The Masonic Hall, High Street, Prescot was the venue for the celebration of 60 years in Freemasonry for David Prince at Prescot Trinity Lodge No 3401. The WM Daniel Ardelean opened the lodge in due form and completed the domestic business. Daniel then welcomed Assistant Provincial Grand Master Andrew Whittle, the Mersey Valley Group Chairman David Atkinson and other distinguished brethren.
Following procedure, Daniel offered Andrew the gavel which he accepted and then David was seated in a convenient seat before him and Andrew then gave a history of David’s life. Some very famous people were born in 1941 including, Bob Dylan, Richie Valens, Ann Margaret, Alex Ferguson, Neil Diamond, Otis Redding, Linda McCartney, Faye Dunaway, Jesse Jackson, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Placido Domingo and probably the most famous of them all, David Prince.
David was born in October 1941 to his father Albert an accountant at Pilkington Glass manufacturers in St Helens at their Cowley Hill plant, and his mother Catherine who was a local nursery schoolteacher. David was the first born but over the next few years the family unit would be completed with the arrival of a younger sister Katherine now aged 80 and a younger brother Geoffrey who has sadly passed away. David remembers a happy family life living at Alexandra Drive, West Park, St Helens.
Once he was five years old, David attended Knowsley Road Primary School, St Helens where he fully enjoyed his time and then at the age of 11 years having passed his 11 plus examination, he progressed to the prestigious local Cowley Grammar School. He left school with a collection of ‘O’ Levels and ‘A’ levels. David was also found as a regular at the Tolver Street Presbyterian Church in St Helens during his formative years.
David then attended Chester College to follow his desire to become a teacher, following in his mother’s footsteps. He started training as a secondary education teacher, but the course was overprescribed so when the college offered students that chance to change to primary education he jumped at the opportunity. David tells me it was the best decision he has ever made and after the usual period of hard study and some good social times, David graduated with his Teacher’s Certificate in 1960.
Whilst studying at Chester College, which at that time was an all-male college, David met the love of his life a young lady by the name of Pat who was studying primary education at the all-female Wrexham College. Following a happy and suitable courtship they would marry at Tolver Street Presbyterian Church in St Helens on the 2 April 1966. During most of their 57 years of marriage, Pat has as well as being a mum, maintaining the home, bringing up her two daughters and caring for Hazel when she became sick, also managed to have a successful career as a primary teacher.
Turning back to David’s teaching career, it started with his first teaching post in September 1963 at Park Brow Primary School located in Kirkby. Although he said that he actually had to start in July that year, as there was a teacher shortage caused by the time to gain the teachers certificate being increased from two to three years, there had been no new teachers available in 1962. After five years of teaching in Kirkby, David moved on promotion to Linslade County Primary School in Linslade, Bedfordshire. This of course required him and Pat to up sticks and move to Linslade. After two years David was again promoted to the position of Head Teacher at Keysoe County Primary School in Keysoe, Bedfordshire.
In 1976 David had a yearning to return north and took up the position of Head Teacher at Beamont County Primary School in Warrington. The school was situated over two floors and allowed David to keep his steps count high as it did not have a lift. David had started to study for the new Batchelors of Education. Honours Degree at Wall Hall in Hertford and had completed the first year of study before he left Bedfordshire to take up the job in Warrington. As this was important to David, he decided to continue with his studies and signed up at Chester College and graduated with his Batchelors of Education Honours Degree.
Following his retirement from full-time in 1995and the fitting of the new hip, it was not long before David found himself in need of something to do, so he eventually took two part-time jobs. The first was with Warrington Rugby League Club in 1996 as an ambassador in a voluntary role responsible for liaising with local schools and arranging stadium tours. David was responsible for starting the club’s community development scheme, and as the role developed it became a paid position as the club’s development officer. David, who was already a rugby coach from his early 20s, found that his involvement with Warrington Rugby League Club also allowed him to obtain several qualifications as a referee in the junior leagues, and then as a referee assessor for all the top referees.
In 2010 David had a second hip replacement, some 15 years after his first replacement. Unfortunately for David his hip required a third replacement in 2016 only six years later and this replacement did not go well and following some medical complications it left David unable to drive and without a driving licence. This has had a huge impact on David’s life as he is solely reliable on his good wife Pat to drive him anywhere not accessible on local transport.
