Paul Webster celebrated his 50th year in Freemasonry with the brethren and guests at Egerton Worsley Lodge No 1213 over at Eccles Masonic Hall. The lodge and guests were honoured to welcome Stuart Boyd, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, accompanied by Trafford Group Chairman Patrick Walsh together with other grand and Provincial grand officers
After all the initial business was taken care of, the lodge was pleased to receive Stuart, who was presented to the WM Paul Webster. Paul offered Stuart the gavel of the lodge and on this occasion, he accepted it. Paul was then placed on a comfy chair in the middle of the floor in front of Stuart.
Having spent some time with Paul, Stuart set the scene of Paul, the man and the Mason. Paul was born in October 1952, Trafalgar Day, so the flags are always out to celebrate his birth, as they are with his brother Derek, whose birthday is on St Georges Day.
Born in Eccles, Paul went to school at the old Moorside Infants, Primary and Secondary Schools, which he enjoyed, particularly PE and sports, playing across the codes for Swinton Schools at rugby league and Eccles Rugby Union Club.
Leaving school at 16, wishing to follow a career as a TV cameraman, he took an apprenticeship at the GPO as it was then, working and studying at Openshaw Technical College taking and passing his technical exams whilst working across the Manchester North Area ultimately becoming well connected by taking a post at the Urmston Telephone Exchange.
In the 1970’s, having worked in the family butchers’ shops from a young age at nights and weekends, Paul went to work once more with his father in the butchers shop ultimately taking responsibility for the shop in Pendlebury Road until the impact of the BSE crisis in 1998 which closed the shop after 50 years of trading. On closing the shop, Paul worked in the meat industry, first as a meat technician in the abattoir at Philips Park, Manchester and then as a meat inspector.
This was a busy time for the meat industry, as it coped with the foot and mouth epidemic and the Meat Hygiene Service morphing into the Foods Standards Agency. Paul’s role took him across the fields of England, travelling 50,000 miles a year from Lancashire’s Preston, Bamber Bridge, Great Harwood and Colne through Cumbria all the Ridings of Yorkshire, Wearside and Tyneside, travelling once to South Shields to meet a vet and inspect 10 cattle and 150 lambs. And with all those miles, he never missed a lodge meeting.
In Colne he visited Woodheads, which was part of the Morrison Group and he transferred to Morrisons where he stayed until 2024 when he retired on health grounds after catching an infection during a triple bypass heart operation in 2023.
Paul has two Daughters, Claire who is Head of Fundraising for a Charity in Oldham and Helen, who is also a chip off the old butcher’s block, as she is an Environmental Health Inspector. Paul also has four grandchildren, which he takes every opportunity to spoil. Travelling this journey with him for the past 28 years until she passed away was Bev. They met when he was delivering meat to the care home where she worked and shared many wonderful times together.
Masonically, Paul was initiated into Egerton Lodge No 2216 on 3 March 1976, being proposed by his father and seconded by his brother Derek who was junior deacon at his Initiation with his father carrying out the passing and raising ceremonies in the May and October of that year.
After holding every office in the lodge, Paul became WM of Egerton Lodge in 1984 and again in 2005 after holding the offices of charity steward, junior warden and senior warden. In February 2013 he joined the newly amalgamated Egerton Worsley Lodge, and always one to be involved, served as ADC and senior warden, before becoming WM in 2018 and has since served as DC for five years, mentor and once again in his 50th year as WM.
It is fitting that it is in this Lodge that his 50 years in Freemasonry should be celebrated and they are proud to host his celebration evening. A lodge where family connection and mutual support continue to be tangible. It was to here that his mother Nelly insisted he should attend three days after his father Bert’s passing in 1995 and Nelly continued to pay for.
Outside of Egerton Worsley Lodge, Paul is a founder member of Border Lodge of Installed Masters No 9274 taking the office of WM in 1997 and he is also a current member of Westhoughton Lodge No 4215. In the Royal Arch, he is a companion of Swinton Chapter No 6100, taking the office of first principal from 1992 to 1994 and remains a companion of the Provincial Grand Stewards’ Chapter of West Lancashire No 8516
Charitable works have always been important to Paul and in addition to his private good works, in Masonic terms he was in the first wave of Provincial Local Care Officers serving in Eccles for three years until 2006, followed by seven years as Regional Care Officer until 2013.
He also played key roles in the development of the Masonic Halls in the now Trafford Group, most recently being the driving force behind increasing Elm Bank’s function suite sales at a time when the hall’s future was in doubt.
This sterling work has been recognised by the Province of West Lancashire, and he received his first appointment in Provincial Grand Lodge as PProvJGD in 1992 and was promoted in 2001 to PPGSuptWks. In 2007 he became PPJGW and 2013 saw Paul becoming our Province’s first DepProvGAlmoner with him attaining further deserved recognition with his promotion to the prestigious high rank of PPSGW in 2023 and he also holds the Rank of PPGSN in the Royal Arch.
The group chairman, Patrick Walsh, had a delightful task of reading out the details from a framed certificate acknowledging Paul’s 50th year, a certificate which was signed by the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. The certificate was presented to Paul by Stuart followed by very richly deserved applause by all present. Paul was also presented with a lapel pin by Patrick indicating his 50 years. When it was time for Stuart to retire from the lodge, he invited the nights celebrant Paul to retire with him and he other officers.
Afterwards a most pleasant social board took place during which Derek Webster, Paul’s actual brother, gave a toast to Paul. After the toast, Paul gave a most heartfelt response and thanked Derek and everyone else for being there to support him on his special night. Also accompanying Paul were other family and friends including Paul’s daughter Claire, who works as part of the team at the MAHDLO charity in Oldham which is also where Paul himself volunteers. The raffle raised the sum of £200 which was donated to the MAHDLO charity.