Ferryhill

On Friday 7^th July the Assistant ProvGM W Bro Clinton Leeks entertained 50 Ferryhill Installed Masters at their annual dinner with stories of his experience in Hong Kong and his time working for Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, KG, CH, PC is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, and the British Government.

The evening took place to raise funds for local Charities, the chosen charity this year is “Evergreen Primary School” which is a special needs school based in Bishop Auckland, who cater for pupils aged between 2 – 11 yrs. old with severe, profound, moderate, complex learning difficulties and ASC. They are trying to raise funds to redevelop the Soft-play room.

Leanne Daniels teacher at Evergreen Primary School and also works at Ferryhill Masonic Hall assisting the caterer at Lodge nights had asked all the Ferryhill Lodges to support the fundraising and all the Lodges – Craft, Royal Arch & Mark donated between £50 – £100 each, the Ferryhill Installed Masters Dinner also gave £650 with raffles and donations, so a total of £1,050 was given to the school for their appeal.

Representatives of the committee, along with Clinton went along to Evergreen Primary School on Tuesday 11th of July school to formally hand over the donations.

Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, KG, CH, PC is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life peer in 2005 and has been Chancellor of the University of Oxford since 2003.

Durham Freemasons Stronger Together

Monday September 5th saw 53 Durham Installed Masters attend the Ferryhill Installed Masters Dinner, where John Dodds handed over a donation of £800 to Janet McDonagh representing ‘Ferryhill Churches Together Food

The Town of Ferryhill has long been Synonymous with Freemasonry since the first Lodge, The Rowlandson Lodge was consecrated in Ferryhill on the 28 th of August 1909 some 113 years ago in the newly built Dean Bank School. This lodge then met for the next 18 years in the Town Hall until the current Masonic Hall was bought and dedicated on the 31 st August 1927.

Various other Craft Lodges were then formed within the building, Rodger de Ferry Lodge in 1943, Manor Lodge in 1963, Aycliffe Lodge in 1978 and Hammurabi Lodge which came to Ferryhill from Durham in 2017, there are also 5 other Side degree Lodges that meet in the Hall the oldest dating back to 19 th June 1929.

Over these many years the members of all these Lodges have always supported and assisted wherever possible many various Charities, most of which have been the more predominantly well know ones. However, many local ones along with various single donations to individual causes have always been given by the Freemasons of Ferryhill as well.

The Hall is also used for various other Charitable functions as well as Weddings, Christenings, Funerals, and many other celebratory occasions, i.e., Anniversaries and Birthdays.

In 2000 it was decided by several members from the various Lodges which meet in the building to organise an Installed Masters Dinner which would be held once a year with a guest speaker in attendance. A donation of the evening’s proceeds would then be made to the speakers nominated charity. This was a successful event for several years the last one being held in the Hall on 1 st September 2013 over these years a total of £3,823.00 has been given to these various charities

After the recent Pandemic we have all experienced in 2020/2021, three of the organisers of the original event, John Dodds, George Bull, and John Nye along with other members from the other Lodges agreed that we should once again hold the Dinner.

The main aim of this evening would be to raise as funds for a nominated Charity in Ferryhill to assist those in the local community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

Together we are Stronger