On Tuesday 16th June, brethren and distinguished guests from across the Province of East Lancashire and beyond gathered at Manchester Hall to celebrate a remarkable milestone as WBro Harvey Basger PJGD marked fifty years in Freemasonry at the Lodge of Integrity No.163.
The meeting proved to be a fitting tribute to one of the Province’s most respected and admired Freemasons. Following the opening of the Lodge by Worshipful Master Harvey Basger himself, the proceedings took on an even greater sense of occasion with the arrival of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Robert Ian Frankl, accompanied by an impressive Provincial Deputation, including Deputy Provincial Grand Master John Griffin, Assistant Provincial Grand Masters David McGurty, Wesley Marchant and Dr Mohammed Afsa, together with many senior Provincial Officers and distinguished guests from neighbouring Provinces including RWBro Anthony Harrison PastProvGM (West Lancashire) and RWBro Steven Blank PastProvGM (Cheshire).
After accepting the gavel, the Provincial Grand Master invited Harvey to leave the Chair and take his place amongst the brethren, where he became the guest of honour for an evening dedicated to celebrating five decades of outstanding service to Freemasonry.
The first tribute of the evening was delivered by WBro Martin Caller, whose warm, humorous and deeply personal address painted a picture not simply of Harvey the Mason, but of Harvey the man.
Drawing upon a friendship spanning many decades, Martin reflected upon Harvey’s upbringing within a family renowned for its commitment to public service and community life, explaining how those same values of integrity, humility and service have shaped Harvey throughout his life. He spoke of Harvey’s longstanding commitment to the Whitefield Jewish community, where, whilst still a relatively young man, he was recognised with honorary life membership of the Synagogue Council in acknowledgement of his exceptional contribution.
The tribute also celebrated Harvey’s enduring family life. Married to Beverley for more than fifty years after first meeting as teenagers, Martin described the couple as role models of loyalty, constancy and devotion, whose influence has extended through their children, grandchildren and wider family.
No tribute to Harvey, however, would be complete without reference to the qualities for which he has become legendary amongst his friends and fellow Masons. Martin affectionately recounted Harvey’s remarkable attention to detail, meticulous organisation and insistence that everything should be “just so”; characteristics that served him equally well throughout a distinguished business career spanning almost forty years, and later in his Provincial appointments, where precision, preparation and quiet professionalism became his hallmark. One particularly amusing recollection recalled Harvey’s famous presentation on the correct positioning of one’s thumb during Masonic ceremonies; proof, perhaps, that no detail was ever too small to deserve careful attention.
The humour continued with memories of Harvey’s regular visits to Martin’s “surgery” (not a medical practice but Martin’s conservatory), where many professional challenges were apparently solved over a bottle of brandy before the conversation inevitably turned to putting the world to rights. The anecdotes perfectly captured the warmth, generosity and friendship for which Harvey is so widely admired.
Following the tribute, the Provincial Grand Master reflected upon Harvey’s distinguished Masonic career, highlighting the many appointments, promotions and contributions he has made over the past fifty years before joining Harvey in an engaging fireside conversation that allowed many further memories from his remarkable Masonic journey to be shared with those present.
As part of the celebration, the Provincial Grand Master presented Harvey with a personal letter together with an illuminated certificate marking his Golden Jubilee. WBro Jonathan Jacobs read the certificate before WBro Edward Beaman, Area Chairman, presented Harvey with his commemorative Fifty Year lapel pin. The evening concluded with Harvey being escorted around the Lodge to prolonged applause from the assembled brethren and guests before the Lodge was called off for photographs to commemorate a truly memorable occasion.
Throughout the evening and social board there was a genuine sense that the celebration extended far beyond Harvey’s impressive Masonic achievements. It recognised a man whose quiet leadership, unwavering principles, generosity of spirit and enduring friendships have earned him enormous affection throughout the Province. As Martin Caller concluded in his tribute, Harvey is revered not only for what he has accomplished in Freemasonry, but for the example he has consistently set as a husband, father, grandfather, friend and Brother.
As the celebrations of the evening drew to a close, all present joined in congratulating Harvey on reaching this exceptional milestone and wishing him continued health, happiness and many more years of enjoyable Freemasonry.
