Portcullis Installation at The Hanging Chapel

Portcullis were very pleased to welcome the Provincial Senior Grand Warden (PSGW) Colin Martin and the Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Andrew ‘Mac” to their Installation night.  John Nicholas was installed as the new Master of Portcullis Lodge at Langport.  John is a vastly experienced Mason who has gone through the chair on 5 previous  occasions and was initiated back in 1979 into Arlington Lodge, now sadly erased, where he had been Master on three occasions and Old Radleian (his old School Lodge) twice. John was awarded London Grand Rank in 1995 and Senior London Grand Rank after that.  John joined Portcullis in 2019 and moved up through the ranks, and is now the Master of the Lodge.

Portcullis now has a progression of light blues right up to Mike Norton who is now the Junior Warden.  Three of those light blues explained the Working Tools in splendid fashion namely Dom Smyth Ribeiro (2nd degree tools) Mike Laird (1st Degree tools) & Grant Peckham (3rd Degree Tools).  The PSGW gave a splendid address to the Master, Dave Hutchins at very late notice the address to the Wardens and Lionel Pritchard the address to the Brethren all to a very high standard.

Most of the 50 or so  Brethren at the ceremony then retired to the ball room of the Langport Arms for a splendid festive board, where the usual atmosphere of light banter and good humour was very much on show.  Dave Rockey gave a splendid response to the visitors toast which was proposed by the Junior Warden.  The raffle raised £255 and the hour was well past midnight before the last of the Brethren made their way home.  

The Brethren are all very much looking forward to a splendid year with an initiation planned for the next meeting.

By Mike Norton, LCO