Today we help W.Bro John Errington of Athelstan Lodge No.6469 on completing 60 years of uninterrupted service to the Craft.
John joined Freemasonry in 1962 when he was initiated into Athelstan Lodge, which meets at Fern Avenue Masonic Hall, occupying the Masters Chair in 1980. In addition John is the Lodge Charity Steward, an office he has held since 1994.
He was acknowledged for his work, in Provincial Grand Lodge, in 1990, when he was appointed to the acting rank of Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, receiving subsequent promotions, in 1996 and 2013, to Past Provincial Grand Registrar and finally Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
John finally joined the Holy Royal Arch Chapter in 2016 when he was exalted into Vandeleur Royal Arch Chapter No.3586, which meets at Shiremoor Masonic Hall.
John married his childhood sweetheart Helen in April 1960, at which time he was employed as a joiner. In due course they were blessed with their first child, a son David, and subsequently two daughters, Jacqueline and Linda. He and Helen are proud grandparents of three grandsons and two granddaughters, and great grandparents to a 6 month old baby great grandson Noah, with a further great grandchild due to April next year.
During his working life John was also a representative for a firm manufacturing industrial fasteners and at the end of his working life he joined the University of Newcastle in the Library Department.
Family holidays were spent caravanning in Northumberland and annual holidays involved travelling abroad, including trips to the USA, Australia, New Zealand and even to China, in addition to their regular New Year breaks in Lanzarote.
Over many years John has been associated with raising funds for St. Oswalds Hospice selling calendars and cards etc. particularly at Christmas time, raising in excess of £30000..
Congratulations from everyone at Northumberland Freemasons to John for his fantastic achievement and we wish you many more happy years in the Craft.
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