John Robson celebrated 50 years in Freemasonry, hosted by Anderson Lodge No 8470 at Westhoughton Masonic Hall. He is the first initiate from Anderton Lodge to celebrate his half-century and only the third member of the lodge to be accorded the honour.
Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Lockett was joined by Past Assistant Provincial Grand Masters Tony Bent, Bill Huck and Frank Wilkinson, along with grand officers Geoff Bent, Peter Mason, Kenneth Shaw, Peter Allen, Malcolm Dewhurst, John Dutchman-Smith, Brian Everall, Stephen Gregory, Ian Higham, David Holland, and David Kavanagh. Also present were; Chorley and Leyland Group Vice Chairman Michael Silver, who was supported by Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Bryan Cambidge, Provincial Assistant Grand Pursuivant Syd Bateson and Provincial Grand Steward Stuart Bateson.
WM Jason Halstead opened the lodge in the three degrees and on a report, Peter Lockett demanded admission. On entering the lodge, Peter was offered the gavel by Jason, which was duly accepted. Peter resumed labour in the first degree and requested Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Bryan Cambidge to place the celebrant John in a chair before him.
The brethren were informed that John was born in 1943 in Buckinghamshire. His parents were living in Croydon at the time and his mother was evacuated for his birth due to heavy bombing. John has a sister and two younger brothers. He married Shirley in 1965, but they regrettably divorced in 1986. (Shirley’s father played a major part in John becoming a Freemason.) John and Shirley have a daughter, Eleanor and a son Matthew, with a granddaughter Emily. Following John and Shirley’s divorce, John met Kathryn at a wine bar and they married in 1996, with John adopting his new family.
John attended various schools before qualifying as a chartered surveyor following a course at the University of Reading’s College of Estate Management and his first job was in the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. He then became a valuer at the Inland Revenue Valuation Office, later becoming the valuer at Crankshaw & Co, Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents in Bolton, eventually rising to Branch Manager. An opportunity arose and he became a partner of the new firm of Graham Ball & Partners in Bolton. He went on to manage their residential estate agency, where he opened three new branches and acquired two others. The business was sold to Halifax Building Society and John subsequently worked for Halifax Estate Agents. Having a change of direction in 1990, John became a self-employed petrol station proprietor with sites throughout the Northwest and in 2004, John had enough of working life and decided to retire.
The principal interest for John is now the theatre and he has participated in school plays, pantomimes and was the volunteer assistant stage manager at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Barrow-in-Furness. John has been a cast member with many different amateur dramatics societies and he and Kathryn are frequent visitors to shows throughout the country. John also follows football and is a former season ticket holder at Bolton Wanderers and with Kath, they have also been supporters of Manchester United. John is also a volunteer community first responder and is trained in first aid.
In Masonry, John’s Masonic journey began in 1975 when he was initiated into Anderton Lodge, becoming WM in 1983 and initiating his candidate, Frank Wilkinson. (Frank was later appointed Assistant Provincial Grand Master). John was director of ceremonies of Anderton Lodge from 1987 to 1992 and charity steward in 1993. During 1987, John was a founder member of Phoenix Lodge of Installed Masters No 9206, serving as director of ceremonies from 1994 to 1999. He joined Coronation Lodge of Westhoughton No 7258 in 1995 and was WM in 2002 and later resigned in 2004 when he relocated to Silverdale.
John joined Silverdale Lodge No 6926 in 2005 and Lathom Lodge No 2229 in 2008, but resigned in 2012. In 2013, John was elected an honorary member of Coronation Lodge of Westhoughton and also became an honorary member of St Bartholomew Lodge No 6071 (subsequently St Bartholomew with Brookfield Lodge No 5077 after amalgamation); but the lodge later surrendered its warrant. John was elected as an honorary member of Blainscough Lodge No 8532 in 2015 and in 2018 he joined Westmorland Lodge of Installed Masters No 7111 in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland, being appointed secretary of that lodge in 2019.
Promotion to Provincial grand rank came to John in 1990 with the rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon, promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 1997, and in 2023 received his first appointment as Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland. John was chairman of the Chorley and District Group from 2008 to 2013 and received grand rank in 2009 as Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
In Royal Arch, John was exalted into Horwich Chapter No 2324 in 1983 and was installed as first principal in 1997, becoming scribe Ezra from 2003 to 2008. He was appointed as Provincial Grand Steward in 1999 and joined the Provincial Grand Stewards’ Chapter of West Lancashire No 8516 and Setantia Chapter of First Principals No 7755 that same year, but resigned from Setantia Chapter of First Principals in 2013. John has been a member of Sandylands Chapter No 5702 in Morecambe since 2007, also joining Chorley Chapter No 6287 in 2010 and Vale Chapter of Installed Principals No 5256 in 2018. John also joined Cumberland and Westmorland Installed Principals’ Chapter No 8071 and was elected an honorary member of Chorley Chapter in 2019.
John was promoted in 2003 to Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer and in 2010 promoted again to Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah. He received his first appointment to Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland in 2024. John received his first Royal Arch grand rank appointment in 2011 as Past Grand Standard Bearer and in 2021 he was promoted to Past Assistant Grand Sojourner.
Peter Lockett asked the Anderson Lodge secretary, Gordon Southworth, to read aloud an extract of the minutes of John’s initiation ceremony. At the end of Peter Lockett’s address, group vice-chairman Michael Silver read aloud the citation on the framed certificate which was then presented to John Robson in his recognition of his half-century of Masonic service.
Peter Lockett then requested Jason to resume his proper place in the lodge, at which time Peter Lockett, accompanied by grand, acting Provincial grand officers and the group vice chairman, retired from the lodge. The lodge was closed in the first degree and the brethren retired to the bar and festive board for a splendid four-course meal.
At the end of the festive board, the WM presented John with a presentation bottle of wine and crystal glasses on behalf of the brethren of Anderton Lodge. Rick Winfield presented John with a 50-year lapel badge and then John and Peter were both given bouquets of flowers by the lodge to present to their respective wives.
