Hats off to George Cattanach after celebrating 75 years as a Mark Mason.
WBro George Cattanach, PGJD, has had a remarkable Masonic journey and representatives from his own Lodge, The Province of East Lancashire and Grand Lodge were in attendance to celebrate a remarkable achievement of being a Mark Man for 75 years.
He has now become very accustomed to receiving a steady stream of accolades. For his Masonic journey will, this writer thinks, become the stuff of legend.
On this occasion, the Worshipful Master opened the lodge and the new Provincial Grand Master, RWBro John Hartley Smith, took the chair during which time, George was presented with a fine certificate to note his achievements. George has been a Mark Mason in 8 Mark Lodges and his RAM career started in 1948.
The Brethren were then treated to a very special recollection led by the Deputy Grand Master, RWBro John Herbert Prizeman who recalled George’s happy marriage in 1953 to Glenys who sadly passed away in 2018. He also chatted to George about, not only his Masonic career but his pioneering career in broadcasting, with a number of amusing anecdotes along the way.
He is the man who discovered the pip missing from the Greenwich time signal. Which led him into an amazing career as an engineer in TV. The Deputy Grand Master thanked George as his achievements had touched the lives of every Brother in the room and people everywhere.
As always, George had to put a couple of things right like his age which is 94, not 96. The Deputy Grand Master said “well George you were there at the time” to which George replied, “well I don’t remember much about it”.
He did recollect his Masonic journey which started by joining his father’s lodge Kilmolymock Lodge No 45 (aged 18) on 24th October 1945. Kilmolymock is one of, if not, the oldest Lodges in the world. To everyone’s delight, George said he was sure Kilmolymock is the oldest. Soon after becoming a Master Mason, he joined the Mark degree on the 1st of April 1946 under the Scottish Constitution.
The evening was followed by a hearty Lancashire meal and our own Provincial Grand Master spoke highly of George at the social board. He was presented on this occasion with a framed certificate from the lodge as the set of six whiskey glasses have been given to him one by one on six of his previous celebratory evenings.
So its hats off to George Cattanach the star of the show, who, if the writers memory recalls, will possibly meet Prince Michael of Kent at his next celebration.