Eminent Knight Ronald Aspinall
09 September 1936 – 21 January 2022
It is with great regret that we report the very sad passing of E.Kt. Ron Aspinall at the end of January.
Ron was initiated into Freemasonry in Seaton Delaval Lodge No 4617 on 9th January 1980 and was Master of the Lodge in 1989, after which he acted as Secretary between 1991 and 2015, and then was Assistant Secretary between 2015 and 2019.
For his service to the Craft he was appointed to the rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 1997 and promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2003. He was elected to Honorary membership of the Lodge in February 2020.
He was exalted in Seaton Delaval Chapter No 4617 on 14th October 1982 and was its First Principal in 1994. He later served the office of Scribe N for seven years from 2010. Provincial appointment followed in 1999 to the rank of Past Provincial Assistant Grand Sojourner and he was later promoted in 2005 to Past Provincial Grand Scribe N. He was, again, elected to Honorary membership of the Chapter in February 2020.
In our Templar Order, he was installed a Knight in Brandling Preceptory No 239 on 21st February 1989 and completed his Malta Degree later that year. Ten years later he was the Eminent Preceptor of Brandling and that led, in 2000, to his first appointment as Provincial Chamberlain. Two Provincial promotions followed, to Provincial Standard Bearer (B) in 2004 and Past Provincial Registrar in 2014.
He joined the Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests in 1996 as a member of the Royal Kent Tabernacle T.I. but did not take senior office. He was a Rose Croix mason having been perfected in Royal Kent Chapter Rose Croix in February 1993 but preferred not to take senior office.
In other Orders, he was advanced in the Mark Degree in Carville Lodge of Mark Master Masons in 1984; Master in 1991, and in 1995 was the Provincial Grand Junior Warden. This led, in 2003, to his first Grand Mark Lodge appointment to Past Assistant Grand Sword Bearer; and promotion in 2010 to Past Grand Junior Deacon.
Elevated in the Royal Ark Mariner Degree in Carville Lodge of RAM’s in 1986, he was Commander in 1994, after which he was Scribe for ten years from 2008. He was, in addition, a member of the Triangle Lodge of Installed Commanders. Provincial RAM Grand Rank led, in 2007, to RAM Grand Rank.
He was a member of the Red Cross of Constantine, installed as a Knight Companion in Prior’s Haven Conclave in 1997, after which he was a Founder of Astley Conclave in that same year, and acting as its Sovereign in 2008. He held rank in the Division of Northumberland as Past Divisional Chamberlain.
The Province has lost a dedicated Knight and he will be sorely missed by all his Brethren and Companions.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior