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It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing to the Grand Conclave
Above of WyBro Bernard Berman, PAGReg.
Bernard had been battling with illness for several months and seemed to be winning until a few weeks ago when his health started to decline. He finally lost the fight on the morning of Sunday 2nd October 2011. Bernard was a very strong supporter of OSM, being a member of three Conclaves in the Province namely Fraternity 75, ELPO 212 and Robert Burns 368. Indeed he was a Founder Member of the last two Conclaves as well as being a Founder of the Vale of Irwell Consistory 16TI in the Scarlet Cord. A former Provincial Grand Treasurer, he also held a similar office in other Conclaves. Bernard will be sadly missed by all that new him and our thoughts are with Muriel and his family at this sad time. ________________________________________ Manchester Million Appeal 2011 Update  In 2010, the Provincial Grand Supreme
Ruler was very proud to be able to make a donation from the Province for the sum of £2,000 to the Manchester Million
Appeal which aims to raise money to fund research into prostate cancer. This amount was augmented by a donation of £1,000
from the OSM Benevolent Fund.
WBro Jeff Clubbe, a very well known member of the Craft Province of East Lancashire and a former Provincial Grand Organist, has taken on the role of Fund-Raiser-in-Chief for the Appeal on behalf of Freemasonry and has to date raised over £70,000 from Freemasons. On Monday 26th September 2011, the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler, accompanied by the Provincial Grand Treasurer, WyBro Kenneth Shea, were delighted to be able to make a further donation of £1,000 from the Provincial Collection for Good Causes, which was again matched by the OSM Benevolent Fund. The image above shows the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler and Provincial Grand Treasurer handing the cheque to WBro Clubbe who looks suitably delighted! _______________________________________ East
meets East! On Saturday 25th August, the Senior Officers of the Province ventured north to Musselburgh to witness the Installation of a new Supreme Grand Ruler for the Province of East Scotland. In a magnificent ceremony, WyBro Ian Paterson Duff was Installed by the Grand Supreme Ruler, MWyBro Michael William Guest. Following the ceremony all present were then treated to a typically festive Social Board resulting in a good time for all! ____________________________________________________ Date for your diary The
Annual Provincial Meeting will take place on Saturday 29th October 2011 at Rochdale starting at 11am. Application forms for dining will be sent to every subscribing member of the Province during the next few weeks. _____________________________________ For a report of the visit to East Lancashire by MWyBro Michael William Guest, Grand Supreme Ruler on 1st August 2011 can be found by clicking here Congratulations to all those Brethren who received honours at Grand Conclave on the 11th November. The recipients from East Lancashire were: RWyBro Kenneth A Brown, PGG WyBro Carl P Dinsdale, PAGDC WyBro Roy JP Anderson, PGStB WyBro Allen L Hever, PGStB WyBro Timothy RR Richards, PGStB WyBro Glynn J Hughes, PGBB WyBro Henri Lyons, who is a Cheshire Secret Monitor and a member of Robert Burns Conclave 368, was appointed as a Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Also to be congratulated is our PGSR, RWyBro Howard S Nuttall, who has been elected onto the Executive Council, a great honour for both him and our Province! Well done to you all! ______________________ ________________________________________________________
If you weren't there you missed out!! Sixty two Brethren and their guests joined the Right Worthy Provincial Grand Supreme and Carol in another wonderfully relaxed evening of friendship at the Provincial Gala Dinner. The food was ofthe high standardthat we have come to expect on this occasion and the company was typical of when Secret Monitors and their friends get together! Once again, the evening was organised by WyBro Bill Fishwick and was a roaring success. Next year's dinner has been booked so make sure that you don't miss out. East Lancashire Provincial Gala Dinner 2012 will be held at Bury Masonic Hall on Saturday 9th June. Details will be published on this site once they are finalised so keep checking! _________________________________
Q. What do you get when the Red Rose meets the White Rose? A. An exceptional evening of Secret Monitor friendship! On Tuesday 10th May a "raiding party" from the Province of West Yorkshire honoured Roses in Concord Conclave, 185, with the annual cross-border visit! Led by no less than three Right Worthy Brethren, some twenty brethren from the White Rose County joined with over thirty Red Rose Secret Monitors to witness an impeccable Second Degree ceremony. The Supreme Ruler of the Conclave, VWyBro Stephen Jackson, led the Officers in entering Bro Sam Turtington of Bury Conclave, 80, to the Prince Degree assisted by the Officers of the Conclave who were augmented by Provincial Officers. The Signs of the Degree were explained by one of the Provincial Grand Visitors, WyBro Tom Gallagher, the Challenge was described by the Provincial Grand Almoner, WyBro Peter Morgan, and was explained by the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler himself! Bro Leslie Bond was then elected to be the next Supreme Ruler of the Conclave, despite the fact that his late arrival delayed the start of the meeting! This tardiness was not really Bro Bond's fault as the meeting was scheduled to start half an hour earlier than usual to allow the visitors from the East to return across the border before the gates closed!! The PGSR of West Yorkshire, RWyBro Stuart Glasgow Carley, extended an invitation to all East Lancashire Secret Monitors to visit Phoenix Conclave, 391, in Pontefract on 12th December when this mutual friendship will continue. _________________________________________________________________________ A truly "Champion" experience! _________________________________ The RWy Provincial Supreme Grand Ruler and Carol wish all Brethren and their families a very Merry Christmas
and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.   __________________________________
Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas! Robert Burns Conclave, 368 were so impressed with the manner in which their Supreme Ruler, WyBro John Astbury, lead them that the members insisted that he remained in office for a further year! A splendid evening of Secret Monitor masonry, which was honoured by the presence of the PGSR and a Provincial delegation, was completed by the traditional fish supper. A great night for all present! ________________________________
On Monday 28th June our PGSR led a raiding party
of 21 East Lancs Secret Monitors on a cross-border visit to Roses Conclave in Greetland, West Yorkshire, where an exemplary
Installation Ceremony was enjoyed by all present.
Not only was the Ritual virtually faultless but the hospitality offered by our Red and White Rose wearing hosts was of the highest standard - indeed everything we have come to expect on our joint visits! For photos of this event please click here A reciprocal visit will be made to Roses in Concord Conclave, No 185 on Tuesday 10th May 2011 at Clayton le Moors so put the date in your diary now! _______________________________________________________ Third Provincial Gala Dinner On Saturday 12th June 2010 at Bury Masonic Hall the Third Provincial Gala Dinner was held. Almost seventy Brethren, wives, partners & friends gathered for this now popular social event. The attendees enjoyed a superb meal consisting eggs harlequin, thick vegetable soup, roast leg of lamb with trimmings followed by fruit meringue nest a cheese board & coffee. This ensured the night was set for banter & friendly discussion. The minimum of toasts & speeches added to the informal atmosphere. In responding to the toast to his health & of course that of his wife Carol the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler, referred to this date being arranged twelve months ago long before a certain footballing organisation decided to have a small knockout competition in South Africa & thanked everyone for choosing to attend this evening rather than watching England & USA. Thanking all the Provincial Team who are “his family” for their support this year, working with him to ensure that East Lancashire moves from strength to strength. Howard, then spoke of the donation made to the “Manchester Million Appeal” at Hope Hospital, for the research into the cause & the possible cure of prostate cancer. How he was proud that a small Order as we, were able, in December, to present a cheque to WBro Jeff Clubbe the fund organiser for the sum of £3,000. In humorous tone he went on to say that occasion’s such as this just do not happen. At last years event a broad Accrington accent whispered to him “shall I book it again for next year Boss?” WyBro. William L. Fishwick, Grand Steward, had single-handed organised the evening & the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler thanked Bill most sincerely for all his hard work. Howard said that he was again must be gratified with the result. All who attended gave Bill a huge round of applause & his wife Jean was presented with a basket of flowers in recognition of all that Bill’s had done. The raffle raised an amount of £270.00 which will be contributed to the Provincial Charity fund, this year which again will be donated to the “Manchester Million Appeal”. This will be enhanced by an additional £1,000 from the OSM Benevolent Fund at Grand Conclave. The Third Provincial Gala Dinner was again such a success that the next one has already been reserved for Saturday 11th June 2011 make a note, not to be missed. Same place, same format. A big thank you to all who made the night so special, therefore, if you missed this year we suggest that you don’t miss next year! Our Order
Continues to Grow in East Lancashire Two new Secret Monitors were inducted at Bury Conclave 80 on Wednesday 1st September in a Ceremony performed in exemplary fashion by the Officers under the leadership of their Supreme Ruler, WyBro John Wood. For an excellent demonstration of Secret Monitor Masonry, may I suggest a visit to this fine Conclave? ______________________________________ 50th Anniversary Celebration Click here to see a report of this historic event! __________________________________
Manchester Million Appeal Some of you will remember that earlier in the year the Province donated £3,000 to this appeal which is raising money for research into Prostate Cancer. The Provincial Assistant Grand Recorder was recently with WBro Jeff Clubbe, the Masonic organiser for the appeal, who was delighted to report that the appeal has to date raised more than £180,000 of which no less than £71,000 has been donated by Freemasons making our movement the biggest donor to the appeal. _________________________________
 Click on the photo above to view a larger image of (from l-r) WyBro Frank Smith (Provincial Grand Recorder), WBro Jeff Clubbe, RWyBro Howard Nuttall, WyBro Nigel Love (Provincial Assistant Grand Recorder) and Bro Ken Shea (Provincial Grand Treasurer) It is always a pleasure to make charitable donations but when the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler asked the Conclaves of East Lancashire if they would like to donate some of their Charity monies to his chosen cause he was not prepared for the response. Being mindful of our member's charitable commitments within their own Craft, Mark Lodges and other Degrees in Freemasonry, a target was not set. However as monies started to be donated it was obvious that the Secret Monitors of our Province are very generous Masons. With a contribution from the OSM Benevolent Fund of £1,000 we were able in December to present WBro Jeff Clubbe, the Manchester Million Appeal fund organiser, a cheque for £3,000. The Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler would like to thank all the Members of the Order of the Secret Monitor in East Lancashire for their kind generosity & the Conclaves for making this such a pleasurable experience.
For more information on the Manchester Million Appeal click here
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