A rather special celebration was arranged to honour Roy Collier, a highly respected Brother celebrating 50 years of being a Freemason. Members and distinguished visitors alike at Egerton Worsley Lodge No 1213, meeting at Elm Bank Masonic Hall, Eccles were delighted to receive Assistant Provincial Grand Master Stuart Boyd, accompanied by Trafford Group Chairman Patrick Walsh, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Peter Littlehales and Provincial Grand Steward Timothy Plumpton together with other grand and Provincial grand officers.
The lodge business being dealt with, the special part of the evening arrived as Stuart entered the lodge room in fine style and was presented to the WM, Ian Edge. Ian having welcomed Stuart and his attending officers, offered him the gavel of the lodge which on this occasion he accepted also taking the master’s Chair. Stuart then addressed the brethren, thanking the lodge for their very kind welcome and explaining what a great pleasure it was to be with the members and visitors of the lodge to share this very unique and auspicious occasion.
Having ensured that Roy was comfortably seated in prime position, Stuart began his presentation stating that his office of Assistant Provincial Grand Master carried a number of onerous responsibilities and duties, but also a number of great privileges, and the prospect of being able to officiate at a 50th celebration was, without doubt amongst the best! Stuart continued, quoting information which Roy and he had discussed during a convivial hour or so that the two had spent together recently.
Roy was born in July 1935 at Eccles and Patricroft Hospital, the second of three children, being preceded by older brother Gordon and followed by sister Avril. They all lived in Winton with father Robert, who was a milkman and mother Elizabeth, a housewife.
For school, Roy attended Westwood Park Junior and Infants School, however like all those of his generation, this included the war years. During this time Roy was not evacuated but stayed in Winton throughout the war and recalled many a story of how he and his family would run to their Anderson Shelter during the air raids in industrial Manchester, keeping careful watch and care of their candles. It was also a time of rationing, but he remembered how his mother Elizabeth would always make sure he had chewing gum to munch on during the air raids to counter the effects of the bomb blasts.
These were certainly different times, as on the mornings after the bombings, he and his school friends would rush out to see who could find the best, sharpest or most detailed pieces of shrapnel. He said that many an hour was spent finding and discussing who had made the best find as they were swapped as trophies until the next air raid.
On leaving Winton Secondary Modern School, Roy started work at Joseph Chapmans with a five-year apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at Walkden and Salford Technical Colleges, eventually completing his Higher National Certificate in Building Construction.
It was then that National Service intervened, and from the age of 21 to 23 Roy served with the Light Aid Detachment as a carpenter when, along with other trades, he gave total support service to other regiments on their postings. This National Service eventually took Roy to Hong Kong and Singapore supporting the Signals Regiment. Reflecting on this, he mentioned how he liked both Hong Kong and Singapore but at the end of the day they weren’t like Lancashire, and he was pleased to get home, even if some at home described him being posted overseas as a holiday.
His National Service completed, his experience gained by working across continents was soon in demand and he returned to Joseph Chapmans working his way through the ranks and at 30 years of age he became a Building Officer, overseeing their various site operations across the Manchester area.
Always looking for new challenges, he eventually left Chapmans to work with the Co-Op for seven years where his knowledge and experience of operations, the trades involved and how to survey a site were invaluable to the Society as they set up their new offices across Lancashire.
After the Co-Op, his career and expertise took him into public service working in Local Government for Lancashire County Council and then Wigan Council. It was here that he oversaw their building and maintenance operations in new builds and refurbishments which he did successfully until his retirement.
Travelling this journey with him was his wife, Eileen. He said: “Their eyes met across the dance floor,” at the regular Saturday night dance at Bolton Civic Hall in 1932 and they were married a year later at Morris Green Church in Bolton. They bought a home in Worsley where they stayed for 60 years where Eileen and he raised their three children Angela, Stephen and Bridget and they now also have four grandchildren.
Roy’s family holidays mostly consisted of caravanning and camping all over the country, particularly in North Wales and this also let him indulge his passion as a proud Lancastrian taking every opportunity to walk in the Pennine Moors, the Lake District, the National Parks and the Fells. Since his retirement, Roy has been practicing his well-honed carpentry skills in his garage workshop doing joinery work for family and neighbours. Doing good works has always been a driving force for Roy and his family, supporting several charities during his life including the WLFC throughout his Masonic career.
As a Mason, he was proposed by his friend Albert Davies and initiated into Worsley Lodge No 1814 on 16 December 1974, and he has stayed true to this lodge which became Egerton Worsley Lodge through amalgamation in April 2013. Passing through all the various offices, he became WM in 1987, in addition to which he has also held the offices of secretary for 12 years, almoner for nine years, senior warden for two years and junior warden on three separate occasions.
For several years he acted as Worsley Lodge Social Secretary, ensuring that Worsley Lodge was a dancing Lodge with the members, friends and visitors having ample opportunity to do so with ballroom dancing leading the way long before the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball had been thought of.
His sterling work has also been recognised by the Province of West Lancashire and he received his first appointment in Provincial Grand Lodge as a PPSGD in 1994 and was promoted to his current high rank of PPJGW in 2002
Stuart then went on to say that the Grand Master Mark Matthes also recognised Roy’s outstanding contributions and had produced and signed a celebratory certificate to commemorate the evening, which was then read out by Trafford Group Chairman Patrick Walsh and presented to Roy by Stuart followed by very richly deserved applause from all present.
The celebratory part of the ceremony completed, Stuart vacated the chair handing the gavel back to WM Ian, who thanked him for his presentation and very kind words towards their highly respected member. On completion of the ceremony, Stuart requested Roy to join him in leaving the lodge room with the grand and acting Provincial grand officers.
An excellent festive board ensued, encompassed by food and cups of cheer along with further congratulations from both Stuart and Patrick together with a heartfelt response in return from Roy. The brethren will have all left the celebration with a sense of pride at being in the presence of such a respected Freemason.
Article and pictures by Craig Sutton.