Personal 50th Celebration of WBro Peter R B Messum PAGDC
W.M. WBro A P Klosowicz PProv AGDC
It was a very special evening for St Chad’s Lodge on Wednesday 17th April as they celebrated the personal 50th Anniversary in Freemasonry of WBro Peter R B Messum PAGDC
After opening in due form, the Lodge was pleased to receive the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Arthur John Pearson together with the District Chairman Doug Smith PProvJGW and members of the District team.
The proceedings commenced with the reading of a short extract from the minutes of 16th April 1969 by the Lodge Secretary WBro Paul Holt. WBro Pearson then went on to provide some interesting details of events in the year of WBro Messums birth (3rd Nov 1941) , followed by details of his early years, culminating in him achieving his degree in Physics and Maths from Trinity College Dublin. A brief account of WBro Messums career in international engineering and his initiation into Freemasonry on 16th April 1969 followed. Those present were amused to hear that in 1969 the price of a typical family home was valued at £4,640 and a gallon of petrol was 6/2p. How things have changed ! In terms of WBro Messums Massonic career it was recorded that he first became WM of his lodge in 1983 and again in 2010, achieving the rank of Grand Lodge officer in 2008.
The District Chairman WBro Doug Smith then read a letter from the Provincial Grand Master Sir David Tripper which thanked WBro Messum for achieving 50 years in the Craft. A 50 year certificate was then presented to WBro Messum by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master WBro John Pearson.
WBro Messum then perambulated the lodge to the applause of all present .
Before closing the Lodge, the Rochdale District Chairman WBro Doug Smith presented WBro Messum with a lapel badge marking his 50 years of service to Freemasonry.
The celebration continued at the Social Board where an excellent meal was enjoyed by all present.
Report by WBro Ken Rowlatt and Photographs by WBro John Barlow.