White Rose - Masonic Province of Yorkshire, West Riding

60 YEARS ENJOYING FREEMASONRY
Edmund Gill
The R W Provincial Grand Master,
John K Clayton was pleased to
present a 60-year Craft certifi cate
to W Bro Edmund Gill PPJGW at a
meeting of the Lodge of Connaught
and Truth No 521 at Greenhead
Masonic Hall, Huddersfi eld in March
this year.
Edmund, now a sprightly 89-yearold
and former Bevin Boy, enjoyed
reminiscing about his subsequent
work as a funeral director and a career
in Freemasonry which had begun as
a member of the former Connaught
Lodge No 3800 in November 1952
when he was Initiated by his father. He
was Installed as Master of Connaught
Lodge in October 1970.
Being born in the Holme Valley
in March 1924, he attended local
schools until aged 14 when he left to
join the family business, earning ten
shillings a week, which went straight
to his mother who then gave him one
shilling spending money. He married
Marjorie, his childhood sweetheart
and they had two children, Dianne
and Michael. Unfortunately Marjorie
passed away a few years ago. In
his social life, Edmund was a good
cricketer, taking all ten wickets for
only 41 runs in one match.
Edmund explained that it had not
been an easy decision to join the
newly amalgamated Lodge in 2004
but this had proved a correct decision
and he had continued to enjoy his
Freemasonry, agreeing with the PGM
that the new spirit of openness in the
Craft had proved very benefi cial.
R W Bro Clayton referred to some
of W Bro Gill’s experiences, including
his duties as purveyor, which were
somewhat more demanding than the
present day.
The PGM concluded by wishing W
Bro Gill good health to continue to
enjoy his Freemasonry.
50 YEARS AND STILL ROLLING ON
Caravanning enthusiast, Neil Howard
Beaumont of the Holme Valley Lodge No 652
has been pleased to be presented with a 50-
year jubilee certifi cate by Maurice Bendig,
Past APGM
Neil was Initiated into the Lodge on 18
October 1962, being Installed as Master in
December 1978. Having been appointed
Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 1988 he
was later promoted to PPGReg.
Having retired some 17 years ago from
manufacturing fancy effect yarns, Neil and
Anne, his wife of 53 years, have pursued
their passion for caravanning. He has been
a member of the Caravan Club for nearly
as long as he has been a Freemason and
has been a member of the Masonic Caravan
Club, touring most European countries as
well as Great Britain.
Photo: W Bro Beaumont is pictured
with his jubilee certifi cate.
50 YEARS FOR ROY
The Assistant PGM for Area 5, David S
Pratt, attended The Saint Oswald Lodge
No 910, Pontefract and presented a Jubilee
Certifi cate to Roy Littlewood.
W Bro Littlewood became a Mason in
the newly consecrated Tateshall Lodge
No 7645 in January 1962, being only its
ninth Initiate. Roy and his father, Horace,
worked together as directors in the family
business, Littlewood Soft Drinks and
decided to seek membership of the Craft
at the same time through a mutual Masonic
friend. The surprising part of the story is
that Horace elected to join De Lacy Lodge
No 4643 whilst Roy chose Tateshall. De
Lacy had a waiting list at the time which
meant that, most unusually, Roy was able
to witness the Initiation of his father into De
Lacy almost a year after he himself became
a Mason.
When the family business was sold Roy
embarked on a new career; for 30 years
running the Milford Hall Country Club. This
created a problem for Roy with Tateshall
meeting on Fridays, a very busy night in the
restaurant world.
Roy, therefore, became a joining member
of The Saint Oswald Lodge No 910, the
grandmother Lodge of Tateshall, meeting
on Wednesdays.
Having established himself in The Saint
Oswald Lodge, Roy enjoyed a successful
year as Master in 1993.
Roy and his wife Margaret later enjoyed
a few years of retirement in Scarborough,
where he became a member of the Old
Globe Lodge No 200. They subsequently
returned to their home area and settled
in Selby and Roy rejoined Saint Oswald
Lodge in 2004 where he is held in high
regard by the Brethren who are especially
grateful for his time, advice and patience
at the Junior Lodge of Instruction in recent
years.
Photo: W Bro Littlewood, PPAGDC with
David S Pratt, APGM
THIS PAGE IS SUPPORTED BY CHEVIN LODGE No 6848 meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of every month
except August at the Masonic Hall, Westbourne House Otley LS21 3LG
White Rose Masonic News Spring 2013
17