To mark the 80th anniversary of the consecration of the Lodge of St George No 5978 on 4th October 1944, the Lodge decided a new banner was in order and a Banner Dedication Ceremony was held on Monday 6th January 2025 in Northampton, attended by over 100 Brethren and guests, including the Provincial Grand Master RW Bro Mark Constant, the Assistant Provincial Grand Masters WBro Dale Gilbert and WBro Francis Margot, the Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master WBro David Burton, along with a number of Grand and Active Provincial Grand Officers.
After the lodge had been opened and the PGM welcomed, the lodge was called off and the ladies and gentlemen guests admitted. The Worshipful Master WBro Richard Williams welcomed the guests and the PGM took the WM chair and invited WBro Tom Webster ProvSGW and WBro Steve Storey ProvJGW to take over the Wardens chairs, so the Lodge Wardens could take part in the procession.
The PGM also welcomed the guests, explained a little about the ceremony to come and gave an interesting summary of the use of banners through history, from the time of Moses, in medieval heraldry, by Japanese Samurai, through to modern website banners. He pointed out the various Lodge banners around the Temple and explained their masonic function.
He explained that the original Lodge of St George banner was showing its age, and as it was made during the Second World War, during a time of rationing and scarcity of materials, that the makers had not been able to use the best materials, although they had managed to create a wonderful banner in difficult times.
The Dedication Ceremony of the new Lodge of St George banner was then conducted by the Provincial team in a wonderful manner, with the PGM as the dedicating officer and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies WBro Roger Blason conducting proceedings.
The Provincial Grand Chaplain WBro Aaron Day acted as the dedicating chaplain and gave an excellent address. He explained that St George was a popular name for English craft lodges with 60 having had that name, of which the Lodge was one of 47 still active with that name. He explained the biblical significance of banners. The banner shows St George on a white horse defeating the dragon, as per the legend. However, St George was an Christian martyr who was a Roman soldier and member of the Emperor's Praetorian guard who was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. He became one of the most venerated saints, especially for the military. He is the patron saint of many countries and areas, as well as England, including Georgia, which is named after him, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Malta, Catalonia and Aragon in Spain and Moscow. He is also the patron saint of a number of organisations, including the Scouts.
The Banner was carried by the Worshipful Master, who accepted the banner, on behalf of the Lodge, at the end of the ceremony. The guests then left, the Lodge was called back on to finish its formal business.
The festive board was an enjoyable occasion, with the raffle raising £305 (plus 20 euros!) to go to the Lodge benevolent fund. In the response to his toast the PGM thanked the ladies and gentlemen for attending and expressed a hope it had given a small incite into what we get up to, especially ceremonially and that if it was of interest to them then to get in contact with the Secretary WBro Ian O'Connor, who for the ladies, he could put them in contact with the Enterprise Lodge for ladies, which meets in the building, or if that was not for them then maybe they might be interested in joining the LAMS (Lady Associate Members) who meet for coffee and other occasions and raise funds for amongst other things furnishings, such as the curtains and mirrors in the building.
In his toast to the visitors WBro William Diggins explained that part of a legacy left by WBro Bernard Winkworth had been used to pay for the banner. Bernard was well known in the Province as for many years he produced an annual calendar, with beautiful calligraphy, which raised funds for the Provincial Charity.