WBro  Stephen Crane (left) and WBro Jorge Perez present the cheque to WBro Peter Hegarty

 
It is only a year ago that the Salford District Chairman, WBro Peter Hegarty, was invited to Wavertree Gatacre Queensway Lodge No 2294 in Hope Street Liverpool to collect a cheque for £5,480.00 in aid of the Manchester Bomb Appeal. The money was raised by two brethren who have tattoo parlours in Liverpool, WBro Chris Crane and WBro Jorge Perez. They and their staff applied tattoo’s of ‘Manchester Bees’ for £50 each to Liverpudlians who wanted to show their support of the Manchester People and the Appeal Fund.
So when a Solid Silver Platter, which had belonged to Merchants Lodge No 294, meeting at Hope Street Liverpool, was found in a Salford locker, WBro Hegarty was only too delighted to return it to its rightful owners.
 

The platter is inscribed with the words:
“PRESENTED TO THE MERCHANTS LODGE OF FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS No 294 BY P.M. BROTHER JOSHUA WALMSLEY PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY OF THE WESTERN DIVISION OF LANCASHIRE THE 14th JUNE 1853”
Speaking at the social board Peter said ‘What a pleasure it is having been to Liverpool only twelve months ago to collect such a magnificent cheque on behalf of the victims of such a terrible outrage, to be able to return to Liverpool and bring something of such historical importance back to where it belongs’.

Grand and provincial Grand officer’s from the Liverpool group, with Peter Hegarty and Peter Rees.

 
John Williams, Salford Communications Officer