Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Andrew Moule had the pleasure of presenting to Richard Turner of Stranton Lodge a certificate to mark 50 years of service to Freemasonry and the brethren turned out in numbers to honour him.

Richard was initiated in March 1973. His work then took him to South Africa where he visited several lodges, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, where Freemasonry was not permitted and then to Nigeria where he joined Port Harcourt Lodge (English constitution). Whilst in Nigeria he met Norman Reekie of the Lodge of Concord and eventually took over Norman’s position as head of a machete manufacturing company. Norman Reekie brought greetings from Port Harcourt Lodge to Richard. Richard served as Master for two years and was an Acting Provincial Senior Deacon in 2016.

Richard is now the lodge historian and is working on a comprehensive history of Stranton lodge and its furnishings since 1880. Richard also presented a written history of the bible cushion on the evening which was inserted into the cushion flap for future masonic generations to find.

Congratulations and welcome to the ‘50th club’ were given by Peter Meadows and the whole lodge rose to applaud Richard.