Lovells Bury Lodge Grills the PGM

Eighteen members, two for the first time on a video call, were delighted to welcome the Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Anthony Paul Henderson, to the regular Lovells Bury on-line get-together last night.

The PGM was on excellent form, and he needed to be, as the questions flooded in for almost 90 minutes.  They were wide ranging and covered many topics.  Here is  a selection:

Chris asked what kept the PGM motivated after 38 years of membership and which aspect of freemasonry attracted him the most.  Paul asked about what it had been like to make the Sky documentary and if he thought it had brought about a change for the better.  Mike asked about his dual role as PGM and MEGS and if he thought it was an advantage to have the roles and, possibly in the future, the Orders joined completely. John asked about his recent birthday celebrations whilst Ron was interested in who had been his early mentor and role model in masonry and how he came to join as a young man in the first place. Phil was keen to learn what training he would have liked for his various roles, from a new mason to a very high ranking one, but Geoff was really keen to learn of his favourite Festive Board main course (luckily one Geoff prepared himself!).  Not really a question, but possibly the most telling moment of the evening, was delivered by Graham (one of our EAs) who simply wanted to thank the PGM for personally welcoming him so warmly at our recent Centenary Meeting.  Kyle wanted anecdotes from the time he was an acting Senior Grand Deacon, but Peter was keen to learn about life before masonry and his hobbies.  Ivan asked about a lodge in a neighbouring Province that started late and had a simple buffet afterwards, whilst Andy asked about what freemasonry is looking like now and what it might be like after the Pandemic.  Iain said he was presently just in Craft and only had time for one other Order and wanted advice, he followed this up by posing that if the PGM had to give up all his masonry bar one Order, what would that Order be.  Andrew, our compere, wanted to know what the new Deputy PGM was like and about his eating habits at Executive meetings – I have to intervene here regarding these scurrilous rumours.  There are no pictures in the public domain to back any answer up.

Brethren, you may very well want to know the answers to these and other questions.  Well, you can!  Simply ask your Secretary to arrange a similar interview with the Provincial Grand Master. You will not regret it.