LBC Social Events

LBC Forthcoming Social Events

Light Blues Club Christmas meal at Amici, Forest Hall

A Christmas meal will be held at the Amici restaurant in Forest Hall on Sunday 11th December at 19:00hrs. All brethren and their partners are invited. Futher details will be released in due course.

Summer BBQ Saturday 13th August 2022

This event has, unfortunately, been cancelled due to a number of factors.

LBC Social Event Reports

Tynemouth & North Shields Walk July 2022

On Saturday 9th July 2022 nine members of the Light Blues Club, with some partners, met opposite the Spanish Battery at Tynemouth (just down the hill from the Priory) at 11:00.

The walk through Tynemouth and North Shields was led by local historian and published author on the area, Bro. David Scholey, of Tyne Lodge.

David has a vast depth of knowledge about the area and the walk featured frequent stops at prominent points of interest throughout the tour.

The tour lasted just under 3 hours, covering a distance of around 5 miles (thank you to Bro. Gareth Marijt, of Sion Lodge, for keeping an accurate log of the walk).

Following the walk, which was completed in beautiful sunshine, some of the team were in need of replacing fluids and promptly adjourned to Tynemouth high street to enjoy the festival being held on that day.

A wonderful, educational event. If you couldn’t make it, I would highly recommend trying to attend any future walking tours brethren – you will have a most excellent day !

Some images from the day are included below…

‘Fiddler’s Green’ – a memorial to North Shields Fishermen
At the memorial in Laurel Park, North Shields, to Arthur Stanley Jefferson
“Stan Laurel” (and, of course, Oliver Hardy !).

Roslin Trip 2022

On Saturday 11th June 2022, a number of our light blues travelled up to the village of Roslin in Scotland. The trip had been arranged by W.Bro. Richard Erskine, IPM of The Duke of Connaught Lodge and a member of the organising team of the Northumberland Light Blues Club. The trip was open to both Masons and their partners and there was a great turnout for the trip, with brethren from the Byker, Cramlington, Fern Avenue, North Shields and Wallsend Masonic buildings in attendance.

A luxury coach had been hired for the day driven by W.Bro. Wilf Crawford, WM of The St Anthony’s Lodge. The coach set off from the BykerMasonic Hall Car Park at 08:00, making a second stop for brethren joining the Coach at the A1’s Seaton Burn services.

The journey of about 2 and a half hours was lightened by some quizzes. The prize of a tin of chocolates was won by ‘The Backseat Boys’!

On arrival at Roslin village, the coach was parked for the day at the Rosslyn Chapel Car Park. The tour party then walked the short distance to the nearby Masonic Hall, home to Rosslyn St Clair Lodge, No 606 (GLOS), who were our hosts for the day.

A very special mural adorning the East of the Lodge Room

We were greeted by brethren of the Lodge who showed us around their building’s many fascinating pictures, murals and artifacts, before serving us a buffet lunch.

Arrival coffee and biscuits courtesy of Rosslyn St Clair Lodge, No 606, GLOS
A hand painted mural painted by the artist who also painted the lodge’s tracing boards.

In the Lodge’s presentation display were many items of interest. The folded American flag that can be seen, was presented to the Lodge by a visiting American brother who delivered a talk on 9/11. This brother was a first responder on that fateful day and the flag he presented to the lodge, was one of 6, actually flown at ground zero, before being carefully folded for presentation during a series of talks he deliverd in Scotland.

A presentation case containing a number of fascinating artefacts and items of special interest.

Also in the display was a Masonic jewel, originally presented to King George VI.

King George VI’s jewel can be seen 3rd from bottom right.

Following the meal, two of the Lodge’s brethren presented a slide show on the history of the chapel and it’s “possible” Masonic links.

W.Bro. ‘Chick’ Beattie presenting to our group
Rosslyn St Clair presenters, ‘chick’ and Steve

A group booking had been arranged at Rosslyn Chapel for 2pm, giving the group the chance to view the fantastic chapel’s exterior and interior. Unfortunately, photographs of the interior were not allowed, but if you haven’t visited the chapel before it has a truly inspiring interior, with many interesting images embedded in the sculpture throughout.

The northside exterior of Rosslyn chapel

We returned to the Masonic Hall, following our tour around the chapel where a second meal had been laid on and we were treated to a short ‘Harmony’ set by one of the Rosslyn St Clair brethren.

