I am Philip Quinn and I am the Almoner of the Eclectic Mark Lodge No. 39, a job that I enjoy.
What makes my job enjoyable is some of the people that I visit, and one of those people is a Brother named Terry Lewis.
Terry has been a Freemason for 59 years and a Mark Mason for 55 years! He was born on 24th October 1918, which makes him the Grand age of 101. He attended a small school in Hartlepool called Scotts School which later became known as Rose bank.
On leaving school he started work for Central Marine and then moved on to Ropner Shipping as a junior clerk. He left there to find his vocation in education.
War broke out, and on the 15th of September 1939, Terry joined the Army with the 53rd Bolton Field Regiment. He fought all through the war on several fronts, which included Dunkirk, in North Africa under General Montgomery at Alamein, in Lebanon, and in the Italian Campaign at Casino.
Terry was mentioned in dispatches for his distinguished service and after the War he went back into Education where he worked until he retired.
At the age of 42, Terry joined Freemasonry, he was Initiated February 1960 into the Haven Of Rest Lodge No.4350. His proposer was W.Bro. John Warren and his seconder was W.Bro. Norman Fuller. He became Worshipful Master in 1973. In 1964 he was Advanced into Mark Masonry when he joined the Eclectic Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 39. His proposer then was W.Bro.Bob Pearson and he was seconded by W.Bro. W.G. Bee. He was a Worshipful Master of his Lodge in 1977.
At 101 years of age, Terry is very active and bright as a button, he can still clearly remember many of his experiences in both life and his Freemasonry. Although he doesn’t get to any Lodge meetings, he still shows a great interest in Freemasonry.
What more can I say, only that he is a great man!