Mark Masonry in East Lancashire



Keystone The Mark Province of East Lancashire Celebrates its centenary this year having come into being on the 6th September 1910, but what is known as Mark Masonry has been practiced much longer.
The Mark Degree is a fascinating degree and is rightly known as the Friendly Degree; it was originally worked in Craft Lodges and consisted of two ceremonies. 
The first came after the Fellowcraft Degree where the candidate was ‘made’ a Mark Man, and the second after the Master Mason’s Degree when he was advanced to the Degree of Mark Master Mason. In 1856 English Mark Masons established their own Grand Mark Lodge and the two Mark ceremonies were combined into one.  Since then it has been conferred, not in Craft Lodges, but in Mark Lodges consecrated for that purpose.
The ritual explores the building of King Solomon’s Temple and, like all other Masonic Orders, the teaching of the Mark degree greatly adds to the knowledge and enjoyment of Masonry and links to other orders in Masonry,  Royal Ark Mariners, Royal & Select (Cryptic) & Allied.

Grand Mark Lodge
There are 41 Provinces in England and Wales, as well as 25 Districts throughout the world; with over 1,600 Lodges under the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales of which H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent is the Grand Master. A General Board governs the Order from Mark Masons’ Hall in St. James’ Street very near to St. James’ Palace, in London. Grand Lodge meets four times each year when Mark Masons the investiture meeting which is held at Great Queen Street due to the large numbers involved.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of East Lancashire
Grand Mark Lodge decided to create Provincial Grand Lodges to help assist Lodges with local administration and advice and The Province of Lancashire was formed in 1871 and then further split into East and West Divisions in 1910.
Today we have a membership of over 1700 attending 60 Mark Lodges and 35 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges under the East Lancashire Banner, with every Masonic Hall in the province having at least one Mark Lodge, meetings usually take place between 2 and 4 times a year, a full list of Lodges and locations is available here
The Province stretches from the Cumbria and Yorkshire borders in the North and East, along the route of the A6 Trunk road in the West to the Cheshire border in the South which is the same as the craft.
The Provincial Grand Master, his Deputy and 2 Assistants administer the Province, and maintain a close contact with the membership by visiting lodges for Installations, personal milestones and pastoral visits. They are also accompanied to these events by members of the Provincial Officers of the Year.
The highlight of the Provincial year is the Annual Meeting in June where provincial appointments and promotions are made. All these are awarded on merit and consideration is given to brethren three years after their installation into the Chair.
Who can join Mark Masonry?
A prospective candidate who is interested in becoming a Mark Mason must have been a Master Mason for at least four weeks to enable him to be proposed, seconded and balloted to join a Mark Lodge. Becoming a Mark Mason will enhance your enjoyment of Masonry and provide a new Masonic experience.
The ceremony of advancement involves the Master Mason first being ‘made’ a Mark Man, then a Mark Master Mason. He is given his own unique Mark, which may be used in the attendance book and then invested with a distinctive apron and breast jewel. The new Mark Master Mason can, if he wishes, progress through the various offices similar to those in a Craft Lodge but with the addition of three further offices of junior, Senior and Master Overseer, which will eventually lead to him being installed as Master of the Lodge.

Cost and Commitment
The cost of joining Mark Masonry varies depending upon which Lodge you choose to join. Dedication and effort are as essential for the image and welfare of Mark Masonry as they are for any other endeavour .The expectations for a newly advanced brother include regular attendance and a commitment to the attractive and straightforward ritual of the Order.