Fellowship Lodge No 7692 celebrate their 50th Anniversary

W.Bro. Terry Hudson. P.S.G.D, A.P.G.M.  addresses Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship No. 7692, on their 50^th, Anniversary.

Terry started by thanking the Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship, and the Brethren for attending in such good numbers. He then went on to explain some of the history of this well respected Blackpool Lodge.

 The Lodge was consecrated at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, on Friday 17 June, 1960, some 15 years after the conclusion of the Second World War, at a time when Freemasonry was enjoying a post war boom, with lodge membership increasing at a dramatic rate, and thriving as never before.  This increase of interest in Freemasonry created a demand with which the existing lodges could barely cope. Many lodges found themselves with waiting lists stretching to five or six years, with young masons waiting to advance, but facing anything up to a twenty year progression to the Chair. The answer to the problem was the creation of new lodges, and so in 1959, 19 masons met and became the founders of Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship No 7692.

Terry described in detail that as many as 58 lodges were Consecrated in the Province of West Lancashire in the 15 years from the end of the war to the Consecration of the Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship in 1960, an average of four per year, almost one third being in the Fylde area alone.  As Terry pointed out, an average of more than one every year.  Sadly, and as a contrast to the above, just 8 lodges have been Consecrated on the Fylde Coast in the past 50 years.

Terry recalled one lodge meeting where Jack Coats who was representing the Provincial Grand Master told the story of another of Blackpool’s sons, Brian London, the famous boxer. The Boxing Magazine, “The Ring” had listed Brian London as the seventh best in the World.  Jack replied, “Seventh best in the World- he weren’t seventh best in Blackpool.”

Terry concluded by hoping that those who are to follow will be given the opportunity to celebrate the CENTENERY of the lodge, to which he and all his colleagues would greatly appreciate an invitation.