from left Bro. Mark New, W.M. of Clifton Lodge
W.Bro. Roger Fish, The Celebrant W.Bro. Harold Fish
ans W.Bro. Terry Hudson, A.P.G.M

Harold Fish of Clifton Lodge No. 703 celebrated 50 years as a Freemason at the Masonic Hall in Blackpool on 5 February 2009.

Harold Fish was born in Blackpool in April 1923 to William and Mary Ann Fish, a brother to Annie and John Edward, known to all as Jack.  Both parents were born and bred in Darwen. His father trained as a butcher but eventually chose to “up sticks” and re-locate to Blackpool, where he bought a butchers business in Lytham Road, and there remained for the rest of his working life.  He did not have much in common with his elder brother Jack, largely because of the 10 year age difference.

Harold’s was educated initially at the kindergarten of the then Blackpool High School, leaving at the age of sixteen to go into the family business. His abiding memory of his school days was of the Head Master, the formidable A P Anderson, an imposing character and a strict disciplinarian of the old school.

If truth be told, Harold became a butcher with some reluctance. Having excelled at chemistry at school he would have much preferred to have been a chemist. He has had a life long predilection for construction sites and large holes in roads. Indeed as a schoolboy he once spent so much time looking at a hole in the road one morning that he was too late for school and too early to go home for lunch. It has often wondered the family where he spent the morning hiding.

It was at St Peters Church and at the age of 14 that he met a young lady called Mary Wiseman. The two of them were part of a young crowd which hung around together, frequenting the local hot spots at the time.  He remembers very clearly that Mary quickly became captivated by him and he subsequently had the great good fortune to marry her, and with whom he has lived happily ever since, in fact for over 53 years, during which time he has done so much together as a couple, including a combined love of cricket and local politics.

They were married at St Peters Church in 1945. They honeymooned in the Lakes at the Windermere Hydro, where he remembers pinching an extra day by saying that the car had broken down. Their married life began in a rented first floor flat in North Park Drive, which was a boon for Mary who regularly used to nip across the road and on to the 2^nd tee of the Stanley Park Golf Course, whence she used to play the remaining 17 holes for nothing.

You then rented a house before eventually settling down in Prestbury Road in 1958, just 50 years ago and at about the time you became a Freemason.  You had two children, Roger, a Past Master and Director of Ceremonies of Clifton Lodge, and Judith who between them have presented you with three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who manage effortlessly to bring great joy and sunshine into their lives.

In 1972 he sold his butchers shops on Lytham Road. Trading patterns were changing and he was always something of a reluctant butcher, although he did continue in that trade for a further ten years with a partner. But then the tide turned. In 1982, and at the age of 59, he started a butchery sundries business based in Wrea Green.  Some three or four years into the business he was joined by Roger and Judith. The business continued to trade very successfully for several years until one day, out of the blue, an approach was made to sell. This enabled both Harold and Judith to retire, but Roger joined the new company, for which he works to the present day.

The greatest influence in his becoming a Freemason was his father, a member of Clifton Lodge, becoming its Master in 1948. He encouraged Harold enough to approach him with a view to him proposing him into Clifton Lodge. The reply was “I will propose you with the greatest of pleasure, but you must come back and see me when you are 30”. Another world, another age.  Harold was initiated into Clifton Lodge No. 703 on the 5 February 1959, proposed by Bobby Holden and seconded by Bob Townley.  In those days Clifton Lodge was a large, vibrant and exciting lodge with a long waiting list for admission. As a consequence Harold found it easy to settle down in such a happy atmosphere, although his brother Jack, rather than wait his turn, opted instead to join Progress Lodge No. 4120.

In due time he passed through all of the offices of the lodge, indeed three years as Junior Deacon, before finally being Installed as Worshipful Master on the 7 December 1972 by W Bro George Partington.  Some 127 brethren were present at his Installation.  His Ladies Evening was held at the Winter Gardens with an attendance of over 300, as was so often the case in those days, complete with a Whist Drive in the afternoon and the then obligatory full English breakfast after midnight. The ticket price was just 7 guineas which is worth approximately £75 in today’s money.

A highlight in his Masonic career was the Installation of his son, Roger, in 1992 when he was pleased to present him whilst also acting as Installing Senior Warden, with his brother, Jack, acting as Installing Junior Warden. It follows that there have now been three consecutive generations of the Fish family as Master in the history of Clifton Lodge, of which he and Roger are justifiably proud.

His service to Clifton Lodge has been remarkable and one of total commitment. Significantly, after two years as Assistant Secretary from 1975- 1977, he then served as Lodge Secretary for the next 17 years from 1977-1994, 19 years in total. In 1982 Harold was appointed PPrSGD and in 1990 was promoted to PPrJGW.

W Bro Terence Hudson concluded the proceedings by offering him his warmest personal congratulations on achieving this wonderful milestone in his Masonic career.