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A recent meeting of United Service Lodge 3124 held on Friday 13th. April was
attended by the Provincial Grand Master Rt.W.Bro. Michael Bailey for the
express purpose of presenting two long service certificates in Freemasonry,
one for 50 years and the other for 60 years. In the final event the recipient
of the 50 year award Bro. Keith Barker was unable to attend due to his having
undergone an eye operation. The recipient of the 60 year certificate, W.Bro.
George Allen was therefore the only one present to receive his award. Despite
the portents of possible disaster attributed to the date of the meeting, none
transpired and a most enjoyable time was had by all.
George joined the Royal Navy at the age of 18 on 10th. January 1938. Two days
after his 20th. Birthday he saw service on HMS Ajax at the Battle of the River
Plate against the German pocket battleship “Graff Spee”. The remainder of his
war service saw him at Dunkirk, in the Mediterranean, on the Atlantic and
Russian Convoys and finally in the Far East where he was when the War ended.
He retired from the Navy in January 1950 and joined Bowater’s Power Department
until he finally retired in 1982. His Masonic career started on the 11th.
April 1947, becoming Master of the Lodge in 1956. He subsequently held many
senior positions in the Lodge and received recognition for his service and
dedication by appointment and promotion in Provincial Grand Lodge. George
still lives locally in Iwade with his wife Vera.
Keith was too young for military service at the outbreak of War so volunteered
first in the ARP, then transferred to the Auxiliary Fire Service. He finally
joined the RAF and saw service in a heavy bomber squadron equipped with
Lancasters, then with the Pathfinder Force which included some operations for
the Special Operations Executive, all very cloak and dagger. After VE day he
was due to fly with Tiger Force Japan in conjunction with the Americans, but
two A bombs put a stop to that. After the cessation of hostilities training in
engineering following family tradition beckoned ending with a Doctorate in
Magnetohydrodynamics, the science of electromagnetic levitation of liquids,
metals and plasma in high energy magnetic fields. Career moves followed as
Works Manager at Sheet Glass Queenborough, Director of an oil company,
developing heavy presses to form aero engine turbine blades for Concorde and
Jumbo Jets. At the Cavendish in Cambridge his team developed the first number
plate recognition cameras, helicopters with no engines, ecologically friendly
fuels, computer security packages and broken glass as a road surfacing
material. His latest development is pre-fabricated affordable energy saving
housing. All these inventions have been shown on TV programmes such as
Tomorrow’s World. He was initiated into United Service Lodge on 11th. January
1957, but clearly his main energies have been directed towards his inventions
and development work. Keith now lives at Great Ness near Shrewsbury in
Shropshire with his wife Beryl, whom he married in 1948.
Photograph: Senior officers of United
Service Lodge together with the PGM, PDC and recipient of the 60 year service
award.
L – R:
W.Bro. Malcolm Brookes – Provincial Director of Ceremonies
Bro. Peter Thomas – Junior Warden
W.Bro. George Allen – Recipient of 60 year service award
Rt.W.Bro. Michael Bailey – Provincial Grand Master
W.Bro. Owen Quantick – Master
W.Bro. Neville Crane – Senior Warden
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