Always Up to Standard, Never Down to Price

Posted on
01/05/2016
Michael Graham

The name of Andrew Foster, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, is inextricably linked with the Provincial Grand Stewards’ Lodge and a particular landmark has been reached in that relationship. On the 24th March 2016 Andrew attended his beloved Stewards’ Lodge for his last regular meeting as a member, nearly 9 years after attending the consecration of the lodge on the 8th September 2007 by our then Provincial Grand Master, the late Derek Richmond where he was duly installed as the first Master.

Andrew is rightly proud of his prime-mover role in forming the lodge and deciding the procedures which have allowed the Stewards’ Lodge to perform the many tasks allocated to it by the Provincial Grand Master.

Andrew is the last of the 35 founders of the Stewards Lodge, all being WMs or IPMs who formed the lodge, with the initial tasks set, being: – organisation of the Provincial meetings; carol service at Durham Cathedral; Director of Ceremonies at all Installations; Summer Ball; Gala Festival.

Previously these duties were admirably performed by a number of officers in a nominated ‘host’ lodge, but having witnessed the Provincial Stewards’ Lodge from Yorkshire North and East Ridings (which had already been in existence for some 10 years) in action, the lodge was formed to act as the “Work Horse” of the Province and to add conformity to the major events.  Andrew is most pleased with the strong links forged with Yorkshire highlighted by their being the only guests invited to their meetings.

Formation of the lodge and the formality of organisation of the tasks have allowed a uniformity of the performance of those tasks or projects, such that the experience and knowledge are passed down through the generations of serving stewards in their 5-6 years of office.  These have also relieved the duty incumbent on the ‘host’ lodge and allowed those past masters to attend and enjoy events.

Anyone who has met Andrew will know that he does like things to be done properly and this is certainly the case with the Stewards’ Lodge.  It even goes as far as the unique design of the burgundy apron which is different to every other such lodge across the country.  This attention to detail is most apparent to most in his management of the DC team and Andrew has certainly set up a uniformity and correctness in the formality in how the Provincial Representative attends and enters any lodges.

There are many tasks given to the Stewards’ Lodge and you can be sure that Andrew Fall Peter Foster has had a hand in all of them and for this the Province of Durham is most grateful.

The present Worshipful Master of the lodge is Dave Green and he had the pleasing duty of thanking Andrew for his service before Andrew presented the lodge with the Bible that was given to him on leaving the Royal Masonic School for Boys and Girls as a token by which to remember him.  In turn Dave was happy to respond downstairs with the presentation of a rather nice bottle of malt whisky.

Andrew recounted a couple of particular memories of the last 9 years;- the consecration and feeling of being a member of a special team of enthusiastic and relatively junior masons who all wanted to see Freemasonry in general succeed and flourish; completing of the Gala project with record attendance and funds raised; and with immense pride, as the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies watching the Stewards acting at the Provincial meeting establishing a standard which is the envy of other Provinces.

In closing Andrew wished to pass on the words of his Mentor and great friend FW Dixon “Always up to a standard never down to a price”.