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Quingenti Lodge - The Jewel of the Provincial
Crown
The members of Quingenti Lodge No 8516 welcomed 13 of the 18 acting Provincial Grand Stewards as joining members at its installation
meeting. The principal guest at the meeting was Provincial Grand Master Peter Hosker.
Peter was accompanied by
Ray Martland, Terry Hudson, Philip Gunnig and Ian Boswell, all of whom are Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, Paul Renton
(Provincial Senior Grand Warden) and Ian Sanderson (Provincial Junior Grand Warden), Keith Kemp (Provincial Grand Director
of Ceremonies) and Barrie Crossley and Neil MacSymons both of whom are Deputy Provincial Grand Director’s of Ceremonies,
together with many other Grand and Provincial Grand Officers.
The Provincial Grand Master congratulates Neil after the ceremony.
There was
also a large attendance of visitors from across the Province, including a large contingent from Widnes who attended the meeting
for two reasons.
The first was to see the newly appointed Stewards, who are joining members, parade into the lodge
room after their approval by ballot had been voted on by the members.
The second and most important was to witness the
installation of the Lodge Steward Neil Pedder, as Master of Quingenti Lodge. Neil, a Widnes Mason, was appointed a Provincial
Steward in 2009 and is currently the Widnes Group Secretary. He was installed into the Chair of King Solomon by Abdul Benashour,
in what the PrGM described as; a distinguished, prestigious and unique manner.
Master
of Quingenti Lodge, Neil Pedder
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brethren retired to the main dining room to enjoy the festive board after the meeting was closed. They enjoyed a fine meal
and listened as Peter Hosker in the response to the toast to his health, paid tribute to the excellent work done by the lodge
members.
Peter described Quingenti Lodge as the jewel in the Provincial crown. He said it was a special privilege
to become a member of the lodge and he said: “As PrGM, I would wish to salute and thank the lodge for all its good work
over the years in running and managing the banquets at Provincial Grand Lodge, now at the Hilton. Additionally, it is good
to note that of the 18 acting Provincial Stewards of this year, 13 have become joining members tonight, increasing the number
of subscribing members to 220.”
He continued by saying: “Many brethren come to PrGL to enjoy and admire
the Province at work, and in that work, the acting Provincial Stewards play a very important part. I have attended Grand Lodge
and visited many other Provinces and I venture to suggest when it comes to ceremonial occasions, 'nobody does it better
than West Lancashire'.”
Peter then mentioned a recent news article involving Jonny Wilkinson and his expressions of disgust and dismay at the recent
Rugby World Cup debacle. Peter said, “The country seems to have lost its moral compass. In this respect, I suggest that
Freemasonry offers so much in helping to set that moral compass, guided as it is by the principal tenets of our Order. This
means that for a better world, we all need to behave with compassion and understanding to our fellow man, helping those in
need and in distress, and always upholding high moral standards - we call this brotherly love, relief and truth.”
In conclusion Peter said: “I emulate my predecessors when I say that I am fully aware of the importance of
this lodge not just because of its work at PrGL, but because it brings together those who, importantly, have served the Province
as acting Stewards. I am sure that in bringing acting Stewards together, it fuses like minds and develops a Masonic spirit
and purpose which are then spread throughout the Province for the good of Freemasonry. It is all about qualities of commitment,
ability and potential leadership, which is at the very heart of all that is good in the Province.
He then wished
Neil well in the coming years, he said: “You lead a most important body of men. Once again I have greatly enjoyed my
visit to your fine lodge.”
 Pictured
from left to right are: Barry Tomlinson (SW), Peter Hosker, Neil Pedder and Stephen McNee (JW)
Neil
with his colleagues from Widnes.
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