Jeffrey Child celebrated 60 years in Freemasonry at the Blackpool Lodge of Sincerity No. 4175 in Blackpool on 11^th March 2009.

Terry Hudson, Assistant Provincial Grand Master commented that 60 years of Masonic service is an achievement well worth celebrating and was delighted to see such good numbers present to share that view. He then outlined Jeff’s history.

Jeffrey Child was born in Dewsbury in May 1915, the only child of Harry and Clara Childs. In partnership with his brother Tom, his father ran a successful business as a brush manufacturer. Tragically he died of tuberculosis at the very young age of 40, when Jeff was just 9 years old.  Following his father’s death there was an offer from his father’s uncle and wife to take him in. They lived in Blackpool and owned a Fish and Chip shop. Jeff well remembers that in those days, 80 years ago mind, he was able to sell a liberal portion of fish, chips, peas, bread and butter and a pot of tea for a shilling, which equates to just 5p now!

Jeff went to Revoe Junior School before gaining a scholarship to Palatine High School where he enjoyed the sporting activities rather more than the scholastic. He excelled at football and was invited for trials with Blackburn Rovers, before being approached by Blackpool, for whom he signed amateur forms in 1935, the year Joe Smith became manager. He regularly played for both the Blackpool A team and Blackpool Reserves before an injury at Bury ended his football career. Notably he is now Blackpool’s oldest surviving former player.

On leaving school he became an apprentice joiner with a builder. He went to night school at the old Blackpool Grammar School and in 1936 obtained a First Class City and Guilds Certificate in carpentry and joinery before being promoted to foreman joiner.   In 1938 he sustained a serious injury when he fell 26 feet from the roof of a hotel, badly breaking his left foot, which cut short any ambitions of joining the forces in the following year, given the outbreak of the Second World War.  During the war he was engaged in building construction work on air raid shelters, gun positions and converting old mills and holiday camps into barracks. In 1955 he became a Housing Repair Officer for Blackpool Borough Council where he remained until he retired in 1979.

He also served as a school governor for 20 years, first at Claremont Junior School, until its closure in 1969, and then at Warbreck High School, now known as Beacon Hill, which succeeded it.

As a young man he regularly attended dances at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and it was there that he met his future wife Margaret Ann Singleton.  He married her and lived happily for over 62 years until, sadly, she passed away in February 2003.  He has a son Stuart, a Past Master of Sincerity Lodge and who retains many happy memories of his early life with his father. His favourite reminiscence was when, on a visit to Worcester Cathedral in the early 50’s, a man in strange trousers engaged Jeff in conversation in the grounds before offering to guide him round the Cathedral. After the short tour Jeff commented that he seemed very knowledgeable of the place and did he work there? - to which the man replied that he supposed he did really, but then again, he was the Bishop.

His interest in Freemasonry was stimulated by Alfred Mills Radcliffe, his next door neighbour who became his Proposer into Sincerity Lodge, his Seconder being Harold Roebuck. Jeff was Initiated on the 9 March 1949.

from left: W.Bro. Terry Hudson, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. Jeffrey Child, W.Bro. Stuart Child. and W.Bro. Trevor Eaton-Dykes, W.M.

In those days the Blackpool Lodge of Sincerity was a large and exciting lodge of which to be a member, with a long waiting list for admission, where there were never less than 10 Stewards at any one time and where the ambiance of the meetings seemed never to be less than wonderfully vibrant. As a consequence Jeff found it easy to settle down in such a happy atmosphere.

He has so many fond memories of his years in Sincerity Lodge. Pivotal are those of the Blackpool and England footballing legend, Stan Mortensen, who became a member of the Lodge. Members from that period of the Lodge’s history will remember when Blackpool won the FA Cup in 1953, and the occasion when Stan brought the actual FA Cup to the Festive Board when memorably, the Worshipful Master, Leonard Jones, bought 3 bottles of champagne and filled the cup with them so that every brother could have a drink out of it.

Jeff served all of the offices in the Lodge until on 13 November 1963, he was Installed into the chair of Sincerity Lodge by W Bro Alec Shuttleworth. It was particularly pleasing to him that his proposer, Alf Radcliffe was able both to present him and also to deliver the Address to him as Master.  Jeff recalls a very busy year with his performing 2 Initiations and 3 Raisings under a very exacting Director of Ceremonies in Harry Cookson, He enjoyed his year immensely making many visits.  His Ladies Evening was held at the Imperial Hotel with an attendance of over 240, as was so often the case in those days, complete with the then obligatory full English breakfast after midnight.

His service to Sincerity Lodge since his Mastership has been one of commitment. He served the lodge as Charity Steward for 10 years from 1976 to 1986 and as Group Representative for 8 years from 1998 to 1996. In 1974 the RWPrGM appointed Bro Jeff to the rank of PPrJGD and further in 1983 promoted him to PPrJGW.  Furthermore when the lodge formed its own Royal Arch Chapter in 1988, Jeff and his son Stuart were the first two candidates for exaltation at the first regular meeting in the January of that year.

Terry Hudson concluded by saying that over the years Bro Jeffrey Child has proved himself to be a man of consummate integrity and commitment and wished him the very best of good health and happiness for many years to come.