Blackpool Royal Arch Chapter No 1476
E,Comp.
E.Comp.
E.Comp.
At the meeting of Blackpool Lodge on Tuesday 9th October 1945 it was resolved that the consent of the Lodge be given to a petition for the formation of a Royal Arch Chapter to be attached to the Lodge and named Blackpool Chapter No 1476 The warrant itself was issued on May 1st 1946 and the consecration was arranged to take place on November 7th at the Clifton Hotel at 2.30 p.m. The banquet was a lavish affair held at the Casino and was attended by one hundred and fifty Royal Arch Masons. Wine flowed so freely and plentiful there was some doubt whether the Chapter was consecrated or launched!
As was to be expected in a new Chapter, anxious to build up and increase its membership, extra meetings were held and from January 1947 to the Installation meeting in March 1951, twenty four candidates were exalted and six joining members admitted. This is in contrast to the difficult period in the Chapter from 1975 to 1985 when 19 members died and there were 38 resignations.
On September 6th 1948 a double ceremony brought into the Chapter a father an son, W.Bro. John Ernest Wright and W.Bro. Tom Wright. E.Comp. Tom Wright served the Chapter well being the Assistant Director of Ceremonies for 15 years and attained the rank of P.Pr.G.S.N. His son John Brian Wright was exalted into the Chapter in November 1964 and following in his father's footsteps was Assistant Director of Ceremonies in 1982 and, subsequently assumed the Office of Director of Ceremonies fro, 1989 to 1992. After filling Group offices in South Fylde and South Blackpool he was appointed P.G.Std.B. in 1994 and in 1995 appointed Chairman of the North Blackpool Group. His appointment as Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1998 was greeted with acclaim in Freemasonry throughout the Fylde area, a record of which his father and grandfather would have been justifiably proud.
In 1947 the Byelaws stated that the Chapter would meet on the first Thursday in January, March, September and November and the subscription to be £1-1-0d. In September 1954 the subscription doubled to £2-2-0d The Chapter continued to support the maintenance of its home at Adelaide Street and three times in the course of a decade propositions were carried to increase its holding of shares in the Masonic Hall Ltd. The meetings were increased to five per year in 1964. The month of May being the addition. Subscriptions were raised again in 1975 and the Byelaws amended to read "that no part of the exaltation or joining fee shall be devoted to ordinary expenses of the Chapter but shall be placed to the Charity account".
A tragedy occurred in the Chapter on 16th November 1978 when Comp, Lynn Punshon, the Principle Sojourner, suffered a heart attack and collapsed during the Ceremony. Efforts were made to revive him but without success and when the ambulance came he was pronounced dead. The ceremony was thereupon ended and the Chapter immediately closed.
At the convocation in November 1994, E.Comp. D.H.Simpson, P.Pr.G.Stwd. and E.Comp. Stanley C. Taylor P.G.Std.B. presented the Chapter with new robes and sceptres. The subscriptions were raised in January 1994 from £15 to £18 and like all Royal Arch Chapters on the Fylde coast, Blackpool Chapter continues to "Progress"