[Excerpt - Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire's site - Linked Above]
For almost a hundred years the Manchester Association for Masonic Research has been a focus for offering Masonic knowledge and is now the North’s leading research association. Its Patrons are the Provinces of East and West Lancashire and Cheshire and it hosts many notable and distinguished speakers, many of international standing and provides an interesting forum for discussion.
It encourages brethren to broaden their Masonic knowledge and each year publishes its Transactions which are circulated to a worldwide membership. If you are interested in just listening to high quality talks or even doing some research yourself, help is always at hand. Contact Philip Myers for further information, details at the end of the programme.
Fraternally, Philip Carter / Facebook / Great is Truth and mighty above all things (I Esdras 4:41)
[2009 Program - Association's site - Linked Above]
Dear Brethren
2009 is a significant year for it marks our centenary as an Association. It is not possible to say precisely when MAMR was born: various meetings took place during 1909 leading to the selection of a committee and the delivery of the first talk. But consistently since our Manchester Lodge for Masonic Research No 5502 was consecrated in November 1934 every May assembly has been known as ‘The Association Meeting’. It is proper therefore to celebrate our Association Centenaryin May when the sap is rising, and when, in recent years, we have trailed our coats, cast off our aprons, and availed ourselves of the pleasure of inviting speakers from among the ladies.
The Programme throughout this year is special. Lodge proceedings are to be chaired by our local senior-ranking brother who will be using his Inaugural Address in January to remind us (‘inform’ would be a better word!) about one of the leading lights of the first days of the Association. In March, September and November respectively we will be privileged to hear a sequence of the currently foremost Masonic historians of Ireland, Scotland and England—a ‘first’, I think, for any research lodge. Did I hear someone mention Wales? Well, the English professor now works in deepest Wales, and even before then he had written some impressive pieces concerning the development of Welsh Freemasonry and its connections with Druidism, wouldn’t you know!
For the Association Centenary proper we shall be taking advantage of the Edinburgh International Conference on the History of Freemasonry (‘ICHF’) which is to be held 29-31 May. This attracts speakers and an audience from around the world. Out of the jet-stream, and from afar, MAMR will be gathering some folk who would never ordinarily be available for us to hear and meet. This should make for a gala day, cobbers. Which other research Association has ever pulled this stroke?
Support us, from wherever you are, and make 2009 a North-West MAMR year to remember!
John Acaster Programme Secretary
Fraternally, Philip Carter / Facebook / Great is Truth and mighty above all things (I Esdras 4:41)
