The Centenary of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire

On Friday 24th of February a Deputation from Grand Lodge, comprising  Bro Ewan Rutherford, Deputy Grand Master and Governor, Bro Alan Dickson, Grand Secretary, and Bro James  Fraser, Deputy Grand Marischal, travelled to Birmingham for the Centenary meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire.  In the evening they had an enjoyable dinner with Kevin Parkes, the Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire, who was accompanied by senior members of the Province.

On Saturday 25th February, the Deputation attended the Centenary meeting at the Kings Heath Masonic Centre in Birmingham.

Starting at 10:30 am, the meeting was extremely well attended and included ten reigning Provincial Grand Masters along with past PGMs and numerous Depute and Substitute PGMs.

After opening, the Grand Lodge deputation was formally received by Bro Kevin Parkes, the Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire.  The PGM then led his team in an excellent ceremony which saw four candidates Advanced and Promoted into the Order. At the conclusion of the ceremony Bro Ewan Rutherford, the Deputy Grand Master and Governor, welcomed all the new members into the Order.

Bro Ewan Rutherford, Deputy Grand Master and Governor, then took the Chair and announced that he was pleased to undertake two tasks; to re-appoint Bro Kevin Parkes as PGM for Warwickshire and to formally mark the Centenary of the province.

The Provincial Grand Master Bro. Kevin Parkes was presented to Bro Ewan Rutherford, Deputy Grand Master and Governor, who proceeded to obligate and re-invest the PGM.  

Following this Bro Ewan Rutherford, Deputy Grand Master and Governor, addressed the Brethren and congratulated the Province on attaining its Centenary.  Bro Alan Dickson, Grand Secretary, read out the certificate from Grand Lodge that formally recognised this achievement.

After the meeting the Brethren gathered for a most enjoyable meal.  Bro Ewan Rutherford gave a warm and entertaining response to the Toast to the Deputy Grand Master and Governor.  Bro Kevin Parkes, Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire, then presented each member of the Grand Lodge Deputation with a memento of the occasion - the model of the symbol of Warwickshire - a bear with a ragged staff.

The Deputation then returned to Edinburgh later in the evening.

All photos from this meeting are courtesy of Bro. Martin Grahame-Dunn, Provincial S.W. for Warwickshire.