Friday 6th November saw the 15th annual mess of the Wardens of the Allied Masonic Degrees in East Lancashire.
It’s now 25 years since the District was formed and the Annual Mess has met for 15 of them.
The first two were organized by Robert Mitchell and so he was elected President of the Mess, but, indirectly, we can thank our Past District Grand Prefect, Mervyn Wilson, for the idea.
A bit of history. At the formation of the two Districts of East and West Lancashire, it was decided that whoever was already in Office in the old Lancashire District would continue in that Office in whichever new District he was a member of. Robert Mitchell, being the last Senior Warden of Lancashire was a member of both new Districts and so became first Senior Warden in both East Lancashire and West Lancashire.
Mervyn Wilson was a Past Warden of West Lancashire and, being a great believer of messes of any kind, organized a mess for the Past Wardens of West Lancashire some ten years after the formation of the new District (after ten years he felt that there were now enough Past Wardens to make it viable). Naturally, Robert was invited to this mess, thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and could see no reason why East Lancashire couldn’t enjoy the same so he immediately contacted all the Past Wardens of East Lancashire, the mess was arranged for the first Friday in November and there has been a meeting on that date ever since with the organization done by the immediate Past Wardens.
This year’s event held at Middleton Masonic Hall was no less successful and it is safe to say that members are already looking forward to next year!
Editorial by Robert Mitchell