After a few ‘refreshments’ and a vote of thanks to the brethren of Rosslyn St Clair Lodge, for their wonderful hospitality, we boarded the coach back to England.

A fantastic day out. If you couldn’t make it, you truly missed out on a memorable day. That said, I feel sure the trip will be repeated at some point in the future, so make sure you get your place reserved early !

Special thanks from the Light Blues Club of Northumberland to W.Bro. Richard Erskine for organising the trip, W.Bro. Wilf Crawford for driving the coach and the brethren of Rosslyn St Clair Lodge, No 606, for their friendship and hospitality, which made it a fantastic trip for all involved.

Christmas Event 2019

A Christmas event was held at Amici’s restaurant in Forest Hall on December 8th 2019. A large turnout supported the event with over £500 being raised for Charity on the evening.

Some of the Light Blues Club supporting the Christmas Event, 2019.

3rd Annual BBQ 10th August 2019

The 3rd annual BBQ, was held at the Dorset Hotel in Wallsend on Saturday the 10th of August 2019. The rain held off until late in the afternoon enabling the 40 or so attendees to enjoy some sunshine outside. Grateful thanks to W.Bro. Clark, the WM of St Luke’s Lodge, who made a superb job of cooking the BBQ food. The raffle raised £158 for Charity, making the day a resounding success. Some photographs from the day are shown below;

LBC Visit to Provincial Grand Lodge Offices – 2nd August 2019

On Friday 2nd August 2019, a group of 14 brethren visited the Provincial Grand Lodge Offices in Gosforth. The visit included a tour of the building, which includes a masonic library on the ground floor and many items of masonic interest on the ground, first and second floors. After the initial tour, the group was invited to a buffet lunch where there was an opportunity for a Q&A session with the Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Grand Secretary. Some photographs from the day are included below:

The Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Grand Secretary together with visiting Light Blues and members of the Light Blues Club Team.
The ground floor library hosts a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction masonic interest books as well as other interesting articles…
The LBC Treasurer looking through a selection of some of the books available to loan
Some very old and interesting books are stored on the shelves of the Provincial Library. These books are available for loan to all brethren.
The LBC Secretary holding an exhibit – a bomb found in the roof just above the WM’s chair, following a WW2 air raid.
A remarkable piece of masonic furniture – The Old Wooler Chair
Within the library room – a wall mounted 1st Degree TB, which, uncommonly, includes letters rather than images on Jacob’s Ladder.
A wall mounted 3rd Degree TB can be found in the library room.
The library room hosts a presentation of assorted masonic jewels.
Some of the exhibits are very old, as typified by this original Lodge Banner, on display in the library room.
The masonic library also stores a folder for each active lodge in the province. Here the LBC secretary reviews the historic information held on his lodge, ahead of their upcoming centenary year. Note that these folders are accessible for research purposes and cannot be removed from the library.
At the foot of the stairs from the ground floor, 5 presentation cases of masonic jewels, each case categorized.
Past Master and Founding Member jewel presentation cases.
The LBC Secretary discovered a Founding Member jewel for his own lodge within the display. Perhaps there is a founding member jewel for your lodge in the display somewhere ?
Tankards and sporting trophies from masonic events can be viewed in the meeting room on the first floor.
The first floor meeting room hosts this eye catching masonic grandfather clock which was discovered in three pieces and saved from being discarded by a brother who restored the clock to its former glory.
This photograph shows the fantastic detail on the clock facia.
One of the second floor rooms contains retired banners for lodges which have, sadly, surrendered their warrants.

Annual Summer Ball Fundraiser – 8th June 2019

The Northumberland Light Blues Club hosted a great night of entertainment at their Summer Ball fundraiser, held at Whitley Bay Masonic Hall on Saturday the 8th June 2019. The evening raised over £600 for Charity – a fantastic outcome from the evening. Many thanks to all that attended and supported the event.

Annual Charity Draw night 2018

The Northumberland Light Blues Club hosted an EXCELLENT evening at the Amici Restaurant in Forest Hall in December 2018. There were 84 diners in attendance and cheques, totalling £3000 were presented to 2 charities: ‘Daft as a brush’ and ‘TLC’.