Palatine Lodge No. 97

Thursday the 8th of June saw well over 100 Masons attend Palatine Lodge, No. 97, at Wearside Masonic Temple to celebrate 50 years in the Craft for V.W. Bro. Prof. Denovan Keith Wilson, PGSwdB, PDepProvGM.

A man as well respected as ‘Denny’ was always sure to draw a crowd.  The Durham Provincial Grand Master in the Craft, R.W. Bro. John Paul Thompson, attended with a Deputation of Provincial Officers, which included the Deputy and two Assistants.  The Past Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Norman Eric Heaviside, was also there.  

We've had a very busy year so far. January's First Degree was accompanied by another First Degree in February, a Second Degree in March, a double Second Degree in April and another double Second Degree in May.  We're taking a break from ritual in June - you'll see why next month - and will be busy once more after our recess.

We started our year with yet another First Degree last night. We welcomed Bro Ian to the Lodge and to Freemasonry in general. He's pictured in the Lodge room with our WM, left, and SD, right, who were his Seconder and Proposer respectively, and have known him a combined total of over 70 years (yes, we hear you ask, why did they all wait so long!?)

As it was our Installation meeting last month, this was the first time the officers have performed their duties in their new offices. A few nerves on display but our longstanding reputation of great ritual continues.

James [Jim] Edward Harker was born in Middlesbrough on 29th August 1933 into a long line of Fairground Folk [and other Jim Harkers!]:

After leaving his National Service in the RAF in November 1954, during which he worked on Spitfires as a Senior Air craftsman, Jim returned to his life in ‘Civvy’ Street and worked both at the family fairground attractions as well as pursuing a career in the automotive parts supply business.

As we head into our summer recess we decided to go out with a bang, performing the first double-initiation undertaken by the Lodge in over twenty years, and certainly the first ever undertaken by the current Officers of the Lodge.  Given we only had one Lodge of Instruction to rehearse the double, all of those that took part can be immensely proud of the ritual on display, once again upholding the high standards we place upon ourselves.