John is to be the new Vice Chairman

Busy John Turpin is to become vice chairman of the Blackpool Group at Provincial Grand Lodge in May 2012 when his predecessor Peter Bentham takes over as group chairman, following the retirement of the group’s current chairman Ian Robertson.

John was initiated into the Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship No 7692 in 1980, becoming its WM in 1990 and he was the first in that lodge to be asked to do a second year as Master in 1991. In 1992 he took over the job of lodge secretary and was in that post until 1996 when he was appointed to the acting rank of PrJGD. He was ADC from 1996 until 2004 taking over as lodge DC from 2004 until 2006 when he reprised his role as secretary for just one year.

His work for the group was recognised by his promotion in 2003 to the rank of PPrGSuptWks and he received a further promotion in 2009 to PPrJGW.

In 2008 he joined Senatores Lodge of Installed Masters No 8966 (which is the largest in the Province) and took office as its senior deacon in 2010.

As he had not been out of office in his mother lodge since the start of his climb up the ladder as a steward in 1981, John volunteered to be the assistant secretary in 2010 following his role as installing Master at the lodge’s installation. Due to the ill health of one of the past Masters who was going to take over as DC and, after only a week’s notice, he had to perform the task of installing DC as well as installing Master! He was then re-appointed as DC for that year.

John was vice captain of stewards for the former North Blackpool Group when that group hosted the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting in October 2000 and took on the same role in May 2006 this time for the Blackpool Group.

John was exalted into Blackpool Chapter of Fellowship No 7692 in 1984 becoming its first principal in 1996 and was Scribe E from 1998 until 2006. In 1999 he joined Senatores Chapter of Installed First Principals No 8966. In 2003 he took over as senior steward and occupied that position for eight years before being appointed as third principal of this prestigious chapter (also the largest in the Province!).

He was appointed to the acting rank of PrGStwd at Provincial Grand Chapter in 2002 following which he joined the second largest chapter in the Province, that of the Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter of West Lancashire No 8516. He was promoted in 2006 to the rank of PPrGSwdB.

In 2007 John was appointed as Blackpool group secretary and has supported the group, in his own style, since that time.

In his private life John has been married for 40 years to Joan and they have lovely twin daughters and three beautiful grandchildren. John has been Church Warden of his Church for over 20 years and is very active in it to this day.

His pastimes include walking with the Blackpool Victoria Hospital Walking Club once a month (he says on the easy walk!) and more recently he has taken up cycling.

Pic 1:

John Turpin.