Carl Whitehead Lodge / Provincial Assembly

The Carl Whitehead Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No 110
and the
Provincial Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners

The Carl Whitehead Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No. 110 was consecrated on 29 June 1996.  The Lodge is named in memory of R.W.Bro. Carl Whitehead who served as the Provincial Grand Master of Mark Masonry in the Province of West Yorkshire from 1959 to 1989.  His 30 years’ tenure is unequalled in the Order.

The Carl Whitehead Lodge was formed with the express purpose of hosting the Provincial Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners for the Province of West Yorkshire.  At this annual meeting in October the Provincial Grand Master does ‘accept the sceptre’ and he and his Provincial Officers of the year open a Provincial Assembly with the purpose of investing those brethren who are being recognised with appointments to Provincial Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank.

The Carl Whitehead Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners meets twice a year; on the second Saturday in May (Installation) and the First Saturday in October (Provincial Assembly).  The Installation meeting has, traditionally, moved around the province and is held at a masonic venue at the discretion of the Commander Elect.  The October meeting is held at Tapton Hall, Sheffield.

Provincial Assembly

In October the Lodge hosts the Provincial Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners; this meeting is open to ALL Royal Ark Mariners, and our Provincial Grand Master invites and encourages all Royal Ark Mariners, particularly Brethren below the chair, to attend.

Our ladies are also invited to join us at this meeting.  Whilst the Brethren attend to the business of the Provincial Assembly, entertainment is arranged for our ladies.  Past events have included comediennes, magicians and talks on a wide range of subjects. They have always been very well received.

The ladies’ entertainment and the Provincial Assembly finish about the same time and we then re-join the ladies for lunch at around 1:00 p.m.  This is always a popular and very well supported event with attendance in the 180+.

 

The Carl Whitehead Decanter

In 1984, the Brethren of the Province of West Yorkshire presented R.W.Bro. Carl Whitehead with a port decanter to commemorate his then 25 years’ service as the Provincial Grand Master.  At the Lodge’s consecration meeting in 1996, R.W.Bro. Carl’s son, W.Bro. John Whitehad presented the decanter to the Lodge in memory of his Father. Tradition was quickly established that this decanter be held in trust the current Commander of the Lodge, and that it accompany him around the Province on any visits he makes during his year in office.  The key stipulation being that the decanter not be just for show – but that it be fully fueled and passed around the table at the festive board.