It is only seven years ago that Royal Protector Chapter No 3471members and visitors were privileged to be regaled with a 60th year anniversary story, revealed in the chapter room by means of a film show with accompanying music, about grand officer, Tony Johnson, his life and career in the Royal Arch. The story was unfurled by Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principles Colin Rowling. Now however, the story has become even more extraordinary!
The World War 2 veteran, who lives independently at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester and each day scours share prices like a city trader and recently celebrated reaching the grand age of 105 years, is now celebrating his 70th anniversary of becoming a Craft Mason.
Royal Protector Lodge No 3471 was honoured to receive the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews to guide the brethren through the twists and turns of Tony’s incredible Masonic career. Mark was accompanied by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Stuart Boyd, group chairman Patrick Walsh, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Barry Fitzgerald and a veritable plethora of grand officers, acting Provincial grand officers and group officers.
Mark began by commenting: “Brethren, there must be something in the water here at Urmston, in terms of our Masons achieving such remarkable long service. I was here only two days ago to preside over a 70th celebration for Jim Noble and I am delighted to be back here again to celebrate with Tony.”
Mark continued by saying to Tony that he felt sure that he must be delighted to see all of the brethren gathered here tonight to support him on this most special occasion and commenced relating the facts gathered from his meeting with Tony earlier.
Tony was born in October 1919 and lived in Parrin Lane, Monton, Eccles and attended St Martin’s Primary School in Worsley. Mark then listed a number of famous faces who had also been born in 1919, including actors Jack Palance, Donald Pleasance and Eva Gabor and also singers Tennessee Ernie Ford and Nat King Cole.
Tony attended St Mark’s School from the age of five to 11, prior to going on to Eccles Grammar School up to the age of 16. Sadly, Tony’s father died in 1929 from a war related illness caused from when he was a Prisoner of War in WW1.
Tony’s father was a member of Royal Protector Lodge, and following his passing, Tony was given Masonic assistance with his education. This positive action ignited his interest in Freemasonry and its strong ethos in helping others.
After School, Tony started work for Universal Furniture Products in Trafford Park, Manchester and then moved on to Gardner’s Diesel Engines, working in the costing office. Then, in 1937, he moved to W Fearnley and Sons where he assisted in building reinforced concrete bunkers for the storage of munitions.
Of course, WW2 took place between 1939 and 1945, so it was inevitable that Tony would be called up for military service, and sure enough, that call up came in February 1940 to the Prince of Wales Volunteers South Lancashire Regiment.
Following basic training, Tony was transferred to the Green Howards, Princess Alexandra’s Own Yorkshire Regiment. He set sail on the Queen Mary with 14,000 other infantry men from Gourock on the Clyde to Ismailia, which was an infantry base in the Middle East.
After acclimatisation, Tony then moved to Alamein attached to the 50th Division which is not one of the most hospitable and welcoming of places on earth with a 20,000 square kilometre expanse of Libyan Desert, quite literally nothing but soft sand.
When the big push started, being halfway to Tripoli, Tony contracted jaundice and returned to a military hospital in Alexandria. However, after recovering and being passed fit, he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to the Durham Light Infantry. Following a period of further training, Tony was sent to Tunis in North Africa and then to Malta where his group was attached to the American 5th Army.
Tony then took part in the invasion of Italy, being at Salerno and then later Anzio, before returning to Egypt and then back to Scotland. Tony subsequently moved to the south of England to prepare for being part of the invasion of France and landed on Gold Beach on the 6 June 1944.
Tony was demobbed in 1946, but it is more than fair to say that he did his bit for the war effort and now, back on civvy street, he returned to work at Fearnley and Sons. Tony married Myra Parkinson in 1952 and went on to have two sons and in due course five grandchildren.
Following hard work and application at night school, he qualified as a quantity surveyor, eventually becoming a Chief Estimator. He also achieved appointments to the Board of Directors and later as a director of four subsidiary companies and finally took well deserved retirement in 1984.
In terms of Tony’s Masonic career, he was initiated into Royal Protector Lodge on 26 March 1955, being proposed and seconded by two friends of his father, Bill Pearson and Jimmy Crabtree and eventually served as master in 1969, 1996 and in 2010 which was the lodge centenary year.
He was also a founder member and past master of Athenaeum Lodge of Installed Masters No 9368 and served his group from 1982 until 1996, with the last five years of that time being as group chairman.
Tony was awarded his first appointment of Provincial grand rank to Past Provincial Senior Grand Deacon in 1981, which was followed by promotion to the high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 1987. Grand rank followed in 1990, when he was appointed to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
70 years of service to Freemasonry is an outstanding and remarkable achievement and I am sure we all wish him many more years of good health and Masonic happiness.
At this point, Mark invited all present to join him in congratulating Tony, in the traditional West Lancashire Provincial way with a rousing round of applause to a remarkable man and Freemason.