For the 60th celebration in Freemasonry for twins Peter and Geoffrey (Geoff) Johnston, members of City Lodge No 2514, was held at Widnes Masonic Hall, Kingsway, 28 brethren attended including, Andrew Whittle and Kevin Poyton, who attended their 50th celebration.
Master of the lodge Thomas Arnold opened the lodge in due form and completed the domestic business of the lodge; the WM then opened the lodge in the second and third degree. David Boyes, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies entered the lodge and announced that Assistant Provincial Grand Master John Murphy demanded admission to the lodge. John Murphy entered the lodge accompanied by David Atkinson, Mersey Valley Group Chairman, and other distinguished brethren. WM Thomas Arnold formally welcomed John Murphy to the lodge and offered him the gavel, which on this occasion John accepted.
John opened the celebration for Peter and Geoff by saying: “Brethren, it is said that the greatest happiness a man can have is to you know they are loved, and the very fact that there are so many brethren here this evening who have made the journey to take part in this evening’s celebration only serves to reinforce that statement and shows the high regard that our celebrants are held in.” John then requested David Boyes to place Peter and Geoff Johnston on the floor of the lodge before him and ensure that they are seated comfortably.
So let us think back to 1941 and what was happening in the world, events that year were dominated by the fact that it was the third year of World War II. Some very famous people were born in 1941 including, Bob Dylan the musician, Ritchie Valens the singer, Ann Margaret the actress, Alex Ferguson the football manager, Neil Diamond the singer, Otis Redding the singer / songwriter, Linda McCartney the author / photographer, Faye Dunaway the actress, Jesse Jackson the American activist / politician, Dame Vivienne Westwood the fashion designer, Placido Domingo the opera singer and probably the most famous of them all ….twin brothers, Peter and Geoffrey Johnston.
Continuing with some history of the lives of peter and Geoff, John said: “Peter was born in June 1941, some 20 minutes ahead of his twin brother Geoff, in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. During the latter stages of World War II, the family moved to Bishop’s Castle on the English/Welsh border until the end of the war when they returned briefly to Sutton Coldfield, before moving to Nantwich in Cheshire. Peter attended a primary school in Nantwich before attending Nantwich and Acton County Grammar School until the age of 16. Like his twin brother, he left school to become a Police Cadet in Liverpool in 1958. Whilst a Police Cadet he and his brother Geoff became Cadets of the Year in 1959 and went on to join Liverpool City Police in June 1960.
As a constable, Peter served in ‘C’ Division which was around Essex Street and Lark Lane. In December 1965 Peter was transferred to the CID at Speke and promoted to Detective Sergeant in 1967. Peter attended many criminal investigation courses and became a Surveillance Instructor, teaching the art of blending into the environment to Special Branch, Drug Squad and Detective Officers in the Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria areas as well as those in Merseyside. He worked in many areas of Liverpool whilst he was in the Regional Crime Squad before finally ending his career in Wallasey as a Criminal Intelligence Officer. During his career he was commended eight times, for the detection of serious crimes, including one from a judge at the Old Bailey in London for the detection of a series of motor vehicle thefts throughout the UK.
After leaving the police in 1991, Peter took up a post as Security Manager for TNT, the transport company and became responsible for setting up a new department in Ramsbottom, Lancashire. This was shortly after the parcel industry introduced digital computerisation for the movement of parcels. Peter retired in 2001 at the age of 60 and concentrated on his main hobby, golf. He became Captain of Leasowe Golf Club in 2002. Peter married Margaret in 1965 at St Anne’s Church in Aigburth, Liverpool and they have two children, Sarah and Philip and four grandchildren. 1966 was a memorable year in England, the Football World Cup competition was held in England who eventually won. To read John’s full script about Peter, click here.
Geoff attended Nantwich and Acton Grammar school leaving in 1958 to join Liverpool City Police cadets and joined the regular force in June 1960 after several years in uniform he was promoted to CID in June 1965. In 1973 he was further promoted to the rank of Sergeant and Chief Inspector when he was transferred to Interpol London as deputy head of the bureau at Scotland Yard. In 1992 Geoff moved as Deputy Head of the Southport and Bootle division and retired in March 1996.Geoff has been married to Joyce since 1963 and have two children Helen and Andrew. In 1993 Geoff became church warden of St Matthew and St James Church Mossley Hill Liverpool and continued in that role until 1996. After nine years as Lay Secretary and Lay Chair of the Synod for 5 years until 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Liverpool as member of the Clergy Discipline Measure Provincial Panel of the Province of York. To read John’s full script about Geoff, click here.
Peter was passed to the degree of a fellow craft on 16 March 1966; raised to the sublime degree of a master Mason on 19 October 1966 when the lodge was joined by brethren from their daughter lodge, Liverpool Exchange Lodge No 4545, with 38 members and 21 visitors present. Peter received his Grand Lodge certificate on 16 November 1966. There were 38 visitors recorded in the tyler’s book for the January meeting together with 38 members, the WM was Ted Steel. On the January summons a Notice of Motion by the WM that a sum not exceeding 30 guineas be voted out of lodge funds for the charities. In February 1967, the lodge annual subscriptions were raised from 10 guineas to 12 guineas. How times have changed!
In 1979 Peter, you became WM of the lodge and your brother Geoff succeeded you the following year. Since 2002 you have been almoner of the lodge You were WM of City Lodge in 1979 and secretary in 1991 to 1997; group representative in 2000 and almoner 2002 to 2021. Your service and dedication to your lodge was recognised by the Province of West Lancashire and you have now achieved the very high rank Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
Geoff, you became WM of City Lodge in 1980 and then lodge treasurer from 2015 to 2021, your service and dedication to the lodge was recognised by the Province of West Lancashire when you were appointed in 1991 PPJGD followed by a further promotion in 1998 to the very high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
Peter and Geoff celebrated their golden anniversary, 50 years as a Freemason in the meeting of City Lodge held on 16 February 2016. Peter and Geoff such is the importance of your own 60-year anniversary as a Freemason that our Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews has caused a certificate to be struck to mark this wonderful achievement which I shall now ask the Group Chairman David Atkinson read contents of the certificates.