Yesterday ,the Lodge of Uniformed Services No.9911 delivered the Ceremony of the Empty Chair to an audience of distinguished guests-The Deputy Lieutenant Iona Frost Pennington and her Consort Peter Frost Pennington ,The Mayor of Workington Cllr.Neil Schofield and Major Peter Reynolds 4th Battalion Duke of Lancasters Regiment and Kerryann Wilde of The Armed Forces Covenant Recognition
Scheme, Guests from Sea, Army, Air Cadets, Army Reserves, R.B.L., Border Regiment Assoc., R.A.F.A and brethren from the Province in Workington Masonic Hall.
A version of this amazing ceremony was first performed in 1875 in honour of those who fell in the American Civil War and adaptations have been made by Masonic Lodges to honour the fallen in Two World Wars and the many wars since.
This adaptation was made particularly relevant as Pvt.A.Edward Fry a member of Eden Lodge 2285 who died of pneumonia on the Western Front in 1917 and he was the representative of the empty chair. He was initiated in the late
19th century and emigrated to Canada where he volunteered and was part of the Canadian Army in Europe.The medals used in the ceremony also had a connection with Canada W.Bro. Erett,s wifes Grandfather went to Canada in 1910 in search on work and also volunteered as part of the Canadian Army earning his medals on the Western Front.
The other medals belonged W.Bro.Jim Burgess’s father who landed on Juno Beach in Normandy
in 1944 with the Canadian forces although he was in the British Army.
The association of the families of these brethren made it a particularly poignant ceremony.
The head of Cumbria Freemasons, Nick Wilson was in attendance and made a donation of £500 to the Cadet Forces present,Sea,Army and RAF.
