In this new age, technology becomes part of our Lodge Meeting for the first time, with a TV and video player, so that members are able to view a video entitled ‘Masonic Charity in Action’. In addition, a talk was given by W Bro N C Joughin, AGDC, on the ‘New Masonic Samaritan Fund’.

The May, meeting again on Monday, due to the clash with Provincial Grand Lodge, saw the Worshipful Master, W Bro D V Toon initiate his son in law, Mr Martin Ian Bridge.

After 53 years, the original Lodge Banner had perhaps seen better days and £1200 was allocated at the October meeting to purchase a replacement. This was received in December by the DPGM, V W Bro J J Bedson, after the Lodge business had been concluded. A unique occasion, at which members ladies were cordially invited. The banner on this occasion, was not painted, but a combination of embroidery, appliqué and fabric paint to complete the detail. The banner was made by a Mrs Mandy Rose who took around 150 hours to complete this task.

W Bro Barry Leggett and his wife Jo, had for a number of years, organised the annual Ladies Night function and suggested that £500.00 surplus from these past functions be donated towards the banner cost. Obviously the new banner keeps the same design as that on the original. In its centre is the ‘badge’, as printed on the Lodge Summons. Also incorporated is the coat of arms of the County Borough of Burton upon Trent granted in 1928, which has its motto, ‘Honour Alit Artes’, which I believe means ‘Honour Nourishes the Arts’. The new pole and finials made from lacewood were turned by W Bro Alan Evans.

Freemasonry believes in offering relief in all forms of charity and in December £200.00 was given to St Modwens Church towards the cost of replacing alter books and lectern bible, which had been destroyed in a fire.

The January 2001 meeting again saw W Bro A I Evans to the fore, acting as WM he raised his son, Bro Ian A Evans to a Master Mason.

A near similar event occurring in February, with the WM raising his son in law, 
Bro Martin I Bridge to a Master Mason.

Following notification from PGL, W Bro E A Ford reported that he was to be honoured by appointment to Provincial Senior Grand Warden, the first such appointment given to a member of Andresey Lodge. He felt that this appointment may prevent his regular attendance at Lodge Meetings and it was therefore right to relinquish his D of C duties after 8 years. W Bro A S Johnson would therefore take over these duties after the forthcoming installation in March 2001

Unfortunately, normal Lodge ceremonies were in short supply this year and various papers were received in April from W Bro R G Taylor entitled ‘Freemasonry in the USA’, in May from W Bro P E M Parsons, entitled ‘Aprons in Uniform’, in October from W Bro H Marks, entitled‘ ….. and Illustrating Symbols’, in November from W Bro R G Taylor entitled ‘The Shriners in the USA’.

As part of the history of events affecting the Lodge, it must be recorded here that the terrorist attacks in New York on 11th September 2001, will have a lasting effect on all our lives.

On 23rd October 2001, Lodge Members made a ceremonious visit to St Modwens Lodge, the first for several years.

In December, all Lodges meeting at Ashfield House made a collective donation to purchase a defibrillator which would be kept at the Octagon Shopping Centre in Burton upon Trent. Also at this meeting the first section of the first lecture was worked by five members of the Lodge. Following the meeting, the ladies were again invited to join members at the Festive Board – a tradition repeated hereafter following the initial success in 2000.

The last meeting of W Bro. R W Davies –Lee’s year ended with eleven brethren combining to give an explanation of the extended versions of the First Degree Tracing Board. Thus ending a year without a traditional ceremony.

March 2002 saw a proposal made to make W Bro Rev Preb Edwin C Hayward,
PDGChap, an Honourary Member, unfortunately, Edwin dies within a few days of the proposal being made. The death of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was also reported and honoured.

Mr Simon Pollard was initiated, the first candidate since May 2000 In April a second candidate was proposed.

In October, an increase in the Lodge subscription was proposed and approved at £110.00 The Charity Steward reported that the final total donated to the 2002 Festival was £41,405.00, the second highest total from Lodges within the Province, for which he had been presented with a plaque from the PGM at the Festival Dinner. The total collected throughout the Province being £2,529,479.00

November 12th 2002 saw another of those special ceremonies. A father, W Bro Alan I Evans initiates his son in law, Mr Mark J Broughton. It was also announced at this meeting that the PGM, R W Bro Kevin Chawner would be retiring in May 2003. Following this announcement, notification received in January 2003 indicated that the APGM, W Bro Thomas D C Lloyd would be appointed to PGM in May and to also attend our Installation in March 2003. In the event W Bro T D C Lloyd did not attend the Installation and W Bro E Alan Wright acted as the official representative of the PGM.

The Worshipful Master, W Bro D P Ayling’s year, drew to a close prior to him installing his successor with an Initiation ceremony, thus completing three Initiations, a Passing, a Raising and a joining member. My, how the Lodge workload changes from one year to the next.

Throughout the year, ‘Freemasonry in the Community’ was foremost in every Mason’s mind. This was an initiative to inform the public at large what masonry was about, and its place in the community. In Burton upon Trent this culminated in individual letters of invitation being sent to heads of industry, local authority personnel and even advertisements in the local press, for everyone to attend an exhibition and tour of Ashfield House. This approach was well received by the local press and several complimentary editorials appeared in the news media. On a similar vein, a Cathedral service was held at Lichfield Cathedral where Freemasons paraded in full regalia, to and in the Cathedral. Also in May 2003, a further gentlemans evening was undertaken within the Lodge (non members invited to visit the Lodge and receive a presentation about Freemasonry).

At the October meeting, the death of W Bro K L George was reported.

The March 2004 meeting saw W Bro Barry Cripwell install his son
Bro Richard Cripwell into the WM Chair by kind permission of the WM. At this meeting the APGM, W Bro S Haydn Palmer announced that W Bro E A Ford was later that month to receive Grand Rank. The fourth initiated member of Andresey Lodge to do so, the others being W Bro E A Wright, W Bro A P Richardson, and W Bro A Alpin. Unfortunately, just 5 months later, W Bro S Haydn Palmer was to die from cancer.

Notification was received in May that the PGM had been appointed one of Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenants for the West Midlands.

October and November can only be described as failed attempts to carry out the ceremony of Passing as the candidates failed to appear, and again in April 2005. He would later be excluded under Rule 168A for non payment of his subscription. Notification from PGL indicated that W Bro D Gary Read PrGDC had been appointed to APGM. This month also saw the Lodge take a momentous decision to issue Lodge Summons by electronic mail. Following our request, PGL also agreed to accept their summonses by email.

March 2005 saw the newly appointed APGM visit the Lodge.

Our meeting in May was overshadowed by the sad new of the death of
W Bro Quinton Faircliff after a short illness. The PGL this month saw 
W Bro John E Griffiths appointed as DPGM and W Bro J Keith Thomas joining
W Bro D Gary Read as APGM’s. At this same meeting, W Bro D V Toon received Provincial Honours in the active role of Prov Assistant Grand Secretary and unusually just one year later another active rank as Prov Grand Registrar. Unfortunately, the death of the Past DPGM, VW Bro John T Bedson was also reported.

The cost of the standard three course meal was now increased to £11

As a variation from the normal ceremony, November saw the Lodge deliver a prepared paper on the presentation of the Tracing Boards and a demonstration of the signs. All of the Lodges had contributed to the purchase and requisite training in the use of a defibrillator to the kept at Ashfield House.

The election of WM for 2006 was not the usual SW progression due to the illness of the SW. W Bro A R Johnson agreed to step into the breach and had further cause to celebrate as his mother attains her 100th birthday. His Installation in March was attended by the DPGM, W Bro John E Griffiths.