Very Eminent Knight Charles Stewart, P.Gt.Reg.
10 May 1922 – 16 November 2014
In November 2014 the Masonic Province of Northumberland suffered the loss, at the age of 94 years, of one of its most dedicated and hard-working members when VE Kt Charles Stewart was called to higher service by our Great Captain’s command.
Charles was initiated into Freemasonry in All Saints Lodge No 4253 in November 1954. His masonic activity was prodigious and during his lifetime he became a joining member of the Northumbrian Masters Lodge No 3477 in 1968 (acting as its Master in 1992) and Founder member of Ocianus Lodge No 8329 in 1970. After moving to Cumbria he joined the Border Lodge of Installed Masters No 5372 in 1990 and the Zenith Lodge No 9800 in 2005, both in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland, acting as Master of the latter in 2007.
In Northumberland he acted as the Provincial Grand Secretary and Provincial Scribe E from 1977 to 1989. As a consequence, his first Grand Lodge appointment, to Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1980, was followed by promotion to Past Junior Grand Deacon in 1989.
In the Royal Arch, he was exalted in St Peter’s Chapter No 481 in 1963 but was also a member of four other Chapters – the Northumbrian First Principals Chapter No 3477; Founder of Castle Wardens Chapter No 8213; Berwick upon Tweed Chapter No 393 and the Cumberland and Westmorland Chapter No 8071.
His hard work as Provincial Grand Scribe E was recognised by Supreme Grand Chapter with promotion to Past Assistant Grand Sojourner in 1990.
His involvement in other Orders was similarly prodigious. He joined the Knight Templar Order in 1974 in St Oswald Preceptory No 481, but he also enjoyed membership of Chibburn Preceptory No 232 as well as being a Founder member of the St Wilfred of Hexham Preceptory No 461.
Following his move to Cumbria, a Founder member of the Robert De Bruys Preceptory No 515 and a joining member of the Maples Preceptory No 428, both under the Provincial Priory of Lancashire. His service to the Order was rewarded by promotion in Great Priory to the rank of Past Great Registrar in 2003.
An active member of many other Orders under the auspices of Mark Masons’ Hall, he was a Grand Officer in most – Past Grand Junior Overseer in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and a holder of Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank; Grand Chamberlain in the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine; District Grand Master (1997 – 2002) of the District of Cumberland and Westmorland in the Order of Royal and Select Masters; Past Grand Visitor in the Order of the Secret Monitor; Past Grand Senior Warden in the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees.
Charles’ talent and zeal as a mason were enormous and his contribution to the Craft and all the other Orders of which he was a member was almost impossible to quantify. His loss proved a great blow to the Provincial Priory of Northumberland and to all the Brethren who knew and respected him. We shall seldom see his like again.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior