A regular quip refers to waiting a substantial period of time for a London bus when two arrive at the same time. It wasn’t buses but two members of Old Guisborian Lodge 7793, Guisborough, W Bros Stuart Fletcher PPJGW and Alex Jenkins PPJGW, both celebrating 50 years of masonic membership in the lodge. In fact due to the dratted Coronavirus their special evenings were postponed for a further year and it was necessary for a combined evening on Friday 21 October 2021, the presentations being hosted by W Bro Martin Eggermont PAGDC.
W Bro Stuart Fletcher PPJGW (image left) was born locally in 1943 in Nunthorpe to his farmer father Harold and farmer’s daughter Margaret.
Following his father’s farming lead in the Gt Ayton area his family have had ‘Fletchers’ working farm for 5 generations.
Stuart was initiated in September 1970 and was WM in 1982, receiving Provincial honours in 2003.
Having been involved with Cleveland Fox Hounds from the age of 10 years, he was Master 1985-1990 and has been again since 2012.
In his time as a mason he notes that he and others were generally available for lodge but the modern mason’s family and work commitments now make their availability more difficult. He is of the opinion though that you only get out of it what you put in!
Accompanying presentation of his 50 years certificate and badge Stuart received an ash base supporting two horseshoes representing columns at a porch way separated by a larger horseshoe representing King Solomon, the piece with clear reference to Stuarts equine exploits, it being worked by lodge member and Almoner W Bro Stuart Adamson.
W Bro Alexander James Jenkins PPJGW (image right) was born in Northampton in 1937, his father Walter a Furniture Salesman and later in Insurance and mother Janet, a Primary Schoolteacher, later to be a great influence on him to get a degree for his future career.
During the war years of 1939-45 he recalls time spent in Anderson bomb shelters through German air raids, aircraft passing over Northampton on their bombing run, especially on Coventry where his father served with the ARP, the City suffering at least 17 raids killing many hundreds and destroying thousands of homes.
After school a career in banking beckoned but in 1955 he entered Durham University to study ‘Modern History’ and it was at Durham he met future wife Nona.
In 1964 he was appointed Head of History at Guisborough Grammar School and later joined Round Table being a member for about ten years.
Retiring from full time teaching in 1992 as Senior Tutor at Prior Pursglove VI Form College he worked another 2 years part time and having enjoyed his career his opinion is that if you didn’t enjoy it you wouldn’t have lasted long!
Masonically he was initiated on 24 April 1971 and was lodge secretary on two occasions and ADC being WM in 1983 and in 1999 received Provincial honours as PPJGW. In the Royal Arch he was exalted into Priory Chapter, Guisborough in 1974 becoming MEZ in 1990 and Scribe E 1994-2008. Provincial Honours followed in 2003 as PPGScrN.
Accompanying presentation of his 50 years certificate and badge Alex received an oak blackboard rubber shaped inkwell, pencil and stick of chalk, a clear reference to his life in teaching, the piece being worked by W Bro David Kirwan of Yarm Lodge.
