Eminent Knight Peter John Holland, PProvStdB (VB)
6th July 1936 – 13th June 2023
The Provincial Priory is sad to report the death, at the age of 86 years, of Eminent Knight Peter Holland, Past Provincial Standard Bearer (VB).
Peter was a very well known and respected Freemason in our Province, having been initiated into Freemasonry in Brandling Lodge No 3875 in November 1968. Brandling Lodge closed in 1995, but Peter was a member of several other lodges by then – North Durham Lecture Lodge No 8125; Northumbrian Masters Lodge No 3477; St Edmunds Lodge (Dur) No 7377; Ridley Lodge No 2260; Commercial Travellers Lodge No 3700; and he was a Founder member of the Lodge of Chevaliers de Fer No 9732 in the Province of Leicestershire & Rutland.
In consequence of his service to Lodges in our Province, Peter held the rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
In the Royal Arch, he was exalted in Ridley Chapter No 2260 in 1986; serving as First Principal in 1995 and subsequently as Assistant Scribe E for four years from 2011. He held Provincial rank as Past Provincial Assistant Grand Sojourner, and was a member of the Northumbrian First Principals Chapter No 3477.
He was very active in many other Orders under Mark Mason’s Hall. He was advanced in Ambrose Crowley Lodge of Mark Master Masons No 1269 in 1985, but also joined Tristram LMMM No 346 in 1991; Adoniram LMMM No 1483 in 2000; he was a Founder of Durham Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards No 1820 in 2001; joined the Durham Lodge of Installed Mark Masters No 1492 in 2004; and was a Founder of the Joey Dunlop LMMM No 1881 in 2007. He held Provincial rank in our Province as well as in Durham – Past Provincial Grand Junior Overseer (Dur) in 2003 and Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden (N’land) in 2008.
He was member of the Order of Royal Ark Mariners, being elevated in Clavering RAM Lodge No 896 in 1988; and he joined Tristram RAM Lodge No 346 in 1991.
In our Knight Templar Order, he was installed a Sir Knight in Royal Kent Preceptory No 20 in 1993; was Eminent Preceptor in 2008 and first appointed in 2009 to the rank of Past Provincial Chamberlain before promotion to Past Provincial Standard Bearer (VB) in 2013.
In the Red Cross of Constantine, he was installed in Royal Kent Conclave No 152 in 1998; becoming Sovereign in 2006; and appointed as Divisional Registrar for Northumberland in 2013.
He was also a Founder member of De Bouillon Conclave No 488m in 2007, though that Conclave subsequently closed.
In the Order of the Secret Monitor he was inducted into the Conclave of Amity No 407 (subsequently erased) in 1999; was its Supreme Ruler in 2006 and 2017; and a Founder of the Durham Arch of Steel Conclave No 568 and later joined Royal Kent Conclave in 2022.
He was a member of the Scarlet Cord, joining the Keys of Jericho Consistory No 7 in 2019.
Finally, he was a Knight Templar Priest, in Royal Kent Tabernacle T.I. in 1997; High Priest in 2103; appointed Past Grand Keeper of the Inner Porch in 2015 before promotion in 2019 to Past Grand 3rd Pillar.
Peter was a dedicated Freemason and supporter of all the Orders and units of which he was a member and we will miss his presence in our meetings in the future.
Kevin Stannard
Provincial Prior