Congratulations to W.Bro Lawrence Jackson, of Brier Dene Lodge No.5344, which meets at Whitley Bay Masonic Hall, on reaching an impressive fifty years of uninterupted service in the Craft, celebrating this fantastic achievement fift years to the day of his initiation..
Lawrence, who is the second longest serving and probably most respected member of Brier Dene Lodge, was initiated into Freemasonry in October 1971, into Brier Dene Lodg, and has managed an almost 100% attendance rate, having missed only 4 meetings since then. He progressed through every office of the Lodge prior to becoming their Master in 1978, and a second time, ten years later, in 1988. He currently holds the office of Chaplain of the Lodge, which he has done so with great dignity, on and off since 2005. In addition to this he also occupied the office of Lodge Secretary from 1999 to 2004. Lawrence is described, by members of the Lodge, as a highly committed Freemasonand has been an enthusiastic and active member since he was initiated, and there are hardly any occaions when he has never held an active office.
He was honoured in Provincial Grand Lodge with a first appointment to the rank of Provincial Deputy Grand Registrar in 1988 and was later promoted to the rank of Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden in 1995.
In the Royal Arch Lawrence joined Lord Armstrong Royal Arch Chapter No.5344 in 1986 and has been their Janitor since 2010.
Away from Freemasonry Lawrence is an active Senior Churchwarden Server and Secretary at St Peter’s Church, Wallsend, the experience and commitment of which has obviously made him ideally suited as the Lodge Chaplain. The majority of Lawrences working life was with North Tyneside Council where he held the post of Senior Housing Officer up to his retirement in 2006.
There is little doubt that Lawrence has been a great inspiration to many members of Brier Dene Lodge over the years, particulary the younger element, with positive advice and encouragement.
Thanks go to W.Bro Charlie Steel for the submission of this article.
Congratulations to Lawrence from everyone at Northumberland Freemasons and we wish you many more years of active Freemasonry.
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