Today we celebrate with W.Bro Brian Adamson of Heaton Lodge No.2723, which meets at Byker Masonic Hall, on reaching fifity years of uninterupted service in the Craft and, more impressively, a centenary of Masonic service in the Adamson family as a whole to Heaton Lodge.
Brian, a 23 year old accountant at the time, was initiated into Freemasonry, in May 1970, into Heaton Lodge, in a joint ceremony with his brother, Clive Leslie Adamson, a 22 year old fitter. Both were then passed to the Fellowcraft Degree in December 1970, prior to Clive being Raised to a Master Mason in March 1971, closely followed by his brother, Brian, in December 1971.
Brian finally became Master of the Lodge in 1979, when he was proudly installed into the Chair by the then reigning Master, W.Bro Leslie Clive Adamson PProvGDC, his father. Over his fifty years membership of the Craft Brian has taken many offices in the Lodge, being Charity Steward for over 20 years, and Treasurer for 10 years. In 2019 he stood down as Treasurer in order to take the Masters Chair, once again, an office he still holds to this day.
For his work in the Craft, Brian was appointed to the rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 1988, in Provincial Grand Lodge, being promoted to Past Provincial Grand Registrar in 1997 and finally Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2018.
So where did the Adamson familys long link with Heaton Lodge all start?
Over 100 years ago Mr John William Adamson, a charge man engineer, aged 41, was Initiated into Heaton Lodge in October 1920. He was Passed to the degree of a Fellowcraft in November 1920, and finally Raised to a Master Mason in March 1921. Sadly very little is known about Brother John’s Masonic career, or what offices he obtained, however, what we do know is that Brother John’s son, Leslie Clive Adamson, Brians father, also joined the Lodge in 1933. At the time Leslie Clive Adamson was a 21 year old cartman, fitter, and master plumber.
Leslie Clive Adamson, was initiated in the September of 1933, Passed to the degree of a Fellowcraft in November 1933 and Raised to a Master Mason in December 1933. Leslie took every office on his way to being installed as Worshipful Master in 1953, taking the Masters Chair again in 1978. He was honoured in Provincial Grand Lodge with the rank of Past Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies.
So, in summary, the Adamson familys link with Heaton Lodge No.2723 commenced in 1920 with his Grand Father, continued in 1933 with his Father, and subsequently the two sons in 1970.
Many thanks to Bro Max Townson for the submission of this article.
Congratulations to Brian from everyone at Northumberland Freemasons on his fantastic achievement in the Craft and to his wider family for the invaluable service they have given to the Craft over such a long period of time. We wish you many more happy years in Freemasonry in general and Heaton Lodge in particular and hope that many more generations of the Adamson family join the dynasty at Heaton Lodge.
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