Eminent Knight Leslie Wales, P.Gt.Chamb.
31 July 1933 – 19 August 2013
It is with great sadness that the Provincial Priory reports the passing of Eminent Knight Leslie Wales.
E Kt Leslie Wales devoted nearly thirty years to the Templar Order and was a much loved and highly respected Great Priory officer.
He was initiated into Freemasonry in Wansbeck Lodge No 5171 in December 1964 and remained a subscribing member until his death. He was Master of the Lodge in 1977 and, as a consequence, was first appointed in Provincial Grand Lodge to the rank of Past Provincial Grand Registrar in 1987.
Further promotion followed in 1996 to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
In the Royal Arch he was exalted in Ashington Chapter No 2868 in 1968, acting as First Principal in 1982 and, later, serving as Scribe E of the Chapter for ten years from 1991. To recognise his dedication to the Order he was promoted in Provincial Grand Chapter to Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah before appointment in 1999 to Past Grand Standard Bearer in the Supreme Grand Chapter.
He became a Knight Templar when he was installed in Brinkburn Preceptory No 284 in October 1985, but four months later he also joined Wudcestre Preceptory No 537.
Although he never took the Chair in his mother Preceptory, he acted as Preceptor of Wudcestre in 1991.
For his service to our Order he was promoted in Provincial Priory to Past Provincial Registrar before, in 2006, he was awarded Great Priory rank as Past Great Chamberlain.
Also a member of the King Oswald Conclave No 316 in the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine, he was Sovereign in 1993 and ultimately promoted in 2000 to the rank of Past Grand Prefect in the Grand Imperial Conclave.
The Provincial Priory was saddened to learn of the passing of such a dedicated Knight Templar and his loss was mourned by all the Brother Knights who knew him.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior