Garston Masonic Hall on Island Road, Liverpool, was the venue to celebrate Arthur Merrill’s 50 years in Freemasonry at Yachtsman’s Lodge No 3698. The lodge was opened in due form by WM Andrew Aitchison and the domestic business of the lodge was completed by confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting.
Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies, David Boyes, entered the lodge and announced that Assistant Provincial Grand Master John Murphy demanded admission. This was granted and John Murphy entered the lodge accompanied by Mersey Valley Group Chairman David Atkinson and other distinguished brethren. WM Andrew warmly greeted John and offered him the gavel of the lodge, which on this occasion John accepted.
John Murphy requested David Boyes to place Arthur Merrill on a convenient seat in front of him. John then explained that some very famous people were born in 1941, including musician Bob Dylan, singer Richie Valens, actress Ann Margaret, football manager Alex Ferguson, singer Neil Diamond, singer and songwriter Otis Redding, author and photographer Linda McCartney, actress Faye Dunaway, American activist and politician Jesse Jackson, fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, opera singer Placido Domingo and probably the most famous of them all, Arthur John Merrill.
Arthur was born in Liverpool in February 1941 to Father Arthur and Mother Ada and grew up in Kepler Street in the heart of Everton, Liverpool. Arthur was the middle child with an older sister and a younger brother, Stanley, a fellow Freemason and proud member of Temple Lodge No 1094. Arthur attended Heyworth Street Primary School and later Venice Street Secondary School, where he met the love of his life, Elizabeth, known as Betty and future wife.
Arthur recalls that although he was baptised in the Church of England, he and a number of his peers attended the local Methodist Church, the attraction for which was mainly due to the fact that at Christmas the children were each given a ‘goody bag’ containing sweets and a recycled Christmas card. This proved to be an incentive to attend, which continued throughout his life; in fact, most of the children who attended grew up and several were married in that church. Arthur and Betty married in 1983 and built a close, loving family with two daughters.
At the age of fifteen, Arthur left school and began his working life as an apprentice engineer with the T and J Harrison shipping line. After qualifying, he spent two years at sea for the company before settling back in Liverpool. Arthur went on to work as a maintenance engineer in several well-known Liverpool factories, including Plessey, BICC and Scott’s Bakery. However, owing to increasing redundancies due to the national economic recession, Arthur decided in 1984 to take a leap of faith and founded his own roofing company, which he ran successfully until his retirement at the age of 70.
Arthur’s Masonic journey began when one of his neighbours, Ted Ashcroft, invited him to join Freemasonry and he was seconded by Harry Kilner. He was initiated in 1975 at Otterspool Lodge No 6605, meeting at Eberley Street. Arthur was installed as WM in 1983. The lodge amalgamated with Yachtsman’s Lodge in 2003 and over the past five decades, he has held many roles in the lodge, including charity steward, almoner, chaplain and director of ceremonies. His contributions were formally recognised by the Province with an appointment to Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in May 1993 and to the very high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in October 2001.
Arthur joined the Liverpool Masonic Bowling Club in January 1976 and has served as secretary since 2003. Whilst his bowling achievements may not have filled a trophy cabinet, his enthusiasm, humour and dedication to the club have made him a cherished member and a steady hand behind the scenes, especially when the club premises were in danger of closing.
Such is the importance of Arthur’s golden jubilee in Freemasonry that Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews has caused a certificate to be struck to mark this wonderful achievement. David Atkinson then read aloud the contents of the certificate, which John Murphy then presented to Arthur to complete the celebration.