Eminent Knight John Henry (Jack) Irving, P.Gt.StdB(B)
11 May 1943 – 02 October 2020
It is with the deepest regret that the Provincial Priory reports the passing of E. Kt. John Henry (Jack) Irving, aged 77, on Friday 2nd October 2020.
Jack was held in very high regard in both Craft and Royal Arch, to the extent that he held Grand Rank in both.
In the Craft, in 1996, he was appointed to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Past Junior Grand Deacon in 2006, whilst in the Chapter he was appointed to the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer in 1998.
Jack was initiated on 17th December 1964, into Wallsend Lodge No.2703, and became Worshipful Master in 1976. He subsequently became a member of Carliol Lodge No.5419, after the closure of Wallsend Lodge, and during his time in the Craft held the offices of Charity Steward, Auditor and Organist, as well as being Lodge Treasurer for an impressive 25 years.
Exalted on 8th June 1965, into Tyne Royal Arch Chapter No.991, he became First Principal in 1985. He became a member of Carliol Royal Arch Chapter No.5419, after the closure of Tyne Chapter.
He was presented with his 50 year certificate in the Craft in December 2014 and in the Chapter in June 2015 and by late 2015 had represented the Provincial Grand Master or Grand Superintendent on over one hundred official occasions.
Aside from his own Lodge and Chapter, Jack was very active at Provincial level, being the Treasurer of the Northumberland Masonic Charity Association for eleven years and one of the driving forces behind the 1999 Charity Festival.
In Provincial Chapter he was appointed as the Provincial Third Grand Principal in 1998 and promoted to the rank of Provincial Second Grand Principal a year later.
He was held in very high esteem in a number of other Orders in the Province, in particular the Knights Templar and the Knight Templar Priests.
In our Knight Templar Order, he was installed in St Oswald Preceptory No 481 in March 1980, and subsequently was a Founder member of Templar Segedunum Preceptory No 586 in January 1994.
After acting as Eminent Preceptor in both Preceptories, he took on the role of Marshal, an office he made his own, and acknowledged as one of the most dedicated and efficient Marshals in our Province.
Recognised by Great Priory for his selfless service to the Order, he was appointed in 2004 to the rank of Past Great Warden of Regalia before promotion in 2015 to the rank of Past Great Standard Bearer (Beauceant).
As a member of Royal Kent Tabernacle of Knight Templar Priests from 1991, he was its High Priest in 2003 and ultimately awarded by Grand College with promotion to the rank of Past Grand Seventh Pillar.
Jack will be sorely missed by all in the Province, across all of the Orders. He lived respected and died regretted.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior