Final Quarterly Communication Address by Provincial Grand Master Bro. Tom Davidson – 3rd June 2016

Five years ago when I was installed as your Provincial Grand Master, it was without doubt both the scariest and proudest moment of my masonic career. When everyone else has entered the lodge and you remain outside with your commission in your hand wearing that symbolic plain white lambskin, you have time to reflect on the fact that you are now required to place the interests of the province as a whole ahead of the interests of any individual lodge where you may be a member. The interests of the province and every lodge in the province must be your care

That day, I set forth the hopes and aspirations I had for the province. I have not achieved all that I set out to achieve for the province . The times were not yet right for a Young Masons Group and an Exhibition of Freemasonry to promote and openly publicise freemasonry in Lanarkshire. These will come in time.

I have continued the work of my predecessors in seeking to bring freemasonry out of the deep shadow where it had sought refuge as a result of unfair criticism. Thankfully, newspapers now readily accept articles regarding aspects of the craft – church services, charitable works, positive stories and images. Aspects of our craft publicly promoted by brethren like Bros. Norman Carnegy and Colin Campbell as webmasters on the website and Facebook pages, aspects of our work promoted by David Bell in the local newspapers.

Brethren of the lodges now speak openly about their membership and are proud of being members of the craft, as indeed we should be.

During the whole of the five years it has been an honour to represent Grand Lodge and the MWGMM here in Lanarkshire Middle Ward and to represent Lanarkshire Middle Ward in many places both at home and abroad. This province and its brethren enjoy a well respected reputation beyond the province.

The office of PGM is a huge privilege afforded to very few, an office of responsibility but also enjoyment and very occasionally disappointment. It has been a privilege to be with brethren and the lodges at special times in their masonic histories, jubilees, centenaries, other important anniversaries and celebrations. A privilege to be permitted to be actively involved in those special times.

No man is an island, and no PGM in a province of this size can be effective without a good team around him. My thanks go to the Past Provincial Grand Masters for their guidance, my COBs and Committee Chairmen for all their support and work over the past 5 years. I wish the two PG chaplains who are retiring from office, long and happy retirements to enjoy their freemasonry. They have done a great job for the province. I also thank all the PGL officebearers and committee members for their unfaltering support.

I specifically emphasize the work of the PG Secretary and Treasurer and the fantastic work they do on behalf of this province, they have my deepest gratitude.

The support of my wife, Joyce, and family has been essential, they have supported me and given me the time and freedom to dedicate to performing the duties of the office of PGM. That same freedom has been afforded to me by successive masters and the brethren of my mother lodge, Lodge Hamilton Kilwinning No.7, for which I am truly grateful.

But brethren it is you, the brethren of the lodges in the province who have accepted me into your lodges on so many occasions over the last five years. I thank you for your kindness, encouragement, support and hospitality.

Your support in the various charitable appeals has been fantastic, but your support in the recent zipslide charity appeal for Prostate Scotland has been astounding!

I honestly believe that this province is in a good place at this time, that the brethren are happy and confident and enjoy a good positive image with the general public, this should be valued and not relinquished lightly.

Next Wednesday at midnight, I pass the baton of office to Bro. Bill Perry who will be our seventeenth PGM as we enter our third century as a province. I am confident that he will lead this province to even higher things.

I offer Bill and his new team my best wishes for a successful and happy commission. I ask that you, the brethren of the province, give them the same level of support that I have enjoyed.

I personally pledge my wholehearted willing support to Bill and his team and wish the brethren of this wonderful province every success for the future.

Thank you brethren for your support and god bless you. Together we achieve more.

Tom Davidson
Provincial Grand Master
3rd June 2016