WBro Peter reaches the big “Five-Oh”
WBro Peter Knapman PPrJGW has reached the landmark milestone of becoming a Masonic Veteran. He is a Past Master of the Lodge of Prudence and Industry no. 1953, in Chard, but began his masonic career in London.
He was initiated on Saturday 3rd April 1971 into the Borderstone Lodge no. 6755 which met in Mincing Lane just up from the Tower of London. It came about after his Father’s funeral in February 1971. Whilst talking to his uncles and cousins he was asked if he had ever considered Freemasonry. The rest is history.
He moved to Somerton in 1972. His next door neighbour was a David Jones, a teacher in Chard, who moved in when he took over as the headmaster of the Montecliffe Junior School in Somerton. He had just been initiated into Prudence and Industry and wanted someone to help him with words for his Second. He was surprised to receive an offer of help from Peter! He proposed him into P&I in 1976. This took him away from Portcullis at Langport which he had lined up. Very much our gain in P&I. Sorry Langport! This did mean, of course, a trip of twenty miles to add to his late nights.
He reached the Chair in 1986 and subsequently became our Director of Ceremonies. He became a firm friend of the late WBro Ivan Lane and the two of them visited widely and joined several side degrees.
He gained Provincial Honours by becoming ProvSGD in 1992; PPrGSwdB in 2003 and PPrJGW in 2011. He has thoroughly enjoyed his time and made many friends, now sadly diminishing.
Hopefully Peter will continue to join us at our meetings for many more years.
Being unable to celebrate with Peter in the Lodge it was arranged for WBro John Nicholls WM and WBro Alan Gitsham to visit Peter in his garden and present him with a bottle of his favourite tipple.
We had a very convivial 90 minutes. It was extremely nice to just see friends again and relax.
Incidentally, the Borderstone Lodge was formed in1948 by workers at the J. Sone Company of iron founders and engineers of Charlton, South London, mostly Scotsmen from the shipyards of Glasgow.
(Peter’s uncle was a McCrimmon)
Alan Gitsham LCO – Lodge of Prudence and Industry 1953 – Chard
