The Mark Benevolent Fund came into existence in 1868 on the suggestion of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, the Reverend George Raymond Portal, who in 1881 became Canon Portal. Since the establishment of the fund in 1868 the following grants have been distributed;-
Grants to individual Petitioners         £5,479,218
Major Grants to Worthy Causes        £13,308,665
Grants to Worthy Causes                £2,144,163
Total                                            £20,932,046

The latest grant of £25,000 was made to Peterborough Cathedral on Monday 16th May. The Dean, The Very Reverend Charles Taylor is seen receiving the cheque from RWBro Peter Rollin, President of the General Board and President of the Mark Grand Benevolent Fund. In attendance were the Provincial Grand Master, RWBro George Bonham, and Deputy Provincial Grand Master VWBro Richard Turpin.
The amount was gratefully received and will go towards phase 1 of the new sound system for the Cathedral. The total for phase 1 amounted to £125000.

RWBRO GEORGE BONHAM - PGM, PRESENTED WITH NEW APRON

It has been noticed recently that our Provincial Grand Master has become a little frayed at the edges - or at least his regalia has - and so whilst attending a Provincial team visit to Beneventa Mark lodge in January, the DPGM, VWBro Richard Turpin presented our PGM with a fine new apron.

In making the presentation, VWBro Richard said that he hopes that it will save him a lot of work carrying out last minute running repairs on the way to visits, tidying up loose threads, to ensure that our Provincial Grand Master is always impeccably turned out as expected. Assisting the DPGM with the presentation was WBro Claude Smith AGStdBr PrGTyler

PROVINCIAL TEAM VISIT BENEVENTA MARK LODGE TO DEDICATE BANNER

In January, the PGM, along with a team of his Provincial Officers, visited Beneventa Mark lodge in Daventry to dedicate their new banner. That the banner had been produced, was due to the generosity of WBro Ken Rapkin and the design skills of WBro John Percival. The dedication ceremony and ALL of the Provincial team were kept tightly on track by the watchful eye of the Provincial Director of Ceremonies, WBro John Clarke, and brethren present were given an illuminating, and ocasionally, humerous oration on the history of the use of banners by the Provincial Chaplain, WBro the Revd Tony Avery.

In thanking the PGM and his team for their time in carrying out the ceremony, Beneventa lodge's WM, WBro Norman Pope, congratulated them on the quality of their ritual which they had occasion to perform only infrequently.

WBro Ken Rapkin presents the new banner to the WM of Beneventa lodge, after the PGM had dedicated it.

MBF DONATION FUNDS STATE OF THE ART LINAC FOR ST BARTHOLOMEWS HOSPITAL

The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons donated £1,282,242.00 to fund a state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator (Linac) for the Radiotherapy department at the new St Bartholomew’s hospital.

Full details of the project are reported here

AGM OF MARK BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION

The Annual General Meeting of the Association (MBF) was held on Saturday 4th June at Corby Masonic Centre.

WBro Chris R Beck, PrGChStwd, arranged a speaker, Marcus Cox, Fundraising Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, who at present has specific duties for the Haematology Unit at Northampton General Hospital, to give a presentation on this subject after the official part of the Meeting had ended.
His talk covered the existing facilities available at NGH, what they hope to achieve and what facilities will be available when the new Unit is finished.

