Another cold and frosty evening, as I made my way up to the Whiteabbey Masonic Centre to join with the Brethren of Richview Masonic Lodge No 711 and their guests for their final meeting and the return of their Warrant after some 77 years’ service to the Masonic Order in Ireland. There were many present from The Masonic Old Boys Association including a large party from Fitzgibbon Lodge No 331, Molesworth Street, one Brother from Leitrim and a number of representatives from The Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, Down, Tyrone & Fermanagh. Sadly our first action was to remember and salute an old time member Rt Wor Bro Samuel D. Richardson who died at the weekend. Sam, the immediate Past Prior of the Provincial Priory of East Ulster, and a Past Master of Richview in 2007 and again in 2014 had been ill for some time and will be greatly have missed by all his friends in Richview. Sadly, the bad news continued as we also learned that Wor Bro David Keatley, Lodge Secretary of Richview, had also been taken ill on Sunday and was admitted to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, before being moved into the Royal Victoria Hospital. I think that our Provincial Grand Secretary Very Wor Bro J. Russell Millar succinctly summed up the feelings of all present when responding to his salute when he expressed his sadness on being present, in view of the reason for tonight’s meeting.
Nonetheless, the meeting proceeded, with the exception of the Lodge Minutes, which were not available due to the unexpected illness of David Keatley. The Lodge Master Wor Bro Glenn McFarland took a few moments and gave us all a brief summary of the Boys School, the formation of Richview Lodge in 1947 and its subsequent history right up to the present day. Sadly, we then reached that point when all business was concluded, and the Lodge closed for the final time. Wor Bro McFarland handed over the Lodge Warrant to Very Wor Bro Millar, who would make arrangements to get it returned to Dublin. Then everyone came together for some final photographs, as a record of the occasion. A Get Well card was passed around, and signed by all present, and would be passed on to David Keatley by the Lodge Brethren.
On the way out, we all had a chance to examine the plaque given to the nine Richview students, who went on the 1975 Arctic Expedition to Svalbard. Then going down the stairs we passed one of the stained glass windows out of the school, which was purchased by the Lodge for £ 100.00 when the school closed and was hung originally in the foyer of Rosemary Street, where the Lodge used to meet. When they moved to Whiteabbey, the window came with them and is now mounted in a lightbox on the stairwell. Our Down Brethren present were able to advise that two more of the original school stained glass windows have ended up in the Masonic halls in Killinchy and Newtownards.
Downstairs, in the Dining Room, our last supper was an excellent three course meal, starting with vegetable Broth, then on to a turkey & ham dinner followed by a very tasty selection of dessert. We had a couple of brief after dinner speeches before breaking up and heading off homeward.
Robert Bashford