John Vant celebrated his 50 years in Freemasonry at Canis Major Lodge No 9487 over at Urmston Masonic Hall. Stuart Boyd, Assistant Provincial Grand Master was on hand to give the lodge and guests a brief look into the history both personally and Masonically of John. Stuart was accompanied by Trafford Group Chairman, Patrick Walsh, together with Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Phil Renney and other Grand and Provincial Officers.
WM Jason Jones dealt efficiently with the initial business and then the Lodge was pleased to receive Stuart, who was presented to Jason. After the salutations to Stuart, Jason then offered Stuart the gavel of the lodge and on this occasion, he was delighted to accept it even if only for a brief time. Phil Renney then made preparations to collect John and place him comfortably on a chair in front of Stuart. Having previously spent time with John, Stuart set about informing everyone in the lodge about his life, work, and Masonic career.
John was born in October 1942 in Charing, Kent in the farm neighbouring his, which was opposite the local crematorium and was delivered by the local amateur midwife. An only child, John’s home was Harrisons Farm in Charing and his grandfather had been a Farm Bailiff. His father John was in the Army serving in The Hampshire Regiment and his mother Dorothy, usually known as Dolly, was a housewife who also looked after his grandmother.
As with all those of his generation, his early years coincided with those of World War II, and of these times, he most remembers walking along the road seeing the tanks through the box hedges and the aircraft flying over and due to living in the countryside, he had no air raid shelter. On leaving the army in 1946, John’s father took a job driving a lorry for the Flax Works in Pluckley and later starting up his own waste oil business collecting oil from garages across Kent and East Sussex and then taking it to the Rye oil refineries.
While this career change was being lubricated, John attended Charing C of E Primary School where he passed his 11 Plus and attended Ashford Grammar School, where he collected many examination passes, particularly enjoying mathematics. He also gave a great account of himself at sports and left school at the age of 15 having been the junior and intermediate athletics champion, representing the first 11 at football and cricket and being in the second 11 at hockey and cross-country teams.
On leaving school, John attended Isle of Thanet Technical College taking catering, saying: “Didn’t particularly like cooking, but it seemed a good idea at the time”, and after passing his City & Guilds in Hotel and Catering and Kent County Council exams, gaining a Distinction in Hotel Accounts, he became a trainee catering manager for British Rail working in Kings Cross.
Unfortunately, seven days after turning 21 John’s father passed away so he decided to work in the family business, J Vant, running it on behalf of his mother, until he sold it and moved to Lancashire. A business about which the family can be proud as it still operating with many a presence to be found using any internet search engine.
On moving to Lancashire, after owning a car showroom and enjoying the financial aspects of running a business, he was prompted to enrol on an accounting course at Preston Polytechnic followed by a BA in accounting, and after gaining these qualifications, he took a position in the Accounts Department at Warwick and Bailey in Blackburn who once again revved up his connection with the motor trade as they made fuel tanks for British Leyland.
After positions in the accounts department in Remploy, again in Blackburn, and as a Company Accountant at Goodfare Products in Middleton, John took up a post at Kronospan Ltd in Chirk, Wrexham as their Management Accountant being involved with the site’s £45,000,000 turnover and 360 staff, whilst keeping hold of the company head’s chequebook, being signatory of cheques up to £1,000,000. This continuing work and service to his chosen profession led John to become an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 1995.
This was a varied and interesting role, which he enjoyed until he closed the accountancy journal with a truly and positive balance retiring after 21 years at Kronospan. Since 1970 John’s accountancy career has also run parallel to his interest in dogs, particularly Irish setters. He was the Chairman of the Irish Setters Club of Wales for many years, judged in championship shows in Holland and Australia as well as extensively across the UK.
Whilst scaling back this interest in recent years, and not having a one at present, John still showed great affection for the breed and dogs in general.
He was also, until turning 80 years of age, fully involved in his local Town Council being Chairman in 2001 and 2010, where his eye and instinct for good financial husbandry came into great use including ensuring that his local Chirk Parish Hall was viable and functional, bringing benefits to the whole community.
Masonically, he was initiated into Roses Lodge No 5140 in East Lancashire on 16 March 1976 and was passed and raised in the April and November of that year. Always willing to support his lodge, he held many offices, performing the First Degree Charge, which he had to do if he had proposed the initiate, before becoming the Roses Lodge WM in 1981. Bringing his two great interests of dogs and Freemasonry together, he joined Canis Major Lodge No 9487 in the Province of West Lancashire in 1996, again taking the offices of junior and senior warden before becoming WM in 2004.
This proved to be a very busy year for John, particularly when on one occasion, he delivered two full third degree ceremonies for brothers Siddall and Rathmell, calling off in between. Since coming out of the WM’s chair he has been treasurer for four years, DC for two, ADC for three, charity steward for two and almoner for three, all of which highlight his great commitment to Canis Major Lodge, whose pleasure it has been to host this his celebration evening.
He is also a member of Castel Crogen Lodge No 5678 in the Province of North Wales, where he has not missed a meeting for 20 years, continuing, as he did in Roses Lodge and Canis Major, to deliver the First Degree Charge. His Welsh connection continues through the Royal Arch where he has been a companion of Plas Teg Chapter No 6898 since 2015.
John’s commitment to Freemasonry was recognised in 2010 by the Province of East Lancashire when he was appointed PPAGSuptWks and once again in West Lancashire when he was appointed PProvGSwdB in 2012 and promoted to PPSGD in 2018. Stuart then went on to say that the Provincial Grand Master, Mark Matthews had produced and signed a celebratory certificate to commemorate the evening, which was then read out by Patrick Walsh and presented to John by Stuart followed by well-deserved applause from all present.
At this point Stuart invited the WM Jason Jones to once more take his place and handed him back the gavel. Following the ceremony, at the social board, Stuart, responded to his toast, adding his congratulations to those of our Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. Tim Rathmell was then most pleased to give a toast to John and in John’s response he thanked the lodge for being there for him and making him feel so welcome.