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RWBro Robert Jones, In Conversation
No stranger
to the Craft,
the Deputy
Grand Master
elect speaks to
Freemasonry
Victoria
8 Freemasonry Victoria SuMMer 2010
At the September Quarterly Communication
last year the Grand Secretary announced
as Deputy Grand Master elect RWBro.
Robert Jones PDGM. RWBro. Jones is no
stranger to Freemasons Victoria, having
served as Grand Director of Ceremonies
in 1990 and Senior Grand Warden in 2003.
Outside the Craft he’s had a distinguished
career in racing and automotive repair, is
married to childhood sweetheart Kerry
and has two sons, Robert and Cameron.
Freemasonry Victoria caught up with the
incoming Deputy over email while he
was in Brisbane establishing and making
modifications to a new factory for his
business, Recar where he described the
labour involved as “working physically
harder than I think I ever have.”
FMV: Your website describes you
as a master panel beater for Recar.
What does that mean exactly?
RJ: Recar is one of Australia’s biggest
single owned repairers of heavy commercial
vehicles, all sizes of trucks, trailers, from
full cab and chassis rebuild after a roll
over to minor scuffs and bumps.
FMV: Are you still racing (or
is that just Robert)?
RJ: I drove my last Bathurst 1000 (total
of 7) in 2000 with Toll Racing, then Kerry
banned me from risking my life anymore.
Pictured: RWBro Robert
Jones, DGM elect
Actually, the time was right for Robbie to
take over the mantle, which he has done
with great success. His younger brother
Cameron also runs a Formula Ford in which
he won a State Championship a few years
ago. We go racing as a family; even Kerry
is very involved in the administration of
the team as well as the time keeping.
FMV: Have either of the boys joined
Freemasonry or expressed an interest?
RJ: When I was contemplating putting my
name forward for GM, we had a family
meeting where both expressed their
complete support of me in my Masonic
pursuits, but I think they are daunted by the
time commitment I have put in over their
growing years, and no amount of reassurance
that I am the exception to the rule has allayed
that concern. I think both are keen to a
degree, but both have very busy lives and are
not quite ready to commit the time required,
but I hope that in the next four years we
may have another two Lewises in the Craft.
FMV: You joined the Lodge as a third
generation Freemason and a Lewis and
lost your parents not long after. You
also credit Freemasonry for helping you
through that time. Quoting you in the 2004
magazine, “I’ll never stop repaying that
debt.” What was it the Lodge did for you?
RJ: My father went to my Initiation, was