At Southport Masonic Hall, a celebration was held for a distinguished member of Southport Emulation Lodge No 3675. Frank Pointon has been a long time, and extremely hard working, pillar of the lodge. The respect and affection held for Frank was evident even before proceedings began with the brethren warmly greeting each other with smiles outside the lodge room, and large number of visitors having made a special effort to attend.
Attendees 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 and take part in the celebrations. The lodge was first opened by the WM John Deal, who promptly conducted the business of the lodge prior to the main event of the evening. Frank Umbers was warmly welcomed by John, who offered him the gavel. This was accepted with grace and a chair was brought forwards for Frank Pointon
Frank Pointon was born in Southport in 1946 to a loving family. His parents, Horatio and Edith, soon moved to Liverpool to take over a post office, tobacconist and sweet shop. Following school, Frank took a position as an articled clerk for an accountancy firm, who quickly benefited from the integrity and attention to detail that would be the hallmarks of Frank’s life. The role was not enough for Frank’s ambition however and he soon moved to a construction firm where he enjoyed a promotion laden 28 years working on such large projects as the construction of Wymott Prison, four separate motorways and Kew Hospital. Following the company relocating, and at this point Commercial Manager reporting directly to the MD, Frank decided it was time for a new challenge.
He spent the final years of his career seeking out exciting projects that offered him something new, working for a software company, running a small shopping centre and being regional facilities manager looking after over 60 centres, parks and stores. During this time, he picked up a large number of qualifications and didn’t retire until 2020, when he eventually decided to call time on his distinguished career.
In 1964 Frank met a young lady called Mary, who he soon became smitten with. He quickly asked her on a date and only four years later in July 1968 they were married. The union proved an extremely happy and successful one. Two beautiful children, Jane and Michael, followed and Frank was able to offer his children a happy home life that mirrored the one he had experienced. The family continued to grow, Frank and Mary now have five grandchildren and one great grandchild. Throughout, Frank brought the same can-do spirit to his family life he did to his work and this can perhaps best be evidenced by his history with the scout troop. Having originally volunteered to help out for ‘just a few hours’, he became scout leader for four years, Assistant District Commissioner for six years and District Commissioner for 12 years. This led to him receiving the Medal of Merit, Bar to the Medal of Merit and the Silver Acorn, this latter being the highest award the organisation could offer. He was also able to bring his experience at work to help the group, organising the funding and rebuild of the District Scout Headquarters after it was destroyed by fire. This gave him the chance to meet HRH the Duke of Kent, which he did in 1999. Frank also has a love of sailing, starting a company providing training to scout leaders in water activities in 2000 and becoming an experienced instructor with a number of sailings, water skiing and canoeing organisations.
None of these demands on his time seemed to slow Frank down in his Masonic career. Frank was initiated into Southport Emulation Lodge in 1974, having been proudly nominated by his father Horatio Pointon. While he joined several other Masonic Orders, including Southport Emulation Chapter No 3675 in 1979, Craft Masonry was always his first love. As a result, Southport Emulation Lodge came to benefit considerably from his energy. When he was WM for the first time in 1987, he was working in Sunderland, but this did not stop Frank fulfilling all his master’s duties in person and indeed visiting every lodge in the Southport Group. He was Master again in 2008, has served as treasurer and director of ceremonies, been a member of the Social Committee since 1983 and a lodge auditor for decades. He was also Chairman of the Centenary Committee, raising £10,100 for charity and funding the Southport Emulation Lodge banner, which is on display in the Southport Masonic Hall at Duke Street to this day.
All this naturally resulted to a series of promotions resulting in his most recent promotion to PPGSwdB in 2023. Fittingly this mirrored the rank of his own father who was WM in 1958 and an acting ProvGSwdB. This was not the only way Masonry linked to his family. Frank was extremely proud to install his son as WM of Southport Emulation Lodge in 2012, and both his mother and wife Mary were actively involved with Ladies Freemasonry
Frank was then handed his certificate by Brian Griffiths and presented to the lodge room to heartfelt applause. The gavel was then returned to the John, who closed the lodge.
The evening proceeded to the festive board and a description of the evening cannot pass without reference to the speeches. Brian Griffiths first rose to thank Frank Umbers for coming and congratulate him on his upcoming promotion to Deputy Provincial Grand Master. Frank Umbers, after thanking Brian and his own team then seamlessly turned to toast the principal guest of the evening. Southport Emulation lodge then resumed the floor as Keith Aldis rose to raise the toast to Frank, thanking him for all his support, help and mentoring over the years. The overriding theme of Keith’s speech mirrored the description of Frank’s life inside the lodge room, namely integrity and tireless hard work. Keith took pains to note how Franks conduct throughout his life has perfectly mirrored the ethics of guidance given in the initiation, and in particular the many times Frank had been there for his brothers, colleagues and family. He also noted the exceptional ritualist Frank was and remains to this day, and how much he continues to help others achieve the highest of standards. He closed by presenting not one but four separate cards.
The final word of course belonged to Frank, who most naturally, first made it about others. After thanking Keith for his kind words, he noted the importance of family in his journey and in particular the support of his lady wife. Frank then went on to entertain the room with a number of anecdotes, his customary dry wit leaving the room in uproarious laughter. He noted that the lodge was originally a policeman’s lodge and regaled them with tales on how he had been very much known to the police in his youth, joked about the fitness required to be a sword bearer and surprised all with a number of stories that turned out just to the setup for unexpected jokes.
Having left the room in stiches he returned to thinking of others. He thanked all for coming and then guided brethren, young and old, with tales on the importance of honesty and integrity and how doing the right thing had always been the right thing to do. Fittingly, he ended in charity by presenting a bicentenary coin from America as a special gift to Frank Umbers. He then presented three sets of flowers to Frank, the deputy group vice chairman and the lodge Secretary Steve Cullen, who had organised the evening. In the end, the celebrations continued long into the evening as all applauded this most excellent of Masons and the integrity, work ethic and charitable spirit he perfectly embodied.