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Friendship From Service Burns Celebration The Friendship from Service Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges No.1313, which meet at Corvino's in Petticoat Lane, hold their first meeting of the year on the third Monday in January, and designate it their Burns Night Celebration meeting. This meeting is particularly well supported, with upwards of 40 Brethren present on 17th January 2005. Mark News was there. It is the RAM Installation meeting and by tradition the newly-installed Commander takes the chair at the Festive Board. W Bro Peter G. Hill was that man, and the letter G, although generally not used in English freemasonry, is important here so as not to confuse him with W Bro Peter E Hill of the same Lodge. There is in fact no confusion if you know them because Peter E is a quietly-spoken brother of Welsh extraction, and a member of the Grand Sepulchre Guard, but that's another Order. The Mark Lodge also had work to do in Advancing Arthur Peter Mellins and carried it out quite properly and in a memorably good-natured manner. The WM, W Bro Ivan Garwood, was supported in his very capable endeavours by guest Senior Deacon Nick Letherby whose father wasn't far away. The Unmissables. There was an intermission...Downstairs at the bar. Then................ Piper Tommy Johnston, who had been roaming the balcony piping, descended and let the procession to the table to more than the customary applause. Piper Johnston, who served for a time in the Royal Scots Greys, seven years with the Territorial Army, and is a member of the London Scottish Association, wore his Johnston tartan kilt and displayed the usual appurtenances. A traditional beef broth with barley preceded the arrival of the haggis, which was piped round the room until coming to rest in full view of the brethren, whereupon W Bro Tom Quinn of Semper Fidelis Lodge No 1473 addressed it in fine style and a Clan Leslie tie (and if you think that's zeugma it's not, its syllepsis - the two are so often confused) which the Editor had earlier mistaken for the Crawford's shortbread tartan. Much haggis and attendant drams was then consumed, and indeed approved by Piper Johnston, before roast beef arrived to be followed by apple crumble and ice cream. After the usual toasts and responses W Bro Allan de Luca (the same) of the Lodge gave us 'Kipling's' Banquet Night' and acting Tyler Irwin Obadiah closed the evening's proceeding with the Tyler's toast. If you don't know Allan, Banquet Night, or Irwin I'd be very surprised, but you should. And we all went home................... click picture for larger view
This page last updated Wednesday, 15 November 2006 Copyright © 2006, Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of London |
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