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The youngest-ever initiate at Lincoln-based Paulinus Lodge was stunned to find his dad in the Master’s chair for the ceremony.
Nelson Gilbourne was the initiate at the age of just 19, and it came as a complete surprise for him to see his dad Neil, a Freemason from Brighouse in West Yorkshire, leading the ceremony.
Rod McCall-Whiting takes up the story: “When Nelson caught the gaze of the presiding Master, he gave a delighted smile to match that of his proud father looking down from King Solomon’s Chair.
“Neil had requested and been readily granted permission to take the chair during the ceremony as a surprise for his son. Being used to Emulation style working, Neil had to re-learn the Stability ritual, but did so with no prompting required – not that Nelson would have known any different!
“It was a fabulous evening with flawless ritual carried out by the Paulinus team, not least by the imposing Junior Deacon Barry Buck – prompting a cheeky question from a visiting Master: ‘Can we borrow your Junior Deacon?’
“The Festive board played to a full house of 80 members who filled the room with lively and celebratory conversation. The Senior Warden remarked that he’d lost count of the lodges represented from at least three counties. Proposing the toast to his son, Neil recalled the milestones of his son’s life from birth – with affectionate detail that may have made Nelson blush a little – but with a love and pride felt by all in the room.
“Nelson was presented with a Lincolnshire Rough Ashlars tie and pin badge by another new initiate, Deepan Velusamy – part of a quarry-load of Rough Ashlars present to support their latest recruit.
“The full circle of Masonic life was represented as the evening finished with a masonic chain for young Nelson – conducted by 95 year old Gordon Cooper – which tested the walls of the Masonic Centre, and all agreed it had been a memorable evening with one seasoned visitor remarking that it was ‘the best meeting he had been to in over twenty years’. For Neil and Nelson, it will be the memory of a lifetime.”
