This is a report from Bro Alan Beck RWM …
On Monday the 4th of November I attended the Annual Installation of Office Bearers of Lodge The Prince's 607 with Bros Allan Glen, Bob Crossan and Iain White. We attended principally for 3 reasons. Firstly, I hadn't missed a meeting of this particular lodge since I took the Chair of No XII. Secondly, I had been honoured by their RWM by being asked to propose the Toast To The Lodge at the Harmony and lastly because our very own Past Master Bro Iain White was being installed as Worshipful Junior Warden of that distinguished lodge on the night.
No XII's history with Lodge The Prince's was (so we thought) a relatively new one, coming about as it did as a result of the friendship of Bro Iain White and their RWM last year, Bro Iain MacPherson MBE. Only when researching my Toast To The Lodge did I discover that Bro Iain White was not the first distinguished Past Master of No XII to affiliate to Lodge The Prince's - in 19 ... one of our most famous PMs, Bro Robert Lyons Scotland affiliated to that lodge, although no record has been found of him taking office as Bro Iain was about to do.
We assembled, as usual, before the meeting in the lodge bar for a few sparkling mineral waters ... well, I was driving after all, and after the lodge had been opened I was honoured to lead in the deputation of visiting brethren.
The installation went exceptionally well with PM Bro Ron Ford and PM Bro Ian Macpherson MBE as Installing Masters and Bro Ron had the distinction of placing his son (also named Ronald) into the Chair of King Solomon. As the RWM-elect had already become an installed master a couple of years ago, there was no need to form an Installing Board and this meant that I was able to see Bro Iain White being installed as Worshipful Junior Warden along with another old pal of NoXII, Bro Bobby Shaw as Worshipful Senior Warden. How fortunate for any RWM to have two such experienced wardens as these two who have been around the block more than once ... the committee meetings will be interesting and I just hope the Master manages to get a word in !
After the Installation had ended, the Brethren repaired to the Harmony where the usual Masonic Toasts were given. In my Toast to the Lodge, I spoke of the similarities of the two lodges and also mentioned the connection with PM Bro R L Scott. I finished the speech with a hastily composed poem, in honour of the lodge, the final stanza of which went something like this:
Here’s tae a ludge, a Masons’ ludge
Which to each heart evinces
That bro'erly love, relief and truth
Instilled since oor masonic youth
Is worth its weight in gowd, forsooth !
Here’s tae oor Ludge The Prince’s
All in all an excellent evening, rounded off as it was by the newly installed WJW reiterating his Greenock roots with his lusty rendition of The Green Oak Tree - The Great Caruso strikes again!
On behalf of the Brethren of Lodge Greenock Kilwinning No XII, I send congratulations to all the new office bearers of Lodge The Prince's, but more especially to their newly installed WJW PM Bro Iain White. 
