In the Eastern Area of East Lancashire we have had the privilege to celebrate several Golden Jubilees recently. On 8 April 2025, at Todmorden Masonic Hall such a celebration was to take place.

The brethren of Prudence Lodge 219 met for their April meeting and Worshipful Master, Bro William Marsh, opened the lodge in due form. There was a report and the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro John Curry, PAGDC, accompanied by a Provincial Delegation and Officers of the Eastern Area Team were admitted into the lodge.

WBro Curry accepted the gavel from the Worshipful Master and led the celebration of Brian’s masonic career. WBro Curry provided a recollection of important events of the year when Brian was born, 1944, and also the year Brian was initiated into Freemasonry, 1975.

A personal tribute to Brian was given by WBro Clive Hartley PProvSGD

It is my absolute pleasure to stand before you all this evening to say a few words about our celebrant this evening, Worshipful Brother Brian Smith.

I have known Brian for over 20 years, initially as a member and Secretary of the Lodge of Harmony No: 288, which met here at Todmorden and, since 2012, as a member of The Lodge of Prudence 219.

When he kindly asked me to do this part of tonight’s celebration, I was of course flattered but then realised that, although I have known Brian for that length of time, I would need to know a little more about him to try and do justice to this piece.

So…. what can I tell you about Brian Wilberforce Smith…. well, I can tell you that Wilberforce is not actually his middle name, but I thought l’d see the look on the faces of those that think they know him well when I said it!

On 2nd April 1944 one Brian Smith was born to parents William and Elsie at their home address of 18 Lytton Street, Burnley (which, when we spoke, Brian was keen to point out was at the Padiham end of town). He attended Habergham Primary School and, when it was time to go to ‘the big school’, he attended at Townley Technical High. Brian admits that he wasn’t really that keen on school or the teachers and recalls that half of them were de-mobbed from the services after the war ended in 1945 and ‘conscripted’ into the profession with little or no experience. Those of a certain age can probably remember how those teachers ran classes, ruling with a rod of iron and were not averse to handing out some form of corporal punishment by means of the cane, the ruler or throwing the odd blackboard duster at their charges!

Whilst growing up Brian attended church and Sunday School at Rosegrove Methodist Church. He also joined the Boys Brigade, and it was at this time, when he was about 14 years of age, Brian met his future wife, Deanne. She too attended the Church and later became a teacher at the Sunday School and was a member of the Girl’s Brigade. Brian recalls that in those early years he became friends with a certain lan Allison, a friendship that has lasted throughout the decades and remains today.

In 1948 Brian’s father, William, who was a town councillor, joined The Lodge of Harmony 288 in Todmorden. Harmony was a popular choice for men who lived in Todmorden and the surrounding areas as they met on a Tuesday. A considerable number of its members worked in businesses that had half-day closing on a Tuesday which allowed time for them to attend the Lodge. Initially Brian was a little too young to remember much about his father becoming a Freemason. But, as he grew older, he became aware of what Freemasonry was but not what it meant or entailed. His father had progressed in the Lodge and later became Secretary and Brian recalls there were frequent male visitors to the house where front room meetings would take place with his father behind a closed door. The visitors would sometimes remark to Brian “one day you’ll know all about this”.

Brian gladly left school at the age of 15 to embark on a 6-year Electrical Apprenticeship with the English Electric Company which was based in Clayton-le-Moors. By the time Brian had finished his apprenticeship he had popped the question to Deanne, and, in 1965, they were married.

Over the course of the next 10 years a lot happened for Brian and Deanne. Brian had qualified as an electrician and spent about 3 years working for the English Electric Company. After deciding that working inside a factory wasn’t for him, he left English Electric to join a fledgling company called VMI that built and supplied vending machines and which, as the company grew, he later became the Senior Engineer. Deanne became a primary school teacher and, in 1967 she gave birth to their first child, Caroline and, in 1970, to their second daughter Helen.

Brian is immensely proud of his daughters, Caroline and Helen, both of whom attended University and gained Degrees in History and Theology respectively. They both have families and have provided Brian and Deanne with three grandchildren, Caroline’s son, Thomas is 25 and attended Cambridge University and Helen has 2 daughters. Leah and Amy, who have also both attended University. Brian admits that he doesn’t know where the brains have come from!

Also, during the 10 years from 1965, Brian’s father, William had been Installed as WM of the Lodge of Harmony. When their Ladies Evening was planned Brian recalls that his father asked if he and Deanne wanted to attend. Brian replied that he didn’t think that he would be able to as he wasn’t a Mason (as was the case in those days). His father explained that, as the son of a Mason, he was a ‘Lewis’, and this entitled him to attend which they duly did. It wasn’t long after that Brian decided that he wanted to follow his father’s footsteps and, on 25th March 1975, his father proudly Initiated him into the Lodge of Harmony 288.

Brian recalls that at that time he was number 75 on the list of members and joined the Lodge of Harmony, just after WBro John Higginbottom, whom some of us will remember.
He also remembers being number 9 or 10 on the list of Stewards of the Lodge and on attaining that office, he was presented with a bottle opener and told that he would need to make good use of it at the Lodge social and Festive boards! In those days there would be at least 30 members at practice evenings and the DC made it very clear that on no account were books to be used in the Lodge room, and that included practices!

Brian was Exalted into Loyal Todmorden Chapter 288 in 1978. This Chapter eventually amalgamated with the Chapter of Justice 219 and became Loyal Todmorden Chapter
219. Unsurprisingly, Brian is the Scribe E of the Chapter!
About 2 – 3 years after joining the Lodge of Harmony, Brian decided to ask his good friend, lan Allison, if he would be interested in becoming a Freemason. lan said yes and Brian admits that, when the time came for him to be Initiated, he was probably more nervous than lan may have been. Brian knew that lan wasn’t afraid to speak his mind if he thought something wasn’t right and he hoped that the Initiation ceremony wasn’t going to be one of those times! Fortunately, this wasn’t the case and, as Brian admits, WBro Allison probably went on to be more involved in the many aspects of Freemasonry than he has. They have continued to enjoy their friendship as have their wives Deanne and Arlene and over the years have attended many Masonic and non-masonic events together.

Brian has so many proud moments and happy memories of Lodge and Chapter meetings and the social events that he and Deanne have attended in his 50 years as a Freemason. Some of his proudest moments included being Initiated by his father who also presented flowers to Deanne at their Ladies Evening. Brian was also involved in Harmony’s bi-centenary celebrations on 22d October 1992.

Sadly, the Lodge of Harmony ceased working in 2012, and Brian may have left Todmorden to join a Lodge closer to home in Burnley. But the ties of Todmorden remained strong and he decided to join The Lodge of Prudence 219. It wasn’t too long after that, due to changes that took place in Prudence and his experience in Harmony, that he was asked to be Secretary of the Lodge. This is a position that he still holds today and for which the members are very grateful for.

Brian was very much involved in the 250th celebration of the Lodge of Prudence 219 in 2024, where he was surprised by the RWPGM who promoted him to the rank of PProvSGW.
Brethren, this has been a momentous 2 weeks for WBro Smith. You may recall that I mentioned earlier that he was born on the 2nd of April 1944 and has therefore just celebrated his 81st birthday! I also mentioned that he and Deanne were married in 1965, and, in 2 days’ time, they will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary! Finally, and of course the reason we are all here this evening, he is celebrating 50 years as a Freemason!
WBro Smith, Brian, thank you for all the years of dedicated service that you have given to Freemasonry and please accept all our congratulations on the Anniversary of yours and Deanne’s 60 years of marriage and you celebrating 50 years in Freemasonry!