AMALGAMATION
In response to the declining numbers in Freemasonry from the mid-1980s, Preston Guild Lodge once more stepped up and was at the vanguard of the consolidation movement in Freemasonry. In March 2004, under the direction of the Provincial Grand Master, Colin Penty-Wright, the lodge amalgamated with Commercial Travellers Lodge No 3493 and Forest of Fulwood Lodge No 6388. Bill Davies carried the lodges through the process as Master.
Almost immediately after the Amalgamation Ceremony, Preston Guild Lodge provided the Preston Group with a third Group Chairman. Ian William Greenwood had migrated from East Lancashire to Preston Guild Lodge in 1989.
He served as Master in 1992. Ian was active in the Group for 16 years and was Chairman from 2004 to 2010. He has been a Grand Officer in Chapter since 1997 and in the Craft since 1998. Ian celebrated his 50 years as a Mason in October 2019.
The amalgamation brought some interesting members into the Preston Guild fold.
An Operative Mason joined our ranks. Ernie Cocker, a Past Master of Commercial Travellers Lodge, was an active Stone Mason running a Monumental Mason business in Preston. To celebrate the 80 years of Commercial Travellers he used his professional skills to craft ceremonial rough and smooth ashlars for the Lodge Room. These are used by Preston Guild Lodge at all meetings to this day.
Joe Hood, a Past Master of Forest of Fulwood Lodge had served as the Mayor of Preston during the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977 and had the great honour of escorting Her Majesty when she visited the town.
Joe became only the third councillor (and second Preston Guild Member) to serve as Mayor of Preston twice when he was elected again in 2000.
The lodge had its second 60-year celebrant in 2014 when Roy Rawlinson reached that milestone. He had become a joining member from Commercial Travellers Lodge through Amalgamation. Roy had ceased to be an active member at the time due to his health so the presentation of his 60 Year Certificate was made by the Master and close friends from CT days in the comfort of his home.
2008 saw the lodge initiate its youngest member to date. At that time, the criteria for becoming a mason was to be 21 years and above. However, dispensations were allowed for the sons on Masons to join at 18 years of age: they are called a Lewis. David James Christian Parker was initiated at the age of 19 by his father, who was Master at that time. Junior has gone on the sit in the Masters Chair twice since then. In our Centenary year he was appointed to Past Provincial Deputy Grand Superintendent of Works by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master.
Following Amalgamation, the Warrants of Commercial Travellers and Forest of Fulwood Lodges Warrants were returned to Preston Guild. It seemed totally appropriate to celebrate the Centenary of Commercial Travellers in 2011. The longest serving CT member, Bill Hawkins returned as Master for that year.
Preston Guild Lodge enjoyed the Tercentenary of the United Grand Lodge of England in 2017. To mark the occasion David Parkers’ Senior and Junior presented the Master with the Tercentenary Jewel which now adorns the Masters Collar along with the 250th Anniversary Jewel.
The 21st Century was embraced with relish as the lodge developed its own website www.pg4408.co.uk which gives the Lodge a face to the World. Facebook and Twitter accounts augment the online presence, representing the modern and outward looking policy of Preston Guild Lodge.
THE PANDEMIC YEARS
The year 2020 saw the World plunged into the Covid 19 Pandemic. Freemasonry was suspended from March 2020 until July 2021. However, the lodge remained as active as circumstances would allow. Zoom was a facility most had never heard of in early 2020 but it became the lifeline of the lodge. Regular Zoom meetings were held to keep members in touch.
During this challenging time the lodge was determined to continue its charitable work. A policy decision was made that all our charitable donations would be to local volunteer led charities who had been most hit by falling incomes. During the two years of the Pandemic, Preston Guild Lodge distributed over £5,500 in goods and cash donations to local foodbanks and volunteer charities. In addition, lodge members served as Covid Volunteers. The work was recognised by the Mayor of Preston as the lodge received the Mayor of Preston’s Coronavirus Pandemic City Hero Award in November 2021. The lodge was honoured to receive the Mayor into Preston Masonic Hall where he presented the Certificate.
When Masonic activity resumed in July 2021, Preston Guild Lodge was quick out of the blocks and arranged an Emergency Meeting so that we could all be together again. True to our charitable aims, this was turned into a fund raiser. Four members of the lodge took part in the Motor Neurone Disease 92 Second Ice Foot Challenge. On a very warm evening, the participants found the challenge to be refreshing. £200 was raised on the night.
During that infamous lockdown, the lodge worked hard on the new Pathway Scheme initiated by Grand Lodge. Lodge Profiles and Plans were created. The website was upgraded. Once again Preston Guild Lodge was at the vanguard of positive change. The result being three new members being brought on board.
CENTENARY YEAR
In November 2021 the lodge installed Ian Greenwood, the lodges Grand Officer, into the Masters Chair for our forthcoming Centenary Year. He has demonstrated the supreme art of delegation ever since!
2022 got off to a flying start with the Initiation of a new member, Boniface Ogbonna with Joey Sahota, only initiated in September playing a pivotal role in the ceremony. The aim was to ensure all members were Master Masons by the time of the Official Centenary Celebration on the 3rd October. To help with that, Royal Preston Lodge No 333 and Ingol Lodge of St Margaret No 8544 assisted by performing the Passing Ceremonies for Joey and Boniface. By a quirk of fate both lodges chose the same night which meant we enjoyed a memorable three lodge combined Festive Board.
Work began on creating this history. The Lodge Website was updated to provide a tab to honour the Founder Members as well as one to note the significant events of 1922 – the World has not changed!
During this research the lodge rediscovered Preston Guild Lodge No 29 of the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons – Freemasonry for Women. As Grand Lodge was promoting closer ties with the women masons’ contact was made. A White Table Event resulted when both lodges, and a significant number of visitors came together. The Provincial Grand Master, Angela Seed, gave a talk on HFAF. Close ties have rapidly developed and shared social events are a matter of course.
INTO OUR SECOND CENTURY
Preston Guild Lodge is now hoping to play an active role in the Universities Scheme. With a close association with Women’s Freemasonry and an active partnership, the lodge is able to overcome the diversity issues previously raised by the University of Central Lancashire.
Preston Guild Lodge is proud of its history and of its founder members. They represented the values of Freemasonry 100 years ago in the way we aspire to do today.
Today’s members hope that those Founders look on from the Grand Lodge Above with pride as we endeavour maintain their high standards of welcoming good men from all walks of life and supporting our community as we stride out confidently into our second century.