Southport Masonic Hall was the venue for a PrAGDC grand celebration for an extremely distinguished member of Tudor Lodge No 6477. David Marcus has been a long-time stalwart with exceptional wit within Masonic circles. On reaching his 50th year in the fraternity, a number of old friends from Shalom Lodge No 7541 made the visit to Tudor Lodge in order to celebrate the evening with him. The respect and affection held for David was evident even before proceedings began with the brothers of his lodge warmly greeting each other with smiles outside the lodge room. This included a large Provincial contingent including Assistant Provincial Grand Master Frank Umbers and his team, who had made the journey to Southport to make the presentation.
The lodge was first opened by the WM, Leslie Moore, who conducted the business of the lodge prior to the presentation. The Provincial contingent then proceeded in with great fanfare, with Frank being accompanied by the group chairman Phil Stock. The procession was mighty and included Michael Braham, Mark Barton, Les Gilston, Richard Jenkinson as well as David Patton and Robert Midgeley. A personal touch was added as two members of the lodge, Chris Latham and Rodney Roche, acted as Provincial deacons for the evening.
Frank was warmly welcomed by Leslie who offered him the gavel. Frank accepted with grace and a chair was brought forwards for David who, with a smile as welcoming as it was genuine, took his seat for the presentation. Frank quickly showed his uniquely human touch in the volume of research he had done. His job had no doubt been made easier by the fact David had led an interesting and fulfilling life, both inside and outside Freemasonry.
David was born in February 1947 to Victor, an owner of a chain of old-fashioned sweet shops, and Helena, owner of a ladies clothing store. Only three days after he was born the great blizzard of 1947 hit Belfast and continued for several weeks. Temperatures plunged as low as -15 degrees Celsius and snowdrifts piled up to six feet high. At only three days old, it is needless to say David slept through it all, but it was to be a prelude to the endurance and capacity for hard work which would be the hallmarks of David’s life. His childhood was spent in Northern Ireland, attending first Skegoneil Primary School and then Ballyclare High School where he amazed the educational establishment by gaining six ‘O’ Levels.
At 18, he was apprenticed to a firm of accountants where he stayed until 1970. He then took a job in the accounts department at a firm that were involved with the booming airline business. He only joined them as he thought he might ‘get a go’ in an aeroplane, which he did but only when they needed someone to make up the ballast! In 1972 he moved to come and live near his parents who had retired to Southport, putting his brain to good use for a merchant bank in Liverpool. In 1978 saw David being made redundant when the merchant bank closed its doors. He then secured a position as a children’s photographer with a past master of Shalom Lodge. It was during this period that he met his wife Sarah and they quickly fell in love, marrying in 1983. The same year David moved back into finance and stayed there for the rest of his career, firstly as a Financial Consultant, then a Mortgage Packager and finally after he had ‘boxed that off’ as a Mortgage Consultant.
Outside work as well as inside, David likes to keep his brain engaged and has a love of classical music, history travel and politics. He was also highly active in community service for Synagogues, which he did for 20 years. Effectively if there was a function at a synagogue, he was the bouncer on the door.
Masonry has also been central to David life. His father was WM at Shalom Lodge in Northern Ireland, meeting on the same day as the Southport Shalom Lodge which David was to join in 1974. The minutes still survive, describing it as the 116th meeting of the lodge with 57 members present. Victor was able to attend his son’s initiation before he sadly passed, but David was to do his father’s memory proud and become an extremely capable and energetic Mason. He was to be part of three Craft lodges, spending most of his Masonic life with Shalom Lodge and King David Lodge No 7256, before joining Tudor Lodge in 2019. He served as WM three times, firstly in 1984 in Shalom Lodge, then in 1999 at King David Lodge and in 2001 again at Shalom Lodge.
He served as charity steward for 8 years and ADC/DC for 6 years. This led to a series of promotions to PPSGD in 1994 and PPGSuptWks in 2008. This of course was not enough to satisfy David’s energy and he was also a member of Stanley of Bickerstaffe Chapter No 3511 for 40 years, serving as first principle in 2000 and becoming PPAGDC in 2007. He was also a member of another Masonic Order.
The description of David’s distinguished service was observed with rapt attention by the large crowd present, with Frank closing by noting the exceptional example David had set to all. Phil Stock then read out the certificate, before it was presented to David in front of the lodge.
The gavel was then returned to Leslie, who closed the lodge, and the evening proceeded to the festive board. As upstairs the room was joyous and a fitting testament to the positive spirt and humour which have led David to touch so many lives over so many years. As well as the usual toasts and speeches, several special presentations were made. Phil Stock made a point of congratulating Frank on his upcoming promotion to Deputy Provincial Grand Master, before Frank rose to thank his team and seamlessly turned attention back to David.
Dean Walters then presented David with number of cards, before Michael Braham, David’s old friend from Shalom Lodge, proudly stood to propose the toast to the celebrant. Michael had clearly put considerable preparation into his speech and was particularly careful to draw attention to David’s exceptional ability as a ritualist. However, it quickly became clear the characteristic David was most famous for was his sense of humour. Michael did him proud by regaling the room with anecdotes on their early time in Freemasonry together, to rapturous laugher. He closed by presenting to David a personal gift from himself and his wife, which was received most warmly.
The final word did of course belong to David himself. With his practised ease, he first thanked all those present, and especially Michael for his warm words. It is a true testament to David’s character that his speech was full of not just humour but also complements for others, and advice for younger brethren. He highlighted the fun and joy Masonry had brought into his life, and the truly exceptional friendships he had found. He closed with a beautiful and though provoking comment that Masonry had been his veil of peace and all had to applaud this most excellent and wise of brothers.