Onward lodge 5540

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ONWARD LODGE

Compiled by W.Bro Christopher John Band,   P.J.G.D.

After Hesketh Lodge (1863), Fleetwood (1914), and Thornton & Cleveleys (1918) Lodges, a further 17 years passed before the consecration of the next North Fylde lodge - Onward in 1935. Of the 15 founders, 12 came from the other lodges mentioned:    7 from Hesketh (the mother lodge), 1 from Fleetwood and 4 from Thornton & Cleveleys.

The first master of Onward Lodge, W Bro Magnus Bodvar Johannessen Wedum PAGDC, who was of Norwegian extraction and the chairman of Wards Trawler Company, was a past master of Hesketh Lodge and a founder and past master of Fleetwood and Thornton and Cleveleys Lodges. The Onward Lodge ritual has some East Lancashire influence, not unconnected with the fact that three of the founders were from that area. There are also similarities with the ritual used in Thornton and Cleveleys Lodge, no doubt due to the influence of Dr Arthur Penistan, Onward’s DC from 1935 to 1951.

The lodge first met at the Mount Hotel then joined Hesketh Lodge at the North Euston Hotel in 1948 before moving to the present Masonic Hall in 1955. At that time the lodges meeting there pooled much of their furniture and the celestial and terrestrial globes in the lodge room are those presented to Onward Lodge in 1936. Some of the Onward Lodge furniture was sold to Garstang Lodge after the move to the North Euston Hotel and the silver alms dish was presented by that lodge to Onward in appreciation. Lodges talk of their ‘traditions’, few of which are likely to have existed since their formation. A tradition in Onward Lodge has been the singing of “Abide With Me” at installations. This originally coincided with a much longer address to the brethren delivered by the lodge chaplain. This address was discontinued for some years after World War II and reinstated in 1977. Like Wayfarers Lodge, Onward was once a ‘singing lodge’ at its festive board but this practice ceased about 1979 mainly due to difficulty in obtaining the services of an organist at that time. Over the last 30 years a similar number of changes have been made to the conduct of ceremonies and the proceedings at the festive board.

Although five members of Onward Lodge became founders of Wyre Lodge in 1960, Onward’s only daughter lodge is Wayfarers, consecrated in 1958. The only Wayfarers founder originating from Onward Lodge was W Bro Fred Stear, at that time the DC. Two of the founders of Onward Lodge, W Bros Walter Kerr and Edward Gleeson, celebrated 50 years in masonry, an achievement shared by W Bros Ernest Whitehead, Harry Robson (the former North Fylde Group Chairman who went on to celebrate 60 years in the craft) and Bill Paterson. The Lodge has produced three Group Chairmen (W Bro Wedum being Chairman of the then Fylde group) and four grand officers, including Harry Robson and Arthur Penistan, the latter of whom was one of two Fylde Group Vice-Chairmen at the time of his death.

As in other lodges, membership of Onward Lodge has reduced over the last few years. That said, nearly all the newer members have youth on their side and a policy of promoting more social activity and fellowship has been successful without, it is hoped, losing sight of the basic masonic tenets and principles. Onward Lodge intends to continue to play a full and constructive role in freemasonry in the North Fylde in general and Fleetwood in particular for many years to come.
Compiled by W.Bro Christopher John Band,   P.J.G.D.