Sam Hodgson was installed as master of Runic Lodge No 6019 in the presence of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Alan Jones, the representative of Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. Alan was accompanied by PAProvGM Philip Gardner PAProvGM Keith Kemp and fellow grand officers Michael Church-Taylor and Neil McGill. Chris Larder, Chairman of the Lancaster and District Group was joined by Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Steven Ellershaw, Provincial Assistant Grand Pursuivant Syd Bateson and Provincial Grand Steward Stuart Bateson.
WM Terry Nealons opened the lodge and conducted the installation ceremony together with director of ceremonies David Tattersall and lodge secretary Peter Tooze-Froggatt. The WM invited Alan Gregory to act as installing senior warden, Ken Needham to act as installing junior warden and Michael Church-Taylor to act as installing inner guard. The master elect was presented for installation by his proposer Peter Tooze-Froggatt.
The third degree working tools were presented by Michael Church-Taylor. Stuart Bateson and Peter Tooze-Froggatt presented the second and first degree working tools respectively. The WM appointed Peter Tooze-Froggatt as senior warden and Malcolm Hayward as junior warden.
At the end of the ceremony, Ken Needham gave the address to the master, the address to the wardens was given by John Heaton and to the address to the brethren of Runic Lodge by Alan Jones. Alan was presented with a list of donations that the lodge had made to Masonic and non-Masonic charities totalling £1,000. Alan thanked the brethren of the lodge for their very generous donations.
Organist for the evening was David Tattersall and the Master’s Song was performed by George Fox. A total of 52 brethren attended the festive board. The toast to the WM was given by Peter Tooze-Froggatt.
WM Sam Hodgson was born on St Patrick’s Day 1989 at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, delivered by an Irish midwife who was most disappointed in mum’s choice of name! Sam grew up in Lancaster with his parents and younger sister Sarah.
Sam left Lancaster to attend Manchester University where he attained a Masters in Modern Languages for French and Spanish. Whilst at university, he met his now wife Puja by accident after she moved her stuff into the wrong room along his student accommodation and locked herself out. Sam and Puja courted from 2009 and were married in June 2018 at Windermere. They welcomed their first-born son, Devon in February 2023.
Sam has worked for Hilton Grand Vacations (formerly Diamond Resorts) in a number of roles but currently acts as the Director for Revenue Management in Europe which involves managing a small team who develop reporting and pricing strategies for 27 holiday resorts across the UK, Continental Europe and the Canary Islands.
He is a keen traveller both for business and pleasure, and in between his travels, enjoys Formula 1 racing, taking long strolls with the family via the swings (for Devon!) and stargazing.
Sam was initiated into Runic Lodge in June 2016, passed in December 2016 and raised in June 2017. Sam had a slightly unorthodox run to the chair, holding the offices of steward and inner guard before his appointment for 2 years as lodge secretary then junior and senior wardens, while also assistant secretary. Sam is also a member of Heysham Chapter No 4108 and was exalted in September 2018.