Obviously working either full-time as a head teacher or in retirement when he needed two part-time jobs to satisfy him, during his time in Warrington David also served as a magistrate for over t30 years, becoming Youth Panel Chair for six years and then Bench Chair from 2008 to 2010. David was also an appraiser and mentor to new magistrates. Allowing him to continue using his teaching skills. Unfortunately, the law dictates that magistrates must retire at seventy years of age and so it was that in 2011 that David had to retire.
Turning to David’s Masonic journey, it started with his family connections. James Smallwood, his grandfather, was a member and past master of Red Triangle Lodge No 3874, as was his father Albert Prince, who was also a founding member of Hardshaw Lodge No 8722 meeting at St Helens Masonic Hall, St Helens, being consecrated on 13 January 1977. His uncle Ben Davies was also a member and past mater of the lodge as well as serving as its treasurer for several years. His brother Geoffrey, who unfortunately has passed away, was also a member of the lodge.
David was initiated into Red Triangle Lodge on 17 December 1963 at the Carlton Restaurant, Eberle Street, Liverpool. Unfortunately, as the Lodge is no longer in existence the records were returned to the United Grand Lodge of England and are kept in deep storage, so it has not been possible to get a copy of the minutes from that meeting. However, David says that his father Albert Prince and his Uncle Ben Davies where his proposer and seconder. David was passed to the degree of a fellow craft on 21January 1964 and raised to the sublime degree of a master Mason on 21April 1964.
David started to progress through the offices of Red Triangle Lodge, but he had to move away to work and live in the Bedford area in 1970. However, David still managed to attend the annual installation meeting as it always fell in the school half-term. The meeting place was also convenient for David to get the train into Lime Street Station and walk to Eberle Street, even though it would mean returning on the Fish Train to Northampton late in the evening after the meeting.
Over the years, Red Triangle Lodge had several meeting places: 1918 – 1952 Young Men’s Christian Association Rooms, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, 1952 – 1967 Carlton Restaurant, Eberle Street, Liverpool, 1967 – 1977 Carlton Masonic Hall, Eberle Street, Liverpool, 1977 – 1987 Masonic Hall, High Street, Prescot, 1987 – 2006 Woolton Hall, Speke Road, Woolton, Liverpool.
David, having returned to live up north, was installed as WM on in October 1983. He says that his year in office was very memorable as he met many Masonic colleagues also in office, with whom he become lifelong friends. In fact, for the best part of 30 years, they would meet with their wives once a year outside of Freemasonry for a meal and a catch up, as well as seeing each other at Masonic meetings.
David’s services to his lodge were recognised by the Province of West Lancashire when he received his first appointment to Provincial rank as a Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon on the 25 May 1993. David was subsequently recognised again by the Province when he received a promotion to the very high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden on the 4 October 2001, the rank he still holds today.
Red Triangle Lodge would eventually suffer from falling member numbers, so after careful thought and in-depth discussions the decision was taken to amalgamate the lodge. Therefore, on 15 June 2006 they amalgamated with Antient Manor Lodge No 4511 and Saint Michael’s Temperance Lodge No 3401 to form the Prescot Trinity Lodge No 3401. The ceremony took place under the supervision of the Provincial Grand Master Colin Penty Wright, at Widnes Masonic Hall due to the number of brethren attending the meeting. The newly amalgamated lodge would thereafter use Prescot Masonic Hall as its permanent home and meeting place.
Thankfully tonight, David’s next-door neighbour James (Jim) Stubbings from Newton Lodge No.6288 meeting at Warrington Masonic Hall is David’s personal guest and has been good enough to drive to Prescot Masonic Hall so that David can attend his special celebration. Brethren, as much as charity is a large part of Freemasonry, we must remember that service is just as important, this is why the Provincial Grand Master includes Service as one of the four core values of Freemasonry along with Integrity, Friendship and Respect. Service brethren, can start at home and include assistance to a brother in need. I’m sure I speak on behalf of everybody present that we are absolutely delighted to see David here this evening to celebrate his 60th anniversary as a Freemason and even more so that he has allowed us to celebrate his special evening with him. To read Andrew’s full script, click here.
Such is the importance of David’s diamond jubilee, that our Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews has caused a certificate to be struck to mark this wonderful achievement and I now ask David Atkinson then read contents of the certificate.