On Wednesday the 21st of September at a meeting of Burdett-Coutts Lodge our Past Provincial Grand Summus, R.Dist. Comp. Michael F Barnes was presented with a Certificate celebrating 50 years in Freemasonry. His Certificate was presented in a very personal manner by our Grand Summus, Ian S Currans.
Ian said that he was delighted to have been invited to make the presentation, principally of course because of a very long-standing friendship with Mik, but also because it was in Burdett-Coutts Lodge. His own mother Lodge is Abbey Lodge Westminster 2030, consecrated in 1884, the first Master being William Burdett-Coutts, husband of the Baroness. She addressed the brethren before the Consecration at the Westminster Town Hall and gifted all the regalia and furnishings. Inspired by the Burdett-Coutts toast to the Baroness, they now observe a similar custom at every festive board.
Michael Frederick Barnes was born in Brighton in 1939, 4 days after the UK had declared war on Germany. One might say an inauspicious start. There were wartime evacuations to Bristol and Nottingham, but generally Mik lived in Brighton until the age of 19 and received his early education there. After a few years with a Brighton electrical engineering firm, he joined the UK Atomic Energy Authority in 1960 and worked as a physicist. He then got a job with the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1967 until 1990 and then the National Grid Company until very early retirement in 1992, aged 53 years.
Another 7 years and he will have been retired longer than he went to work. Mik’s 25 years in the electricity supply industry were spent on information technology, operational research and project management. During his working life, he gained both a BSc degree and an MSc degree. Mik have been active in shooting, enjoy TV documentaries, cryptic crosswords, fine dining and driving very fast. But all this pales into insignificance when compared to his abiding passion - Freemasonry.
Mik was initiated into Burdett-Coutts Lodge on 15th March 1972, aged 32. MW.Comp. Ian said he always thinks it gives some perspective to just how long 50 years since initiation is by looking at the world back then. In the UK, Edward Heath was Prime Minister. The US was still embroiled in the Vietnam War under Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal was just beginning. Russia's leader was Leonid Brezhnev, Swedish supergroup Abba was formed and, on 15th March 1972 itself, the film "The Godfather" had its premiere in New York. That's really quite appropriate as when Ian Clark phoned to invite Ian to do the presentation, he did feel it was an "offer he couldn't refuse".
Mik reached the chair of the Lodge in 1979, was Treasurer from 1984-1991, DC from 91-99, L of I Preceptor from 1982 until 1997, and Master again in 2013 and 2018 for the sesquicentenary year. Mik has been a member of 5 other Craft Lodges, Worshipful Master of 4 including the prestigious Jubilee Masters and North Surrey Masters. He achieved LGR and Surrey Provincial ranks, Grand Rank as PAGDC in 1996 and was promoted to PJGD in 2005.
Mik was exalted into the Royal Arch in Earl of Zetland Chapter in 1974, and MEZ for the first time in 1981. He has been a member of 7 Royal Arch Chapters, First Principal of all of them, including London First Principals and North Surrey First Principals. He received LGCR, SLGCR, was Grand Standard Bearer in 1995, promoted to PAGSoj in 2003, and a long serving Craft and RA VGO.
Mik is, or has been, a member of 14 progressive Orders, spread over London, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire with high ranks in them all. 3 require special mention: Deputy Provincial Grand Master in the Mark Province of Surrey, Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler for Surrey in the OSM and, probably his crowning masonic achievement, Provincial Grand Summus for Surrey in Scarlet Cord.
To close Ian said, “never think that merely having been a Freemason for 50 years is the cause of much celebration as its mostly a question of luck. Luck in having been proposed early enough, luck in having lived long enough, and luck in having made enough money to pay subscriptions over those 50 years. The real cause for celebration is the sheer volume of commitment that the recipient has put in during that time. There can be few people that have contributed as much as Michael Frederick Bames”.
V.W.Bro. Ian read the certificate and afterwards the Brethren gave Mik a standing ovation.
There to see our Past Provincial Grand Summus receive his Certificate were several Surrey Scarlet Cord Companions who were delighted to share this special day with Mik.
After a few photos we all went along to the Doubletree Hilton in Southampton Row for a most convivial festive board together.
Article and photos by Chris Eley
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