Mersey Mark Lodge No 824

Consecrated 13 January 1926.

Membership is open to Craft Masons of good standing.

The Lodge meets on the fourth Wednesday in September, November, January & April at the Runcorn Masonic Hall.

Contact Details:
Lodge Secretary - Mike Richardson, poynton1@hotmail.com
Mark Provincial Secretariat - secretariat@cheshiremarkmasons.co.uk

Mark Provincial Web Site - Mark Masons of Cheshire

What will I get out of joining the Mark Degree?

* The Completion of your Fellowcraft Degree.
* Learn about the tangible link with our operative predecessors.
* An advancement in your Masonic Knowledge.
* See what charity in the Community is all about.
* Experience the real meaning of friendship.
* Plus much more
The Mark Degree is universally acknowledged to be "The Friendly Degree"

History of Mark Masonry

  Mark Masonry is the third largest degree in English Freemasonry. Its origins date back to the formation of Grand Mark Lodge in 1856, although Mark Masonry has been in existence from the second half of the eighteenth century. In those days the degree was worked in Craft Lodges, being placed between the Fellow Craft and Master Mason degrees or, within Roya1 Arch Chapters. Attempts to have it included officially as part of the Craft came to a head in 1856 and were almost successful, however, when the Minutes of a Grand Lodge meeting were put for confirmation, the Grand Registrar moved for non-confirmation of the part adopting the Mark Degree as part of the Craft. It was argued that in 1813 when the United Grand Lodge of England was formed, the Mark Degree was not in the definition of “pure ancient masonry”, however, under the Irish and Scottish Constitutions it was and is still regarded as a qualification for the Royal Arch. The brethren of Mark Lodges must have been prepared for such an outcome as within days an independent Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was formed.

  The headquarters of the Mark Degree in England is situated in St. James’s Street, London. His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent is the Grand Master. The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons comprises some 1240 Lodges within 41 Provinces in England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges overseas.

  Up to 1872, there had been no Provincial Grand Mark Lodge for the Province of Cheshire. The consecration of the Stamford Mark Lodge No.148 in March 1872, now meeting at Sale, brought the number of Mark Lodges in Cheshire at the time, to five the other four being Ashton District at Dukinfield, Benevolent No.69 (now Benevolent TI) at Stockport, Joppa 11 (now constituted T.I.) at Birkenhead, and Fidelity Mark No.31 also at Birkenhead. With the addition of North Wales, it was deemed desirable by several eminent Mark Master Masons, that a Provincial Grand Lodge should be established for the area of Cheshire and North Wales.

  In 1873 the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Cheshire and North Wales was Constituted and Consecrated under the direction of the first Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro. The Hon. Wilbraham Egerton (later Earl Egerton of Tatton). The combined Province separated in 1880 and The Province of Cheshire as we know it today, was born.

  The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Cheshire is the 8th largest outside London, having 43 Mark and 24 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges under its authority.

The Mark Charities

The Cheshire Provincial Mark Benevolent Fund

  The Cheshire Provincial Mark Benevolent Fund was conceived in 1989 and supports distressed members of the Province and, locally both Masonic and Non-Masonic Charities. In addition the Fund continues to support the Grand Mark Benevolent Fund by making annual donations either directly and/or via the Mark Province whose Festival it is in that year. The Cheshire Provincial Mark Benevolent Fund, which is a Registered Charity, is financed by donations from Lodges, Brethren and Social activities.

The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons
Benevolent Fund

  The Mark Degree is unique in the fact that it is the only Degree, outside the Craft, that has its own Benevolent Fund and is administered from London. It came into existence in 1868 at the suggestion of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, the Reverend Canon George Raymond Portal, who had very strong views on the effectiveness and benefits of swift assistance. His own motto was "Bis dat qui cito dat" - "He gives twice who gives promptly".
  The income is derived from Annual Festivals, Donations, Gifts and investment income. In recent years grants have been made available to Mark Master Masons, Widows, Wives, Sisters or Children in need and also to the wider community. Since the establishment of the Fund in 1868 some £21 million has been granted in total including £5.5 million in support of individual petitioners.