John Ralph Davies was born in December 1922, 101 years 2 months and 27 days ago. At the March 2024 meeting of Royal George Chapter No 4119 at Garston Masonic Hall, he was presented with his jubilee certificate by Colin Rowling who said the chapter was worried that John might miss the celebration as he was moving imminently to Walton-on-Thames to be nearer to his granddaughter. However, because of a delay in the process he was able attend.
Colin announced that John was initiated in Proscenium Lodge No 4152 in the Province of Cheshire in December 1969, the day after his 47th birthday. He became master in November 1976, just seven years after his initiation. He served as senior warden again in September 2009, but the lodge was erased in June 2014, so he was a Craft Mason for 45 years. Colin hoped John would receive his jubilee in the Craft at the age of 106 if he joined a lodge in Walton-on-Thames!
John was exalted in Royal George Chapter on 20 March 1974, and served as first principal in November 1981, seven years after his exaltation. He progressed through the three chairs again in November 1994, 1995, finally being invested as first principal in 1996. More recently he served as second principal again in November 2017 at the ripe old age of 95.
He received his first Provincial appointment of Past Provincial Assistant Grand Sojourner in 1989 and was promoted to Past Provincial Grand Sojourner in 1999. In 2009 he received the rank of Past Provincial Deputy Grand Sword Bearer. His last promotion was in September 2023 when he was promoted to Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah, ‘in the field’ by the Grand Superintendent Mark Matthews and now he has reached his 50th jubilee in the Royal Arch.
Colin explained that those who have served for 50 years in any organisation are to be admired, but at the age of 101, John is most certainly to be revered. At the festive board John reiterated his thanks to those newer joining members of his chapter that now secures its future.
After the jubilee celebration, David Atkinson and Colin Rowling visited John at his home and presented him with a bottle of gin and tonic so that he could keep up his tradition of two glasses of gin and tonic before retiring to bed. This, he maintains, is the secret of his longevity!