50 YEARS MEMBERSHIP OF THE MARK DEGREE

It was recently discovered that WBro Ernest Hartley PPrGInspWks had achieved 50 years membership of Fitzwilliam Lodge of Mark Master Masons on the 28th January 2010, and that he was not yet in possession of a certificate to ‘mark’ that occasion. Mark Grand Lodge was pleased to issue such a certificate and in October the Provincial Grand Master RWBro George Bonham and RWBro Roy Bradley PPrGM were able to visit Bro Ernest, who is now 98, at his home in Peterborough - where he lives with his daughter Isobel - to present it. Bro Ernest was initiated into the Craft in St Guthlac Lodge in Market Deeping in 1955, has been married for 74 years, although his wife is now sadly in a nursing home, and professionally was a well-respected Chiropodist. He went through the chair of Fitzwilliam Mark Lodge in 1968 and achieved the rank of Past Provincial Grand Inspector of Works in our Mark Province. He was able to attend Lodge occasionally until the age of 95 thanks to the good offices of WBro John Whiting who would transport him. He had been Lodge Organist for many years and he was also Organist at St Guthlac’s Parish Church in Market Deeping. As a fitting thank you for all that Bro Ernest had done the Lodge gave him Honorary Membership in 2008.
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Another stalwart of the Mark Degree WBro Stanley Simms PGJD (and RAMGR in the Royal Ark Mariner degree) achieved 50 years membership of Socrates Lodge of MMM back in 2009 and also 50 years membership of Socrates RAM Lodge on the 14th March 2011. It had been planned to present these at a Provincial Team Visits to both Lodges on 4th October but unfortunately Bro Stan’s health prevented this so RWBro George Bonham PGM and VWBro Richard Turpin PGJO PDPrGM were able to visit him in a local respite care home on the following Monday to make the presentation of both Certificates. Bro Stan was Worshipful Master of the Mark Lodge in in 1968 ant Worshipful Commander of the Royal Ark Mariner Lode in 1967 and again 35 years later in 2002 – he also has had Honorary Membership of both Lodges conferred on him.

GEB

ANNUAL MEETING OF PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS - SAT 23rd JUNE 2012

The PGM will summon the Brethren of the Province to assemble at Corby Masonic Centre on Saturday 23rd June 2012, for the annual meeting of Mark Provincial Grand Lodge, when he will invest the following Brethren which he has been pleased to appoint and promote in Provincial Grand Rank

List of Brethren who will receive Mark Provincial Grand Appointments & Promotions on June 23rd 2012

List of Brethren who received Mark Provincial Appointments & Promotions on June 25th 2011

List of Brethren who received Mark Provincial Appointments & Promotions on June 26th 2010

PROVINCIAL GRAND ASSEMBLY OF ROYAL ARK MARINERS - SATURDAY 1st DECEMBER 2012

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons will hold it's Provincial Grand Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners on Saturday 1st December 2012 at the Masonic Hall, Corby, when the Provincial Grand Master will be pleased to invest those Brethren who he has appointed to Provincial RAM Grand Rank.

List of Brethren who received Provincial RAM Grand Rank on 1st December 2012

List of Brethren who received Provincial RAM Grand Rank on 3rd December 2011

List of Brethren who received Provincial RAM Grand Rank on 4th December 2010

MARK GRAND RANK APPOINTMENTS N & H - 7th JUNE 2011

List of Brethren of this Province who were invested with first appointments or promotions by the Pro Grand Master at the meeting of Grand Lodge held on 7th June 2011. (.pdf)

List of Brethren of this Province who were invested with first appointments or promotions at meeting Grand Lodge on 8th June 2010.

List of Brethren of this Province who were invested with first appointments or promotions at meeting Grand Lodge on 9th June 2009.

ROYAL ARK MARINER GRAND RANK APPOINTMENTS N&H - 13th DECEMBER 2011

At the Annual Meeting of the Ancient & Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners held on 13th December 2011, the following Brethren were invested with RAM Grand Rank by the Pro Grand Master MWBro Benjamin Addy.

RAM Grand Rank Appointments 13th December 2011 (.pdf)

RAM Grand Rank Appointments 14th December 2010. (.pdf)

“A HECTIC SIX DAYS IN THE LIFE OF A PGM”

Most of us are well aware, and appreciate just how hard the Executive of our Mark Province, as well as those of the other Orders and Degrees, work, by carrying out the many ceremonial and administrative duties required, when visiting our meetings and for ensuring that our Province will thrive in the future - but I believe we sometimes overlook the fact that when our lodges close for the summer recess and our thoughts have turned to annual vacations, our Executive’s busy schedule's continue.
Amongst the multitude of committee meetings and electronic communications buzzing between "home hubs", probably the most important of their duties at this “quiet” time, are the many visits undertaken by the various members of these Executives, to all parts of the Country, to represent and promote our Province, both at our "other Orders" and neighbouring Provinces’ annual Mark Provincial Grand Lodge meetings.
I personally, only began to appreciate the extent of this labour, when chatting to our PGM during a quiet moment recently and insisted that he should give me a copy of his itinerary, so I could ensure that it reached a wider audience.
Whilst RWBro George’s schedule does, admittedly, include a little “restful” campanology - and, of course, a few breakfasts, lunches and dinners, the quantity of Mark PGL meetings involved in those few short days, would probably prove to be an overdose for even the keenest of us mere mortals.

