Thornhill lodge who meet at Queen Street in Sunderland were delighted to receive George Clark, the Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master, who was attending to carry out a most pleasing duty that evening, to present Alan Colquhoun, with a 50year long service certificate. This small lodge was busier than usual as a strong number of visitors had come along for the evening to celebrate Alan’s achievement.
The master, Simon Thompson, opened the lodge before going straight into the main business of the evening, which was that of the presentation. Martin Rankin, the Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies began by collecting both George then Alan and seating them in carefully positioned chairs in the centre of the lodge.
George opened his presentation by passing on Craig Steele’s apologies for not being able to attend this evening, but added, he was delighted for to take his place to mark this celebration. As we know, George is a past master in extracting information from the recipients on these occasions from his inevitable interview style he performs.
Alan’s first job was that of an Apprentice gardener which still today is a very keen gardener, specialising in his hedge rows trimmed into the shapes of dinosaurs and various animals, of which he is very proud. As with most young men then, he went on to do his national service signing up for 3 years in the RAF. After which he joined the gas board, it was then one day he noticed a Masonic ring worn by one of the van drivers there, Sammy strong, Alan approached him and asked how he could join, Sammy and another associate Duncan Macgregor agreed to be his proposer and seconder to then join Thornhill lodge.
Alan was 32 when he was initiated, on November the 16th 1966 and in those days there was Some 150 members attended the lodge. The Master at the time was tom Clarke and it was his very first meeting as Master, Alan recalled Tom was as nervous as Alan that evening. It was some 11years later before Alan became master of Thornhill for the first time. Recalling that his very first candidate was that of John hope, they have been friends ever since and John Was also there tonight to celebrate Alan’s milestone. Luckily, Alan’s Wife, was a teacher at the time and had much work to do at home, so she was keen for Alan to go out whenever he wanted. So he joined a number of side degrees as he enjoyed the challenge of the ritual, just as well, as Alan went on to become master of Thornhill for at least five times the last being in 2013.
In between his freemasonry, Alan loves stamp collecting and has a very comprehensive collection, from which he had brought an envelope, which he showed to George along with letter from his grandfather to his grandmother which had been sent at his time of fighting across in the boar war. Martin Rankin was then asked to read out the 50year certificate, which was met with rapturous applause from the lodge.
Following the Festive board Ray fitzsimmons proposed a toast to Alan, explaining that he was grateful for help in which he had received with his ritual over the years from Alan and for this he presented Him with a very nice Black bottle of whiskey. Alan then replied to the toast before being presented with a decanter as a gift from the lodge by the master Simon Thompson.