The Elliott Lodge of Mark Master Masons held their installation ceremony recently at the Queen Victoria Masonic Hall in Plymouth. The Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother David Charles Purdie, lead a strong Provincial team to the meeting. He was accompanied on this occasion by Right Worshipful Brother John P. Clendinning, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Worshipful Brother Brett Varker, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, and Right Worshipful Brothers Peter Hawken MBE and Peter Balsom, both Past Provincial Grand Masters. They were accompanied by Very Worshipful Brothers Bill Humphries, Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master, and Bill Daw, the Worshipful Master of the Grand Stewards Lodge.

Joining these illustrious brethren were Worshipful Brother David Eldridge, Grand Inner Guard, Worshipful Brother Robert Palmer, Grand Steward, Worshipful Brother Christopher Elliott, Provincial Grand Secretary, Worshipful Brother Garry Kitchen, Provincial Grand Senior Warden, together with all three Provincial Overseers in the persons of Worshipful Brothers Nigel Frude, David Richards and Dr Alan Howlett, Master, Senior and Junior respectively.

The lodge was opened in due form by the Worshipful Master, Worshipful Brother John Ashton, who then received the Provincial delegation. The Provincial party was led in by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, who having been promoted to the rank of Right Worshipful Brother the day before, was surprised to find himself being saluted in his own lodge as the head of the Provincial team. It was a great honour for him especially as it would be his last attendance in the lodge before retiring as the Deputy Provincial Grand Master a few weeks later. A subsequent report announced the arrival of the Provincial Grand Master and his Assistant.

Another surprise for the evening was the attendance of Worshipful Brother Nicholas A. Ball, the Provincial Grand Master for the Craft and Grand Superintendent for the Royal Arch in Devonshire, together with Worshipful Brother Paul Hughes, the Deputy Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch in Devonshire.

The main business of the meeting was to install Brother Alex Lee into the chair of Adoniram, which was undertaken in an excellent manner by the Worshipful Master and his team. Worshipful Brother Alex then went on to appoint and invest his officers for the year.

Following the meeting, the brethren retired to a packed refectory where more than 40 brethren enjoyed an excellent festive board, with the comradery and enjoyment that comes with a Mark meeting.