WBro Bryan Tyrrell receives his certificate from WBro John R Farrington PSGD APGM

Over Sixty Brethren, including the Assistant Provincial Grand Master and a District Delegations, signed the Tylers attendance register of Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116 on Thursday 18th February 2016, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary in Freemasonry of WBro Bryan O. Tyrrell, PProvAGDC

WBro Tyrrell is the current Worshipful Master of Royal Lancashire Lodge and after opening the Lodge and conducting the preliminary business, the Provincial DepGDC, WBro Andrew Taylor was admitted. He announced that WBro John R. Farrington PSGD, Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Northern area of the Province of East Lancashire, was without and that he demanded admission.

WBro Farrington was welcomed to the Lodge and was offered the Gavel, which, on this special occasion, he accepted, saying “that if he didn’t, given the circumstances, there might be a problem with tonight’s celebration”. WBro Farrington was then saluted in due form.

WBro Farrington thanked the Brethren for their welcome and remarked that he was delighted to see the Lodge room so full.
He went on to say that he was pleased that WBro Tyrrell had decided to have a formal celebration rather than a Pastoral visit and that he hoped WBro Tyrrell would have a most enjoyable evening. After introducing the Provincial and District Delegation, which included Provincial Officers of the year and Grand Officers WBro Farrington announced “the main event of the evening”, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of WBro Bryan O Tyrrell PProvAGDC”. WBro Tyrrell was then placed in the centre of the Lodge.

WBro Farrington first passed on the very best wishes of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Sir David Trippier, and those of the District Delegations, Grand Officers and all the Brethren present.

The Lodge Secretary, WBro Raymond Pickles, informed the assembled Brethren that WBro Tyrrell had applied for membership of The Keith Lodge of Peterhead No. 56 (Scottish Constitution), and proceeded to read out the minutes of the meeting convened to consider his membership of that Lodge, which amounted to twenty three words. Considering that these words included the name, address and occupation of WBro Tyrrell, he must have made an impact!

WBro Farrington invited WBro Alan Hague to deliver a tribute to WBro Tyrrell.

WBro Hague opened by saying it was his great pleasure to pay tribute to his dear friend Bryan. Describing Bryan as a peripatetic Mason, a softly spoken, slightly lugubrious and modest man it would come as a surprise to many to learn he had led a colourful and eventful life much more reminiscent of Blaster Bates or Fred Dibnah than that of most staid Masonic lives.
Bryan was born in London on 2nd August 1937, living there until the Blitz of 1942 when he and his family were evacuated to Nailsworth in Gloucestershire. They never returned to London as their house, indeed the whole street, had been obliterated by the bombing. The family later moved to the village of Thrupp near Stroud where they remained until Bryan was 15 years old. In 1952 the family moved to North Shields, Tyneside. Bryan left school in 1954 and joined a local company as a trainee Civil Engineer.

In 1956 Bryan was called up for National Service and joined the Royal Engineers where, during training, he was taught demolitions and the handling of explosives. After training he was sent to war at Suez where he proceeded to blow up everything that stood in his way!!! He was awarded the Suez Campaign Medal for wartime service. When hostilities ceased Bryan volunteered to attend the Atomic Bomb Testing at Christmas Island in the Pacific but was sent to Ripon, it seems the military wanted Bryan kept well away from Atom Bombs.

Having been de-mobbed, in 1963, Bryan was appointed Sub-Agent for Norwest Construction and sent to Northeast Scotland where his blasting experience was much in demand.

WBro Tyrell was initiated into The Keith Lodge of Peterhead No. 56 (SC), on the 24th January 1966, becoming a Life Member some 10 months later.

Having moved to Kirkcudbright in South West Scotland due to work commitments, on the 9th January 1967 WBro Tyrrell was exalted into St. Marys Chapter No. 370 and within a year he became a life member of the Chapter.

In 1969 Bryan found himself working in Liverpool and some of his fellow Managers were Masons. Eventually Bryan experienced Freemasonry under the English Constitution, joining Bootle Wilbraham Lodge No 2463, in 1971. He was Master of that Lodge on two occasions and thought nothing of travelling from places such as Cambridge or Cirencester to attend the meetings.

From 1974 Bryan spent a decade in Northeast Scotland working on North Sea pipelines taking his family with him, before returning in 1984 to continue his peregrinations around England, Wales Ireland and the Netherlands.

By 1993 Bryan was settled in Earby near Colne and joined Noyna Lodge No. 4402 and was Worshipful Master in 1997.

In 1999 Bryan went truly international when his company sent him to Bolivia to resolve contractual disputes between his company and the Brazilian international, Petrobras.

In 2003 accompanied by WBro Alan Hague and WBro Gordon Brear, Bryan attended the final meeting of Bootle Wilbraham Lodge; ending Bryan’s 32 year association with that Lodge. In December 2006, Noyna Lodge surrendered its warrant and merged with Colne Lodge. Bryan was invited to Join Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116 where we find him now in the chair in his 50thyear in Freemasonry.

This is the first of many celebrations for Bryan as he celebrates his Golden Wedding anniversary later this year and his 50th anniversary in Royal Arch next year.

WBro Farrington then referred to a number of significant events and other interesting facts relating to the year WBro Tyrrell was initiated, following which he then came onto the floor of the Lodge and presented WBro Tyrrell with firstly, a certificate from the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason of Scotland along with a letter from their Grand Master, and an illuminated certificate and letter from The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master for the Province of East Lancashire, Sir David Trippier.

WBro Tyrrell with Lodge members and guests

WBro Tyrrell was then paraded round the Lodge to the enthusiastic acclaim of all the Brethren present, after which WBro Tyrrell presented WBro Farrington with a sizable cheque for the East Lancashire Masonic Charity, WBro Tyrrell’s preferred Charity.

Following the Alms collection, the Provincial ADC asked WBro Farrington if he wished to retire along with WBro Tyrrell and the Provincial and District Delegations. WBro Farrington expressed his wish to retire, a retiral procession was formed and WBro Farrington accompanied by WBro Tyrrell and the Delegations retired to the acclaim of the Brethren.

The members of Royal Lancashire Lodge 116

At the festive board and the assembled Brethren enjoyed a meal with Scottish connotations in consideration of WBro Tyrrell’s Scottish Masonry connections (cock-a-leekie soup, beefsteak pie – a Scottish staple – and fruit and ice cream).

The Festive Board was ably managed by the Provincial DepGDC and usual toasts were honoured. In response to the toast to the Worshipful Master WBro Tyrrell thanked the Brethren for their support and good wishes so generously expressed during the evening. As a final surprise WBro Michael Lawson (116 DC), on behalf of the Lodge, presented the birthday boy with a drop of Scotland’s finest and was assured it was gratefully received and would be faithfully applied.