The Year of the Rabbit
A Celebration for Oriental Lodge

Oriental Lodge No. 9371 celebrated the Chinese New Year in style. About 170 visiting brethren from all over England, Wales and Scotland together with about 30 members of the Lodge assembled in the Corbridge Road Masonic Hall, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne on Monday 21st February 2011 at 6.30 p.m. to witness a second degree ceremony. The reason is this was their popular annual Chinese New Year meeting. There were groups of brethren from the Provinces of South Wales, Cumberland and Westmorland, Lincolnshire, Ayrshire, Argyll and the Isles, Durham and of course, Northumberland along with a number of distinguished guests, some of whom travelled hundreds of miles to be there.

Amongst the distinguished and individual guests were the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, V W Bro. John James Craigs, the Assistant Grand Master, W Bro. Vic Wood, the Past Provincial Grand Master of Argyll, R W Bro. Frank Mapes, the Past Depute Grand Master of Argyll, V W Bro. Lindsey Hunter, the Past Assistant Grand Master of Durham, W Bro. Conrad Barnet, the Honorable Grand Steward of Ireland, V W Bro. Ivan Scott, W Bro. Roy Dewer of Shamrock Irish Lodge from the District of Hong Kong and the Far East and W Bro. Harry Aitken, the Worshipful Master of Zetland & Hong Kong Lodge in London.

As usual the Festive Board was held at the Palace Garden Restaurant in Stowell Street, Newcastle Chinatown where about 190 brethren dined. The Chinese New Year Banquet consisted of a 10 course meal during which the Chinese Lion danced and entertained everyone. W Bro. Andrew Chen also handed out the traditional ‘red’ packets which suppose to bring luck and prosperity during this Year of the Rabbit. To conclude the evening, the Piper from the Province of Argyll played a few well known tunes for the brethren to listen and enjoy. The evening was certainly a tremendous and first time experience for many visiting brethren.

Finally the raffles raised a truly magnificent sum of £575 for charity. The Worshipful Master of Oriental Lodge, W Bro. Kam Wah Mak wished to thank all the brethren for their attendance, generosity and support, especially those who travelled far and wide.

The following photographs are to mark this happy, memorable and unique occasion. To see a larger image of the photograph, just click on the photgraph itself.

Oriental Lodge No. 9371

20th Anniversary Celebration

Oriental Lodge celebrated its 20th Anniversary in style at its regular meeting on 15th November 2010. The Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, W Bro. Vic Wood PSGD and W Bro. John Chan PSGD representing the Province of Northumberland, were in attendance. The celebration was witnessed by over 80 brethren present.

After an initiation ceremony, the Worshipful Master announced that the celebration had begun by a presentation by W Bro. John Chan, a Past Master of the Lodge on a brief history of the Lodge. W Bro. John concluded by presenting the Worshipful Master, W Bro. Kam Wah Mak with a memorial plaque from W Bro. Harry Aiken, the Worshipful Master, Officers and Brethren of Zetland and Hong Kong Lodge No. 7665 which meets in London.

To commemorate this auspicious occasion, the Worshipful Master read the names of the Founders and requested those present to stand in the centre of the lodge. For those who passed to the Grand Lodge above, they were acknowledged and remembered.

The 20th Anniversary Banquet was held at the New Royal Circle Restaurant in Stowell Street, Newcastle Chinatown. A delicious 10 course Chinese Banquet were slowly digested and greatly enjoyed by everyone.
The menu was as follows:

• House Special Hot Hors d’Oeuvres
• Crispy Aromatic Duck
• Beef with Pepper in Black Bean Sauce
• Lamb in Satay Sauce
• Spicy Salt & Chilli Chicken with Crispy Seaweed
• Stir Fried Pork with Cashew Nuts
• Stir Fried King Prawns with Ginger and Spring Onions
• Sizzling Fillet Beef in Cantonese Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Special Fried Rice
• Fresh Fruit

After the banquet, a specially made Chinese birthday cake which was decorated with Oriental Lodge's motto with 20 lit candles, was brought out and cut by the Worshipful Master. Despite everyone was quite full, all the brethren still managed to empty the plates of this mouth-watering 11th course.

The following are some of the photos taken to mark this happy and memorable occasion:

Fraternal Visit to District of Hong Kong and the Far East

In March 2010, the Worshipful Master, W Bro. John Spark Wallace PGStB led a delegation from Oriental Lodge to visit the University of Hong Kong Lodge No 3666. Amongst the team members were, W Bro. John Chan PSGD, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland, W Bro. Richard Summerbell PSGD, the Past Assistant Grand Master of Northumberland and V W Bro. Lynsey Hunter, the Past Depute Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Argyll and the Isles in Scotland.

There were fifteen brethren in all, including a number of guests from the Provinces of Northumberland, Durham and of course Argyll and the Isles. Amongst the members of University of Hong Kong Lodge were R W Bro. David Fok, the District Grand Master of Hong Kong and the Far East (HK&FE), W Bro. Jimmy Wong who is also a Past Master of our Lodge, and R W Bro. Peter Wong, the Past District Grand Master of HK&FE who is also an honorary member of our Lodge.

The brethren from Oriental Lodge and their guests visit Hong Kong once every 2 to 3 years with their wives or partners. This time most of the party stayed in the Royal Plaza Hotel in Mongkok which is on the Kowloon side.

Apart from the Masonic visit, the party had a very busy itinerary which included day trips to Macao, New Territories, the Peak, Stanley Market, Hong Kong Cyberport and Lantau Island. Evenings were spent at the Races in Shatin, Tram Party, Delaney’s Bar, Lan Kwai Fong and of course, a number of restaurants nearby trying out different cuisines.

Some members of the party then continued their Far East tour by visiting Thailand and Singapore.

The installation of W Bro. Kam Wah Mak took place on Mon 17th May 2010 in Corbridge Road Masonic Hall at 6.15 p.m. W Bro. David Bibby PAGDC was presenting the R W Provincial Grand Master. Amongst the distinguished guests, were:

W Bro. Richard Summerbell PSGD PAPGM
W Bro. Harry Aitken Past District Grand Officer from Hong Kong and the Far East
plus a number of Grand Officers.

R W Bro. Peter Wong, Past District Grand Master of Hong Kong and Far East who is also an honorary member, was unable to attend due to the ‘Ash Cloud’ which affected flights throughout the UK and the BA strike which was due to start on the following day.

W Bro. Kam is already in the Chair of Oriental’s mother Lodge, St. Gabriel Lodge and so the Secretary had to read out a Dispensation granted by Grand Lodge. It was a short ceremony which was performed by W Bro. John Wallace ProvGPurs PGStB, the Installing Master and it was witnessed by about 90 brethren. In fact, this evening it was W Bro. John’s 13th time as Installing Master. Lucky for John! W Bro. As usual W Bro. Tom Foo PGStB, the most senior member of the Lodge delivered the Charge to the Brethren.

The Festive Board was held in the Happiness Inn Cantonese Restaurant in Percy Street, Newcastle City Centre. The Master’s Song was sung by W. Bro. John Bartlett PPJGW. The menu for the Banquet was as follows:

• Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup
• The Three Gorgeous:
  Spring Roll
  Deep Fried Won Ton
  Sesame Prawn Toast 
• Roast Duck
• Beef in Black Bean Sauce
• Salt and Pepper Pork Chop
• Crispy Chicken
• Satay Lamb
• King Prawn with Pak Choy
• Special Fried Rice
   
• Seasonal Fruit

The Officers for the Year 2010 – 2011: