The Members of Lodge of Minerva with all of their guests.

 
Lodge of Minerva No 300 is, as its name implies, one of the oldest Lodges in Southern Area. Consecrated in January 1794 it has certainly stood the test of time. Although the Lodge currently has fewer members than it must have had in the past, it continues to work the ritual as it has done for many years. Minerva has been very significant in the history of Freemasonry in the Ashton Area, and many Lodges in our area have to thank Lodge of Minerva for helping them. There is no doubt that those Lodges now need to give the same degree of assistance to Minerva.
So we met on December 7^th to celebrate the 223^rd Anniversary of the Lodge’s foundation, and to Install the Master Elect into the Chair of the Lodge. In all there were some 25 Masons present for this ceremony, including our Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro John Pearson PSGD. He was  accompanied by a District Delegation comprising WBro Peter Douthwaite, the District Chairman, and by four District Officers, David Dredge, Peter Cole, Tony Freemont and Kevin Hall as well as by WBro Steve Grummett from Audenshaw District who is Acting Provincial Grand Steward for the year, and was out on his first visit with the team.

Minerva 03” with the subtitle “The Members of Lodge of Minerva with WBro John Pearson APGM.

 
The Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Master of Lodge of Minerva, WBro Robert Brown. Then WBro Mark Reader, who was the Acting Provincial Director of Ceremonies for the evening, brought our APGM and the Delegation into the Lodge. WBro Brown made a valiant attempt to persuade our APGM to accept the gavel of the Lodge, but his attempt was ultimately futile. However, the Chair was then passed into the more than capable hands of WBro Peter Gichero, the Lodge DC, who then acted as Installing Master.
The Master Elect, Bro David Pritchard, is a Mossley Mason who has chosen to join Lodge of Minerva quite recently. He was Installed into the Chair of the Lodge by WBro Gichero in as fine a ceremony as I have had the privilege to see all year. No part of the work was missed and, by the end, WBro Pritchard can have had no doubt that he had been well and truly installed into the Chair of this fine Lodge.

At the Social Board, following the meeting, we enjoyed an excellent meal and, perhaps, the odd glass of wine. WBro Pearson addressed us and reminded us of the achievements of the past year, and spoke of his hopes for the coming year. He ended by wishing all of those present the Season’s Greetings. We sang the Master’s Song together, it seemed a wonderful idea, under the guidance of Mark Reader. The newly Installed Worshipful Master talked of some of his plans for the coming year. It is his intention to use Social Events as the basis for a new dynamism in the Lodge. I, for one, am very hopeful that this idea proves to be the right one, as I am sure that it is, for our Area needs Lodges like Minerva to continue and to succeed. Let’s hope that this is a turning point and that Lodge of Minerva, proves to be a resurgent force in Freemasonry in the Southern Area.