R.Ill. Comp. Frank Jeremy Shaw (Jeremy) was invested by M.Ill. Comp. Kessick John Jones and his Grand Council team on 26th August 2017. Jeremy took over from R.Ill. Comp. George Deacon who had governed the District successfully since August 2011.
In March 2019 the country was gripped by the Covid pandemic and all Freemasonry ceased face-to-face meetings under lockdown, which lasted two and a half years until the end of August 2021 before Regular Meetings resumed.
During that period the normal attrition to ‘Higher Service’ from illness, age and infirmity, and those who suffered from the virus was compounded by many elderly members who resigned from all Masonic Orders having broken the habit of regular attendance.
Some of the Councils in the District have reached membership levels that make it difficult to fill the necessary offices to conduct meetings. Jeremy and his Deputy, Ill. Comp. Robert James Brown (Bob) have been very active around the District encouraging the Councils to be more proactive in recruitment, and Bob with his demonstration team has provided additional officers when possible and also provided his team to do the MEM Degree with all the banners.
Jeremy travels around much of England & Wales at his own expense attending most of the AGM’s of the 24 Districts in England and Wales including as far afield as Cumbria and Northumberland by train.
For distances not so far he is usually accompanied by Bob or until end of August this year by V.Ill. Comp. Ron Bentley. On some occasions he is accompanied by the District P.C.W. Ill. Comp. Simon Lancaster or by the D.C. Ill. Comp. Clive Egerton, or the P. Dep. D.G.M Stephen Brown, and others as well. Now as I have taken over as District Grand Recorder I am accompanying the D.G.M. in place of Ron.
The District A.G.M. on 24th August 2024 marked the completion of the seventh year for Jeremy as our District Grand Master and since then he has been especially busy because eleven of the other Districts have their A.G.M.’s between 7th September and 7th December this year. In much the same period Jeremy and the District Officers are attending four installations as well as a Regular Meeting within our District.
The Annual Report of the D.G.M. is included in the Yearbook for those who didn’t attend the A.G.M. so there is no need to repeat it here.
It is an honour and privilege to have been elevated to the position of District Grand Recorder, and like being a Council Recorder it has the reward of being at the hub of our activities. By the end of October, I had received a number of forms for new members Chosen by several Councils, and I have heard of several more in the pipeline.
Antony Nailer, District Grand Recorder
3 November 2024
