Bill Carr’s 60 years in Freemasonry

The friends of Bill Carr gathered at Astley and Ellesmere Lodge No 730 to celebrate Bill’s 60 years in Freemasonry.

The proceedings were lead by Ray Martland Assistant Provincial Grand Master in a ceremony which was both humorous and good natured.

Paul Snape Group Vice Chairman of the Chorley and District Group read the Certificate, which is an acknowledgement of the Province of West Lancashire’s

great appreciation of Bill’s membership of the Craft.

Bill’s response was as usual bright, lively and at times emotional.

Ray said it was his great privilege to share this evening with the members of Astley and Ellesmere Lodge and their Guests in celebrating Bill’s 60th

Anniversary in Freemasonry. This is a wonderful milestone on his Masonic journey and if anybody deserves this celebration then Bill does.

Ray took the lodge back to the year 1928 which was important in history for: George V was on the throne, thanks to Mrs. Pankhurst women over the age

of 21 got the vote, Stanley Baldwin was PM, John Logie Baird demonstrated TV, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and the first Harry Ramsden’s fish

and chips opened in Yorkshire. Also born this year were Bruce Forsyth, Bob Monkhouse, Bill Maynard and Bernard Cribbins.

However, at number seven Brindle Street, Chorley, on the 23 January 1928 it is particularly noted that Mrs Ada Carr gave birth to a son, to be named William (Bill).

Bill’s mother was a Boltonian and baked bread for sale in the shop. When kneading the bread, mother would stand on one leg to enable her to push the rocking chair

in which Bill sat so as to get him to sleep. Father, Thomas, was a master Bricklayer. At the age of five Bill attended Duke Street Infants School and remained there until 13.

However, at the age of seven, he joined the Cubs of Trinity Pack before later moving on to the Scouts.

Bill attended Horwich Junior Tech for three years and then onto the Harris Institute at Preston.

In 1936 Bill became a member of Trinity Methodist Church, Chorley and later became a Trustee and only ceased to be a Trustee this year.

The Church was important to him and in 1955 Bill became Property Secretary. Bill must be quite a singer, becoming Choirmaster as well in 1967,

following in father’s footsteps. Bill’s mother, Ada, was a trained singer and used the name Madame Ada Voc. Bill’s sister was also named Ada.

Bill commenced work in 1944 and served a five year apprenticeship as a Bricklayer with his father, Thomas.

In 1950 (age of 22 years) Bill became Clerk of Works to Adlington Urban District Council and worked on housing schemes. Two years later he changed

employers and worked as a Surveyor for Leyland Construction Company. Whilst at Leyland Construction, occasionally, a certain William Simpson Huck,

a youthful solicitor, would visit the Company to meet with Thomas Hargreaves from Leyland. Bill Huck was privileged to attend on Bill Carr’s fiftieth celebration.

In 1960, and for six years, Bill worked at Leyland Motors as their Building Surveyor in the Works Engineers Department.

In 1967, and for five years, saw him return to Leyland Construction as Contracts Manager were he worked alongside Brian Taylor as Liaison Engineer between

Cementation and Leyland Motors at the Foundry over at Farington Works.

Whilst at Leyland Motors, being a member of the Round Table of Great Britain, Bill and his colleagues organised a very large Gala Carnival for Charity. This was held at

Dog Trap Fields at Chorley. 1,000 members of the public would be in attendance. It was Bill’s job, along with a friend, to ferry a number of Stars from Blackpool.

He borrowed Ken Pigot’s Rolls-Royce to collect the Three Kay Sisters, Nicholas Parsons and Danny Williams from Blackpool. That is certainly rubbing shoulders

with the Great. The event went on too long and by then it was 5:30 in the afternoon. The artists needed to be back for a 6:30 performance at the Winter Gardens.

Somehow a Police escort was organised with two motor cycle outriders to get them through Preston at break neck speed. Like 80 MPH. Nicholas Parsons said he had

never had that experience before.

Bill then moved on to Leyland Industrial Homes at Croston as site manager overseeing the building of Timber Framed homes.

In 1984, for five years, Bill became surveyor / estimator with Chorley Borough Council in Man Services Commission and then came the best bit, he decided to retire.

Now Trinity Methodist was obviously important to Bill for many reasons, and none less than meeting his first wife Barbara who was also a member of that Church.

Bill married Barbara at Trinity on 12 July 1952, Barbara’s grandfather, had been the Station Master at Brinscall Railway Station and a member of Ellesmere Lodge

being Master in 1920.

Following Bill’s marriage to Barbara, he decided to build your own house in Burgh Lane and Jim Bolton assisted him with the joinery work. Ray said he was pleased

that Jim could be here this evening, supporting once again.

Barbara worked as a Medical Secretary which she enjoyed and they both enjoyed celebrating their silver wedding in 1977 and that year visited relatives over in Canada.

In 1978 they decided to buy a caravan on a site at Grange over Sands and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Barbara became unwell and sadly passed away in 1987.

But two years later Bill found Audrey who had already moved back to Chorley in 1985 from Chalfont St. Giles, rejoining the choir. Bill and Audrey married at Trinity Methodist

Church 02 June 1989. They now live happily together in a bungalow in Stanstead Road.

Audrey took up Golf and then finally persuaded Bill to join her and both became members over at Chorley Golf Club. Audrey became Lady Captain in 2000. They continued

enjoying golf and whilst up at the caravan played at Grange Golf Club.

Audrey loved the caravan and they now own a static at Flookburgh.

Bill was blessed with two children in his marriage to Barbara, Victoria and Andrew, Andrew is a Paramedic and Victoria a nurse. Audrey has one daughter, Hilary. Bill and Audrey

have seven Grandchildren in total.

John Lancaster Secretary of Astley and Ellesmere Lodge read the minutes of the meeting at which Bill was Initiated into the Craft.

Bill was initiated into Ellesmere Lodge in 1951 and his father Thomas was Proposer with Jack McCarroll as seconder.

Bill was installed as Worshipful Master in 1967 and whilst IPM assumed the duties of ADC and continued for 10 years before John Eccles took over.

In 1982 for 13 years Bill initially acted as Assistant Secretary to Jim Bolton and then later Geoff Catterall.

Bill was honoured to be Master during the year of the 150th Celebration in 2008.

In 1980 he received his first Provincial Appointment to PPrJGD and in 1994 promoted to PPrDG Supt of Wks and then the big one to PPrJGW.

Now here is one for the record, Bill is about to join the Mark Degree, Lawrence Mark 313 at Chorley with Jim Bolton as proposer and Geoff Catterall as seconder.

There is no doubt that his entire life has been an example of what makes a good freemason, as well as a good citizen, a good husband, a good parent, and, in every way,

a contributor to society as a whole.

There is also no doubt, that, during the last sixty years, anyone who happened to learn that he is a Freemason, could not fail to see him as anything other than a good

ambassador for our Order.

              Pictured Back row: Tony Hall, Geoff Catterall, John Ashton

Front row: David Arrowsmith, Ray Martland, Bill Carr, Paul Snape, Robert Wright

            Pictured Ray Martland and Bill Carr

            Pictured: Jim Bolton and Bill Carr                       Pictured: John Leigh (brother in law) and Bill Carr