The Lodge of Furness No 995, Furness and South Lakeland Group’s oldest lodge, has been pleased to celebrate the diamond jubilee of its most senior member, Harold Rowland Saunders, known to all as Rowley. There were 83 brethren present to see principal guest Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Schofield celebrate Rowley’s life and Masonic career in a fascinating retrospective.
Present were Deputy Provincial Grand Master Frank Umbers, Past Provincial Grand Master Tony Harrison and Past Provincial Grand Master of Cumberland and Westmorland Norman Thompson; Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master Phil Gunning; Past Assistant Provincial Grand Masters: Phil Gardner, David Grainger and Keith Kemp. Along with grand officers: Chris Band, Alan Jones, Phil Preston, Paul Broadley and Gary Rogerson. Testament to the respect and esteem in which Rowley is held by so many across the Province of West Lancashire.
Acting Provincial officers attending were Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Jamie Lindsay, Provincial Grand Steward Ian Woods with Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Phil Renney. The Furness and South Lakeland Group was represented by chairman Chris Gray, vice chairman Harry Chatfield and secretary Kevin Rigg.
WM Garry Grieve opened the lodge to the third degree and then welcomed Deputy Provincial Grand Master Frank Umbers to the lodge; Frank in return thanked Gary and the assembled brethren for their welcome and salutations and introduced Peter Schofield to Gary. Gary offered the gavel of the lodge to Peter and an invitation to occupy the chair of King Solomon which he readily accepted. Peter settled himself and the celebration of Rowley’s Diamond Jubilee began in earnest.
Harold Rowland Saunders was born in 1937 at the family home in Spark Bridge. He lived with his father and mother, three brothers and a sister. Fred developed a strict, disciplined work ethic from an early age and was taken out of school at the age of 13 to tend to the horses used to transport stone from quarries around the local area for the construction of roads.
At the end of the Second World War the Ministry of Defence was selling off wagons which were surplus to requirements. Fred took this opportunity and purchased a fleet of motorised vehicles; Ashes Farm was purchased and developed into the company depot and remains the home of the business.
Rowley attended Penny Bridge Infants and Junior School. At Junior School, Rowley’s close friends bragged that they were receiving private tuition in order to gain entry to Ulverston Grammar School. Rowley did not have access to a private tutor; however, he was admitted to the Grammar School unlike his friends.
Rowley left Ulverston Grammar School with four GCSEs. He also played rugby for the school team, which left him with a love for the game that has stayed with him for life. On leaving school, he started his working life at Martins Bank in Coniston as a bank clerk. However, he still maintained his association with the family business by driving company vehicles at weekends.
In 1956 Rowley was called up for National Service and served for the Royal Air Force, based initially at Locking Airfield near Bristol. During his service, he was promoted to Senior Aircraftman. When asked what role he wished to train for in the RAF he quite naturally requested training as a lorry driver; however Rowley was sent to train as a radio mechanic. On completing his training at Locking, he was posted to Nicosia in Cyprus and was demobbed from the RAF in May 1958. Rowley recalled that one of his proudest sporting achievements was that he was selected by the Royal Air Force rugby team to play against Bristol’s first team at their home ground in the city.
On his return to the UK he resumed employment at Martins Bank. By this time, his father’s health was failing and he requested leave of absence to help out with the business during this difficult time. The bank refused, so he resigned and went to work full-time in the family firm as driver manager and as a ‘general dogsbody’.
Rowley’s father sadly passed away, and his future was working in the family business, although his mother made it abundantly clear that she was the boss. Along with his family members, Rowley developed the business into a highly successful organisation and it quite literally became a household name in the area. The business eventually became one of the largest, most well-respected haulage companies in the North West. He retired from the family business in November 2015 after almost 73 years of totally committed, devoted and dedicated service, a truly magnificent achievement.
As a young man before his National Service he would regularly attend local Hunt Balls. It was while attending such a ball at Grizebeck that Joyce, a wages clerk in Vickers Shipyard, caught his eye. After plucking up the courage to ask her for a dance, the relationship grew and they continued to write to each other during his National Service. On his return to the UK the relationship blossomed and, following a suitable courtship he was married in 1960 at St Cuthbert’s Church in Kirkby.
Initially Rowley lived with Joyce’s grandparents at Marshside for some two years until Hill Farm at Grizebeck was ready. This became the family home, where he still resides. In 1961 Rowley was blessed with a daughter who is married to John, a member of Baldwin Lodge No 1398. Deborah has provided him with two grandsons and three great-grandchildren. Unfortunately, Joyce is no longer with us. She was a very special lady and she is deeply missed by him and his entire family.
Pictured from left to right, are: Paul Broadley, Keith Kemp, Phil Gardner, Norman Thompson, Mathew Hampson, Alan Jones, Phil Gunning, Tony Harrison, Frank Umbers, Chris Band, Rowley Saunders, Gary Grieve, Peter Schofield, Chris Gray, Dave Grainger, Gary Rogerson and Phil Preston.
Rowley’s main hobby in life has been Freemasonry; however, he found time for other hobbies and community activities. He has held two spells as Chairman of the Kirkby and Ireleth Parish Council over many years and remains an active member to date. He was Chairman of the Kirkby branch of the British Legion, helping to raise many hundreds of pounds for the local Poppy Appeal. He enjoys gardening and socialising with his new-found friend and companion Doris.
Freemasonry was no stranger to Rowley as his grandfather and great-grandfather were members of Whitwell Lodge No 1390 meeting in Millom in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland. His Masonic journey began in September 1966 when, poor and penniless, he was initiated into The Lodge of Furness No 995 meeting at Kings Road, Ulverston.
He was proposed into Freemasonry by Jack Ivison who was a manager at Stott Bobbin Mill, whom he met when delivering timber. His seconder was Charlie Dickinson. Having written to the lodge, Rowley said that following the submission of his letter he had to wait five years for a response.
Rowley was passed to the degree of a fellow craft in April 1967 and raised to the sublime degree of a master Mason in June that same year. Following his initiation, Rowley progressed through the various offices of the lodge before becoming WM in 1978.
Rowley was appointed Furness and South Lakeland Group Secretary in 1994 and group vice chairman in 1996. He continued in that role until 2006 when he was appointed group chairman, finally retiring from that role in 2013.
Rowley was the founder treasurer of the Furness and South Lakeland Group Boxing committee from its inception in 1985 until 1993, which is still going strong today and has raised in the region of £200,000 for local charities and worthy causes.
As a group officer, Rowley was instrumental in setting up and organising the stewarding of the Brathay Marathon 30 years ago. The group still stewards this event to this day and the organisers of the marathon readily admit that without the group’s help the event, quite simply, could not go ahead.
In Provincial Grand Lodge, Rowley was appointed to Provincial Grand Steward in 1985 and received promotion to Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer in 1989 before being promoted in 1995 to the very high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden, undoubtedly a just reward for all his hard work, commitment and dedication to the lodge, the group and the Province of West Lancashire. In 1997 Rowley received a grand rank appointment of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies before being promoted in 2007 to the rank of Past Junior Grand Deacon in the United Grand Lodge of England, again just reward for his outstanding commitment to Freemasonry generally.
Rowley is a founder member of Lonsdale Lodge of Installed Masters No 9422 and is also a member of Hindpool Lodge No 1225. In the Royal Arch, he was exalted into Furness Chapter No 995 in 1980 becoming first principal in 1989. He joined Vale Chapter of Installed Principals No 5256 in 2007 and was installed as first principal in 2015. In Provincial Grand Chapter, he was appointed to Past Provincial Past Grand Sojourner in 1993 before being promoted to the very high rank of Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah in 1995.
His outstanding service to Freemasonry was once again acknowledged by Supreme Grand Chapter in 1999 when he received the appointment of Past Grand Standard Bearer before further promotion in 2010 to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Sojourner.
Rowley’s story demonstrates beyond words his devotion and loyalty to Freemasonry and all the brethren owe him a great debt of gratitude for all he has done; and it has been a great privilege and pleasure for Peter Schofield to share that story with all the brethren present.