Chingford Area Social Masonic Group

Re-Dedication Ceremony of the Philbrick Daylight Lodge No. 2255 on Wednesday 6th April 2005 by the Provincial Grand Master Col. Sir Neil Thorne and the Provincial Team

On the 23rd July 1888 the Founders of a new Lodge came together for the Consecration of Philbrick Lodge No.2255. The Lodge name was adopted to reflect the high regard held by Essex Masons for His Honour Judge Frederick Adolphus Philbrick who served as the DPGM for Essex from 1883 to 1900. Judge Philbrick was a distinguished circuit judge (civil division) and a prominent philatelist of his day. He must have consented to the Lodge being named after him and unusually he was present at the Consecration ceremony and was elected an honorary member at the meeting. He was born and lived in Colchester and died in 1910.
All the minute books exist and reflect low membership and poor attendance in the early years. As the century progressed membership increased, peaking in the seventies to over fifty members but falling as the millennium approached to such an extent that the prospect of dissolution was a distinct possibility. However, the year 2004 saw a turning point in good fortune with several joining members, the first candidate for seven years was initiated in February 2005. In addition, the membership agreed to change to daylight hours, and become the first Daylight Lodge for the Chingford Masonic Hall. This Lodge marked another milestone in its 117 year history with a Re-Dedication ceremony as a Daylight Lodge at Chingford Masonic Hall on Wednesday 6th April 2005.
The Worshipful Master, W Bro Peter Lindell opened the Lodge with the words “Good Morning Brethren” and after some further routine Lodge business, admitted the Provincial Director of Ceremonies W Bro Paul Humphrey who demanded entrance for the Provincial Grand Master Col Sir Neil Thorne and the Provincial Team, who then made their procession into the Lodge in full splendour with the Provincial Grand Sword Bearer and the Provincial Grand Standard Bearer.
On this occasion the Provincial Grand Master accepted the gavel from the Worshipful Master. Sir Neil Thorne the appointed his officers after which he addressed the brethren as to the purpose of today’s ceremony. He said he was “delighted to be here on this important day in the Lodge’s long history” and went on to say “that this day was significant not only for the Lodge but for the Province”. The Provincial Grand Secretary, W.Bro Andrew Bishop, was then called upon to read the names and ranks of all the Philbrick Lodge members, after which he read, in full, the Warrant of the Lodge which he did with style and sincerity. The Warrant of the Lodge is dated 1st May 1888 and signed by the then Grand Master, the MW Albert Edward Prince of Wales.
W Bro John Simons, the Provincial Grand Chaplain then addressed the brethren stating that this day was a piece of history, perhaps only reached in the past, on its centenary and at the Lodge consecration. W Bro John Simons theme was on the movement and progression of the Lodge that started on the 23 July 1888, and referred to some words in the Volume of the Sacred Law of Isaiah Chapter 28 v16 “behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation”. W Bro Simons then referred to some important events that occurred in 1888, outstandingly John Logie Baird was born, the Football league was founded with 12 teams. East London was in the grip with a mystery of ladies being found brutally murdered, the deed being down to the notorious “Jack the Ripper”, and also to the 23rd July 1888 which was the date the Lodge was Consecrated, and this special event touched the lives of many people throughout the years, in fact a century of building and planting, and the planting continues in the aspirations of the initiates. W Bro Simons quoted again from the VSL Psalm 118 v22 “the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner” and went on to say that, as Masons, we carry out a search for the truth, and we are not alone, we are in the company of others, so their exists a Brotherhood, a Fraternity, and the Philbrick Lodge has continued for over 100 years and continued to cement a stone….a sure foundation.
After the ceremony of Re-Dedication, the Provincial Grand Master gave a short address, and stated that he hoped that this day will embark the Lodge on its new endeavours and that the Lodge will go from strength to strength, and charged the Lodge to attract more joining members so that the future will be a bright one.
W Bro Peter Lindell, the WM of Philbrick Lodge, thanked the PGM and the Provincial Team for their attendance, and that he was proud to be celebrating this special occasion today and the uniqueness of becoming a Daylight Lodge and thanked everyone for their attendance. Since the Lodge is now going in a new direction the members will feel honoured of the Re-Dedication ceremony for the rest of their lives, and again thanked everyone for coming to this important event.
The meeting was followed by an excellent Festive Board and the brethren and their guests sat down to Scottish smoked salmon with brown bread and butter, a Hawaiian cocktail followed by a breast of chicken with a cream and mushroom sauce with seasonal vegetables, finishing with a cream brulee, coffee and mints.
In his response to his toast, the PGM thanked the brethren. The PGM mentioned his retirement, and informed the brethren to expect the name of his successor to be possibly announced by the end of June 2005. He thanked the brethren for his portrait, a gift on his approaching retirement at the end of August 2005, from the brethren of the Province of Essex, saying it was a “lovely portrait” and that he will treasure it.
The PGM then thanked his Provincial Team to much applause from the brethren, and named them individually, he also referred to W Bro Sydney MacKay, Secretary of Philbrick Lodge on his promotion to PProvJGW last month. The PGM was keen to mention that the Master, Wardens and Grand Officer’s should attend the Quarterly Communicatios of Grand Lodge so they could hear what is taking place and disseminate the information to the brethren of the Lodge. The PGM went on to inform the brethren of “Mentoring”, especially those coming into Freemasonry, and that every Lodge should assign a member to inform new brethren of Lodge protocol etc., also for older members of the Lodge who have not attended for at least two meetings, that someone should get in touch with them and assist them where possible and bring them along to a meeting. The PGM went on to say that Philbrick Lodge has a long and distinguished history, and that the Lodge should continue to keep information up to date so that when the Lodge celebrates its 150th anniversary, the historical events within the Lodge will be available, and future generations will have the opportunity to know its long history. In conclusion the PGM congratulated the WM, W Bro Peter Lindell, and every success for the future of the Lodge.
W Bro Peter Lindell replied stating that he felt privileged to become the Worshipful Master of the Lodge shortly after becoming a Joining member. He hoped the ceremony the Brethren have seen today will be remembered for the rest of their lives. W Bro Peter stated that he was pleased to announce that there was another Initiate and two joining members for the new Daylight Lodge, and invited the visiting Brethren to feel free to visit any future meeting. He thanked the Secretary of the Lodge W Bro Sydney MacKay for his excellent work for this special occasion.
As a small momento of the occasion of the Re-Dedication Ceremony of Philbrick Lodge, W Bro Peter asked the Wardens to distribute to all the Brethren a ballpoint pen suitably inscribed with details of this special occasion.
The PGM and the Provincial Team then retired from the Festive Board, and the convivial proceedings came to an end at precisely 3pm with the Tylers Toast.