The regular meeting of White Hills Lodge No 5209 on 17 of November 2025 marked the exact date in 1975 when John Sidgreaves was initiated into the lodge. After 50 years in Masonry John has certainly had an interesting and eventful time as a Mason. Within this time, John brought his own grandson, Danny Dewhurst, into the lodge. Danny was scheduled to fly back to Saudi Arabia but wanted to make sure he was free to attend his grandfathers’ celebration.
The principal guest in attendance was Assistant Provincial Grand Master Jonathan Heaton. Jonathan was most pleased to be there for John during this special evening. Something Jonathan will certainly remember when he attends other lodges. It was commented in lodge that there were many visitors in attendance all who were there to see and support John in his 50 years celebration.
Jonathan started off by talking about Johns early life and family, from his birth on St Patricks day to working within the farming community with his grandfather and great-grandfather until he decided to hang up his pitchfork for some keys to an HGV. During this he met his wife June, they had a short engagement and were married by April 1964. Throughout their lives, John and June have had two children, seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, one of which is Danny.
After working as an HGV driver, John moved to selling vegetables. After this, with his wife June, they decided to open a bakery in 1980. From a missing birthday cake to being a part of so many weddings, birthdays and events, they both decided to retire in 2009.
Johns Masonry began by the lodge WM Roy Lewis at that time proposing him. Roy had been bringing John to events a number of times and so, planting the seed for John’s interest in Masonry. John has had a number of roles within the lodge over the years and his current offices are mentor and the current WM of the lodge. This marks the fifth time John has been WM. Johns first Provincial honour was to the Provincial Senior Grand Deacon in 1995, after seven years he was then promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
After so many changes in Masonry and in the world, John has always been there as a constant, steady, good humoured and as everyone in the lodge knows, always ready to lend a hand.
After Jonathan finished with all of this, the group secretary, David Hargreaves read and presented a certificate to John to acknowledge his 50 years in Masonry.
John was most happy with the evening and even went an extra mile to say thank you to everyone who attended, by baking a cake himself, luckily this one didn’t go missing. A friend of his then decorated the cake with Masonic symbols, John was sure to make sure everyone could get a piece and enjoy it.