Friday 28th May pm - Travel to and stay on M4 at Bridgend
Saturday 29th May am - Travel on to Camarthen for Dyfed Mark PGL
Saturday 29th May pm - Travel to Derby for Central Council of Church Bell Ringers 3 day Annual Meeting
Tuesday 1st June am - Leave Derby and travel to Chepstow for Lunch and hotel for the next 2 nights
Tuesday 1st June pm - Travel by minibus with other PGMs to Newport for Monmouthshire Mark PGL
Wednesday 2nd June pm - Travel by minibus with other PGMs to Cardiff for South Wales Mark PGL.
Thursday 3rd June Travel home via Stroud for Installation of new PGM and Wiltshire Mark PGL

This has not been disseminated in an attempt to intimate that the members of our various Executives are some sort of Demi Gods, anyone who knows our Mark PGM will realise that this is only partially true, however the exalted positions they enjoy, do demand considerable commitments and I think we should all be aware of the credit that they merit for completing their duties so proficiently.
WBro Mike Sheppard

NEW N&H PROVINCIAL TIES NOW AVAILABLE FOR BOTH MARK & RAM DEGREES

A pair of Northants & Hunts Provincial ties have been designed and are now available for purchase at £10 each. Both the Mark & RAM ties feature a new colourful Northants & Hunts Provincial Mark or Royal Ark Mariner Logo respectively. They will be available at your next lodge meeting from your Mark or RAM lodge regalia representative. For details of who your representative is or to order ties directly, call Barry Weigleb on 01933 224836.

Initially, profits from the sale of ties will be used to help offset the 2010 Festival expenses, and from July 2010 onwards they will be donated to the Mark Benevolent Fund.

LIST OF OFFICIAL VISTS TO MARK & RAM LODGES DURING 2011/12

List of Official visits 2011/12

List of Official visits 2010/11

TOAST LISTS (Updated July 2010)

Copies of the latest versions of the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner toast lists can be downloaded by clicking below.

Mark toast list

Royal Ark Mariner toast list

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ARCHIVED NEWS ITEMS

MARK GRAND LODGE DONATES £49,000 TO HAITIAN DISASTER

On 27 January, 15 days after the earthquake, rescuers hauled a girl alive from the ruins of Haiti's capital. Severely dehydrated and so weak she could barely talk, 17-year-old Darlene Etienne managed a whispered 'thank you' to her rescuers...

Following the emergency grants of £30,000 from the Freemasons Grand Charity, the Mark Grand Lodge has sent a donation of £49,000 from the Masonic Benevolent Fund to fund the purchase of 100 "Shelterboxes".

Full details downloadable here (.pdf)

MARK £1.6M DONATION HELPS PROVIDE "MARK MASTER" - A NEW TAMAR CLASS LIFEBOAT FOR RNLI

Crew of the RNLI station at Angle in Pembrokeshire collected their new £2.7M TAMAR class lifeboat in March 2009, courtesy of donations from RNLI supporters -including a £1.6M donation from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons' "Mark Benevolent fund". This is only the second lifeboat of its class in Wales but is the 14th to be partially funded by a Masonic body since the first "The Freemason" in 1871. The lifeboat was named "Mark Master" by HRH Prince Michael of Kent in a naming ceremony in June 2009

Link to RNLI Station at ANGLE in Pembrokeshire site's report

Download .pdf report on RNLI new lifeboat (PAGE1)

NEW MARK PROVINCIAL BANNER DEDICATED AT PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE

25 years ago, when Bedfordshire split from our Province to form its own new Mark Province, our existing Provincial banner was modified to reflect this change. Now a new banner has been produced, whose design more clearly defines the features of our Province.

The PGM was pleased to dedicate and unfurl this new banner at a dedication ceremony held at the meeting of Mark Provincial Grand Lodge. When delivering the oration, the Provincial Chaplain, WBro Rev Tony Avery, part of the banner dedication team, gave an informative and at times humerous talk on the history and use of banners. This new banner will take pride of place at this years Festival celebrations and it is hoped many of our brethren will get a chance to view it at one of next seasons planned Provincial Team visits.

A photograph of the new banner.

If you dont have Adobe PDF Reader to view the above files you can download it for free by clicking here

MARK & ROYAL ARK MARINER HEADLINES

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DONATION TO PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL