The Deputy Provincial Grand Master presents the 70th Anniversary Certificate to Maurice O’Brien

Tuesday 8th March was a cold and damp day with a particularly bright and sunny interlude when the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, VWBro Derek Thornhill; the District Chairman, WBro Terry Kakoulis and other members of the District Team knocked on the door of Maurice O’Brien to deliver, in the company of members of Corinthian 221, the illuminated certificate, a personal letter from the Provincial Grand Master and a new Provincial Tie to mark the celebration of Maurice’s 70th anniversary in Masonry.

Maurice was originally from Hull where he was born on 13th Oct 1916, after the family moved to Scarborough and he was educated at Scarborough High School for Boys. On leaving school, Maurice joined F W Woolworth and stayed with them all his working life.

War service was with the Royal Air Force as ground crew, firstly in the UK on Spitfires but mostly in North Africa on an Air Sea Rescue squadron.
Maurice married Ethel Heath immediately post war and they were happily married until Ethel’s sad death in 1992.
Maurice’s Masonic history starts in 1946 when he was initiated into his father’s lodge, Thames Estuary, in the Province of Essex and he remains a member there. Maurice’s first managerial role with Woolworth’s was in Crook in County Durham where he became a joining member of Crook lodge and was a member there for many years, even when after the family moved away from the area.
Further advancement with the company brought him to Bolton in 1958 where he joined Corinthian 3767. He was Master of the lodge in 1989 and in 1991 initiated me into Corinthian 3767, latterly, Corinthian 221.
Following his year as IPM, he carried out the role of Assistant Secretary for many years and despite the fact that he hasn’t attended lodge meetings for some years now still shows a lively interest in the Craft.
Whilst his guests enjoyed a magnificent buffet lunch, Maurice regaled all with wonderful tales of his recollections of his early masonic days and a very detailed description of the Supermarine Walrus that he worked on during the war.