lodge, Donovan (Don) Graham Ellam was promoted from PPrJGW to PPrSGW and Bro Andrew Bragg was promoted from PPrAGDC to PPrSGD The Provincial Grand Lodge was closed and the RW PGM retired escorted by his Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge
99 Brethren retired to the Dining Hall where they were treated to a splendid 3 Course Roast Dinner followed by a fourth course of cheese and biscuits.
At the festive board the WM Bro Ian Pattinson presented the Provincial Grand Master with a Glass Decanter and glass inscribed with the Kenlis insignia, along with a fine bottle of single
malt whisky to fill it. He also presented to the representatives of our Founding Lodges, Sun, Square & Compasses Lodge No.119 and Lewis Lodge No.872 with an engraved Decanter, Glass and a single malt whisky each
