Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies

Excellent Companion Neil Hamilton Johnstone PGStB
 

Born in Barnehust, Neil was educated at Dartford Grammar School following which he joined Kent County Constabulary (now Kent Police) serving for a total of 33 years at various places and specialist units. He retired from the Police service in 2000 as a Chief Inspector, his last post heading a Unit at New Scotland Yard with national and international responsibility for co-ordinating police aspects of disasters and civil emergency response and investigation.

He is now employed by Kent County Council in the field of emergency planning and crisis management, developing plans and strategies to respond to a wide range of potential emergencies within the county.

His Masonic life began with his initiation into the Renham Lodge No 8211 in 1981, in which he was Master in 1992 and 1993, and is currently serving a second term as Lodge Director of Ceremonies. His first Craft Provincial appointment was as a Steward in 1995 and then Provincial Senior Warden in 1999, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies from 2002 until 2006 and in 2007 was invested by the MW Grand Master as Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. He is a member of a number of other Craft Lodges within the Province and elsewhere and is currently the Director of Ceremonies of the Kent Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge. He is also a member of, and holds Office in several other Orders.

His Royal Arch Chapter activities began in 1982 with his Exaltation into the Norman Chapter No. 3502, where he worked through the various Offices until reaching the 1st Principals Chair in April 1997, only to find that he was unable to perform his first Ceremony as MEZ due to being seconded to the Royal Montserrat Police in the Caribbean to assist in the response to a volcanic emergency. He was subsequently appointed as a Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 2002, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in 2009 and was invested as Past Grand Standard Bearer in Supreme Grand Chapter in 2009. He also holds Office in the East Kent 1st Principals Chapter and is currently Scribe E of the Norman Chapter.

Neil has been married to his wife Margaret since 1970 and both enjoy the opportunities, satisfaction and, on occasions, challenges that occur within Freemasonry. They also enjoy a close family relationship with their two children and three grand-children and both pursue various non-Masonic hobbies and interests which include music, books, model making and photography

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