Michael Batham Jones

27 September, 2016

1992-2003

RW Bro Michael Batham Jones was born in Lancashire in 1929, the family later moving south before settling in Watford in 1939, where he attended Watford Boys’ Grammar School before reading Law at the London School of Economics. He graduated in 1950 and then entered into three years’ articles with the firm of Sedgwick Turner Sworder & Wilson (now Sedgwick Kelly). He was articled to W Bro Frank Wilson, then Secretary of Watford Lodge No 404 and qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1954; five years later he was admitted as a Partner, progressing to the position of senior partner before retiring from that position in 2000.

He was initiated in Watford Lodge No. 404 in 1957 and became Master of the Lodge in 1966. In 1970 he became secretary of the lodge when W Bro Frank Wilson wanted to retire after 20 years’ service. Bro Michael then served in that capacity for 13 years. He also joined Old Fullerian Lodge No. 4698 subsequently, and Hertfordshire Masters’ Lodge No. 4090 as soon as he was qualified.

His first appointment in the Province was in 1973 and was the highest to which, nowadays a lay brother can aspire – Provincial Senior Grand Warden. His work for the Province continued with his appointment as Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1975 rising to Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1977, an appointment he held until he became Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1981. In 1977 he was founding Treasurer of White Star Lodge No. 8727, the Provincial Executive’s Lodge. During this period he was a Director of Halsey Masonic Hall (Watford) Limited, a position he held for some twenty years, being Chairman of the Company for some of that time.

In 1979 Michael Jones was appointed to the active rank of Assistant Grand Registrar in Grand Lodge, being promoted to Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies the following year, an appointment he held for three years.

In 1979, he also became a member of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, which a few years’ later merged with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys to form the Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (M.T.G.B.). He became a member of the Council of the M.T.G.B. at its foundation and subsequently a Trustee of what had become the RMTGB until retiring in 2003.

He was elected to the Board of General Purposes of Grand Lodge in 1982 and served as an elected member for three years at the end of which he continued on the Board as one of the members appointed by the Grand Master. In accordance with convention, he resigned from the Board in 1992 on being appointed Provincial Grand Master for Hertfordshire. Whilst on the Board of General Purposes, Michael Jones served on most of its Committees. He was Chairman of the Library, Art and Publications Committee, and subsequently Chairman of the Procedure Committee. On the Procedure Committee he was a member of the sub-committee that dealt with the changes to the penalties. Later he was a member of the sub-committee which investigated the rules relating to Masonic discipline which ultimately led to changes to the Book of Constitutions, and in that connection he personally undertook the initial drafting of what, eventually became the new Rule 211 A.

In 1989, Michael was appointed Past Grand Sword Bearer in Grand Lodge entitling him to the prefix Very Worshipful, and in 1990 became a Grand Steward. In the Province he was Master of Hertfordshire Masters’ Lodge No 4090 in 1984 and of White Star Lodge No. 8727 in 1985. On the death of VW Bro Geoffrey Pryke in March 1992, Michael was appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Master; in September he was installed as Provincial Grand Master by the Assistant Grand Master, the Rt. Hon. The Earl of Eglinton and Winton at Freemasons’ Hall.

Michael Jones consecrated nine Lodges, Jubilee Lodge No. 9475, Stanboroughs Lodge No.9523, Herts Scots Lodge No.9527, Welwyn Viaduct Lodge No.9555, Burning Bush Lodge No.9608, Veritatem Lodge No.9615, Wormley St Laurence Lodge No.9621, Hartsbourne Lodge No.9680, Lodge Trust and Fear Not No.9698.

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