My Year In The Grand West

The William Mercer William Medal is one of the highest honours a member of the Craft in this jurisdiction can receive, given years of unblemished service, and yesterday Bro Paul Laver proudly received his from the Grand Master at Harding Lodge 477 in Woodville.  In July 1944, Most Worshipful Brother Timothy Clark Wardley, in his annual communication to Grand Lodge, presented the idea of a special medal for outstanding Masonic service. This medal, now known as the “William Mercer Wilson Medal”, may be awarded only to one who, for one reason or another, did not aspire or attain the position of the Worshipful Master of a Craft Lodge. The awarding of this honour also extends certain privileges and courtesies to the recipients. The owner of The William Mercer Wilson Medal is entitled, like anyone who has achieved the position of Worshipful Master of a Craft Lodge, the honour of sitting in the East. He is entitled to grand honours. He or they should also be referred to in the preamble...

Last night, my mother lodge, The Beaches Lodge No 473 held a wonderful reception for me at York Temple, and also invested VWBro Robert Jewell (who was at my initiation in 2005) with his regalia as Assistant Grand Organist. The lodge was opened at 7pm, and visitors were admitted shortly thereafter, and after being afforded Grand Honours, lodge was closed in order to bring in the guests of the evening, which included my wife, Arlene, and our sons William and Richard. My eldest son Eric was already in lodge as SW, and he welcomed Michaela to also sit in the North with their two children Olivia and Ayven.  Several of my brethren in lodge were asked to provide a synopsis of their relationship with me and share a few of their experiences along the way. WBro Christian Giles spoke about our first day in lodge, and some of our subsequent ventures around the world, and the impact of Freemasonry we have enjoyed together, WBro Russ Richardson regaled us with stories from our days in the mus...