Installation of John Sherratt 1909
The Installation meeting and subsequent dinner were held at the Albion Hotel, Picadilly, Manchester on Friday 1st October 1909. The Lodge had moved from the Masonic Building in Cooper St to the Albion Hotel in 1882 (on the grounds of costs) and stayed there until 1926. The hotel, on the corner of Oldham Street, was demolished to make way for the new Woolworth's store in 1928. The Lodge subsequently moved to the new Masonic Temple in Bridge St in 1929.
JOHN SHERRATT 1870-1954
John was born in Shropshire, the eldest of 8 children. The family moved to Manchester when he was a young boy. At the age of 14 he started work as an assistant to Mr JE Cornish who ran a well-known bookshop in Piccadilly, Manchester. There he met Joseph Hughes his future partner. After twelve years they decided to set up business together and rented a shop in Cross Street, Manchester. They started the publishing side of the business in 1899 known as Sherratt & Hughes the Saint Ann's Press of Manchester. They sold the bookshop in 1945 to WH Smiths who kept the name. The publishing part of the business became John Sherratt & Son. He died aged 84 in 1954.
Fifty four people dined at a cost of 5 shillings and sixpence each (27½p) but the total bill including drinks came to just over £1 each.
However £1 was the average weekly wage in 1909.
John's partner Joseph David Hughes was Senior Warden and John installed him as Master the next year