Very Eminent Knight Edward Magee, P.Gt.1st Const.
09 February 1941 – 17 December 2019
It is with very great sadness that we report the passing of VE Kt Eddie Magee, P.Gt.1st Const, on Tuesday 17th December 2019 at his home in Stratford-upon-Avon. Eddie had been ill for a number of months and his death, whilst not unexpected, was particularly sad for his family and friends coming, as it did, so close to Christmas.
Originally a Cheshire mason, Eddie was initiated in January 1968 in Woodford Lodge No 6276 in that Province. He moved with his family to Hexham where he continued his masonry as a member of Epicure Lodge No 9618, joining in 2005 and acting as Master in 2007. In consequence of his service, he was appointed to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies by Grand Lodge in 2011.
Exalted into the Royal Arch in 1975, in Whiston Chapter No 3614 in the Province of Cheshire, he was appointed to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Sojourner in the Provincial Grand Chapter of Cheshire in 1994 before becoming a joining member of Albert Edward Chapter No 1557 in 2007.
As a Chartered Accountant, he offered sterling service to the Craft Province of Northumberland when he agreed to act as the Provincial Grand Treasurer from 2007 until his retirement to the Midlands in 2013. He will be remembered by many for his quiet demeanour hiding a ready wit and great sense of humour – he was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
In addition to his Craft and Chapter service, he was active in several other masonic Orders and most especially in the Knights Templar. He was installed as a Knight of our Order in 1978 in
St George Preceptory No 318 in the Province of Cheshire and became a Founder member of the Cheshire Bodyguard Preceptory No 578 in 1993.
After moving to the north east, he joined the St Wilfred of Hexham Preceptory No 461 where he was Preceptor in 2007, as well as the Northumbria Guards Preceptory No 600 and was its Preceptor in 2012.
In addition he was a Founder member of the Grand Master’s Preceptory No 678 in London in 2009, acting as its Preceptor in 2017.
For his service to the Order, he was appointed by Great Priory to the rank of Past Great Aide-de-Camp in 1994; promoted to Past Great Herald in 2000, and further promoted to Past Great Second Constable in 2004.
He was, for many years, the Commander of the Grand Master’s Bodyguard and, on his retirement in 2018, he was rewarded by promotion to the Acting rank of First Great Constable – the Templar equivalent to Senior Grand Warden in Grand Lodge.
It was a great privilege to have been able to receive him back into Northumberland when he attended in that capacity at the Installation of the new Provincial Prior for Northumberland in September 2018.
His devotion to the other Orders under Mark Masons’ Hall led to Provincial rank as Past Divisional Grand Sword Bearer in the Division of Northumberland of the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and Grand rank as Past Grand Conductor of the Council in the Order of the Royal and Select Masters and Past Captain of the Guard of Honour of the Order of the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City.
There he was a Founder member of King Edwin Lodge No 7 in Newcastle.
His loss has been keenly felt within the Provincial Priory of Northumberland, as well as all the Knightly Orders under the auspices of Mark Masons’ Hall, and masonry is very much the poorer for his passing.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior