Our Past Provincial Grand Master / Most Excellent Grand Superintendent

Our RWBro / EComp Jack Price died on 23 October 2011. He had fought bravely over the previous two years and died peacefully at home with Dorothy and their children, Jonathan and Janet, by his side.
Both he and Dorothy found much comfort from the many letters and cards received and the family give sincere thanks for all the support, love and prayers which had been extended to them.

Jack Price was born in Manchester in 1937 and raised in Tyldesley where he attended the local Mission School then continued his Education in Tyldesley before entering Wigan Technical and Mining College, now the Wigan College of Technology. In 1954 Jack entered the Royal Air Force where he spent five years on postings in the UK and overseas, on duties in the Pacific.

After a training period, Jack became a Prison Officer at Stafford Jail, moving on in 1965 to Risley Remand Centre, then in 1975, to Strangeways where he served as the Principal Officer (a rank similar to a Police Inspector). He progressed to becoming Chief Officer and from 1984 to 1988, began to move through the Governor grades, becoming responsible for security and management including training, disciplinary procedures and enforcement, sitting on parole boards and taking charge of general operations. Jack then worked at the Prison Service Regional Headquarters at Manchester House, conveniently situated next to the Masonic Hall at Bridge Street!

The Hindley Youth Custody Centre received the benefit of Jack’s wisdom where as Deputy Governor, he worked from 1988-1992, finally being promoted to Head of Operational Training for England and Wales in which capacity he ran five training units (Wakefield, Doncaster, Melton Mowbray, Oxford and Rugby). He was in charge of training, which ranged from riot control, hostage negotiation and incident management to that required for 400 dog handlers and their charges.

Jack retired in 1995 after exactly 35 years service and together with his wife, Dorothy, they were able to devote more time to the family and, of course, their great enjoyment of Freemasonry. Together they enjoyed gardening, motoring and a great love for the outdoors, frequenting places of English Heritage and of historical interest. They also shared eclectic tastes in music and reading, particularly history and historical fiction. Dorothy makes the best lemon meringue pie North of Watford and their tomato plants have received homes throughout East Lancashire and the neighbouring Provinces.

Jack and Dorothy were both choristers at Tyldesley Parish Church and St Ann’s Church, Hindsford, through which they first met. There are two children: Janet, an honours graduate of the University of Leeds, who lives in the West Midlands where she is a Catering Adviser to Birmingham City Council and Jonathan, an honours graduate of University College London, who is the Managing Editor for Thomson International.

Jack was proposed into Freemasonry by WBro Irving Jefferson, seconded by WBro Norman Cuttle and Initiated, Passed and Raised in Justice Lodge, No. 4632, in 1971. The same two brethren brought Jack into Empire Chapter, No. 3803, in 1974.

In the Craft Jack has served as the Charity Steward, Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the then Manchester District Number 2. In the Royal Arch he has been Assistant to the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent (RWBro James Dunsford Hemsley, PProvGM) from 1995 to 1998 and then Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals from 1998 to 2000.

Under RWBro Peter Walthall, PProvGM, he served as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master having responsibility for two of the Manchester Districts between 2000 and 2002, and then Bolton and Bury until 2005. He was appointed by RWBro Peter Walthall, PProvGM, as Deputy Grand Superintendent, a position he continued to occupy under RWBro Paul JE Rink, OBE, PProvGM, until his appointment to Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent in and over the Masonic Province of East Lancashire on 18 June, 2008.

In the Craft, Jack progressed quite rapidly from Provincial Grand Steward to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden, receiving Grand Rank as Past Assistant Grand Sword Bearer in 1992 and Past Senior Grand Deacon in 2001. In the Royal Arch, he was appointed Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1993, Past Assistant Grand Sojourner in 2004 and Past Grand Sword Bearer in 2005.
Jack Price was also a Mark Master Mason and a Royal Ark Mariner Mason and held Grand Rank in both Orders. His membership of the Ancient and Accepted Rite (Rose Croix) extended to five Chapters and he was appointed to the 32° in 2007. He was a founder member of three of those Chapters.

He was also a member of the Order of the Secret Monitor, the Allied Masonic Degrees and the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of St John the Evangelist.

Those who knew our Past Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent will have been aware of his ability to attract and mobilise the talents of those around him and then actively participate in shared work to accomplish their goals and engaging people at all levels. His relationships were governed by integrity, compassion and respect and he inspired those around him, effectively leading the teams and people he served. Jack portrayed a strong positive image to those around him and he was an excellent ambassador for Freemasonry in this Province. His stamina, drive and enthusiasm were of great benefit to the Province in recent and undoubtedly all will have been touched at some point by his charismatic personality. 

Jack Price’s achievements were many but, prior to his Installation as PGM and MEGSupt, he was most proud of the development of his Royal Arch Team into one which was cohesive, with each of the individuals being mutually compatible and responsive to each other. Under his superb leadership, both he and the Team enjoyed a fantastic time in the Royal Arch, most notably during the various series of Joint Convocations they engaged upon in the Province. The team gave immense support to him, each other and the Province as a whole. Jack brought his personal ‘touch’ to the Craft Team of Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, with the assistance of his close friends and very capable Deputy Provincial Grand Masters, firstly VWBro. Dr. Nigel Graham Bramley Haworth, PGSwdB, and latterly WBro Harold Woodward, PGSwdB. Under his leadership the Royal Arch continued to be well managed and ably led by more close friends – the Past Deputy Grand Superintendent, EComp Allan Bennion, PGSwdB and more recently EComp William J Porter, PGSwdB.

Jack always acknowledged the immense capabilities and collaboration given by the Secretariat under the Provincial Grand Secretary, WBro H Alan J Garnett, PJGD, and the Craft DCs team under WBro Norman Cope, PAGDC, and the Royal Arch DCs team under EComp Wesley Marchant, PGStB, and more recently, EComp Henri Lyons.

Jack fondest memories included the work he performed with WBro Geoffrey Mangham (a much loved and sadly missed past Chairman) and Harry Ferguson (an equally missed past Deputy Chairman and revered work colleague) in Manchester District Number 2, where they challenged many long standing ideals, much to the benefit of the Manchester Districts.

Jack Price always acknowledged the accomplishments of his predecessors and their teams. Most recently, through vision and encouragement, there has been a rebranded and remodelled East Lancashire Masonic Charity which has been a vehicle for reconnecting with our local communities through its Community Fund, helping to place Freemasonry more fully within the public domain and making people more aware of the force for good which we represent. The Province is undergoing a period of structured consolidation and to maintain future stability, has to attract new members, keep existing brethren and maintain and improve their welfare and enjoyment. The new Mentoring and Education scheme, which has been introduced recently, will continue to be a key aim. This will evolve and become embedded within the Province in future years and, guided by the support and dedication offered by the Education and Development Committee and its innovative development activities, the District teams and the District Lodge and Chapter Mentors. Jack encouraged good communication within and outside of Freemasonry. Following his competent leadership and use of empowering management as the devices and means by which all of us will be involved, Jack Price inspired us all to ensure the future success of the Masonic movement in East Lancashire.

Our Love has and will always extend to Jack's beloved Dorothy. Her support for Jack and this Province and the care she has given him have been profound. Jack lived for Dorothy, Jonathan, Janet, the rest of his family and us, his extended family - the Brethren and Companions of the Province of East Lancashire.

"Look after each other, Love one another and God Bless you all"

The Funeral of RWBro / EComp Jack Price was held on Friday,4 November 2011

at Howbridge Crematorium, off Lovers Lane, Atherton, Manchester, M46 0PZ at 1.45pm.

East Lancashire Brethren wore the East Lancashire [2015 Festival] Tie, and came, at Dorothy's request, to celebrate Jack's life.
The funeral was attended by over 200 people including family, friends, colleagues,
Masonic visitors from our neighbouring Provinces and representatives from the United Grand Lodge of England.

RWBro Norman Thompson, PGM of Cumberland and Westmorland spoke of his friend and colleague Jack at the funeral:

I first met Jack Price through a mutual friend, the late Harry Ferguson. We were all serving officers in Her Majesty’s Prison Service but it was through our membership of Freemasonry that I met Jack. Jack was born in Manchester on the 3 April 1937 and spent his formative years in Tyldesley along with his elder sister June. He attended the local Mission School and later Wigan Technical and Mining College.At the age of 17 he entered the Royal Air Force where he spent five years serving at home and abroad. Jack was a chorister at Tyldesley Parish Church and St Ann’s Church, Hindsford and this is where he and his wife to be Dorothy first met.Jack and Dorothy had two children, a daughter Janet and her brother Jonathan.

Jack was immensely proud of his family’s achievements, Janet being the Catering Advisor to Birmingham City Council and Jonathan who is the Managing Editor for Thomson International. He was also a proud grandfather to Milo and Lola.In 1959 Jack joined Her Majesty’s Prison Service at Strangeways Prison. In those days we spent about a month at a local prison before moving to the Prison Officers Training College at Wakefield for a further eight weeks training after which we received our posting. Jack was posted to Stafford Prison and after some six years he transferred to Risley Remand Centre where he remained for 10 years. He was promoted to the rank of Principal Officer and moved back to Strangeways and in 1984 he was promoted to Chief Officer a position he held for some four years. Progression to the Governor grades followed and he took on the responsibilities for security and other managerial roles including staff training, disciplinary procedures and general operational duties.
Jack later moved down the road from Strangeways to the North Regional Headquarters of the Prison Service in Bridge Street, next door to the Masonic Hall. I well remember attending Prison Service meetings at the Masonic Hall, arrangements being made by Jack! Further promotion followed and Jack found himself posted to Hindley Youth Custody Centre where he worked as Deputy Governor. Being a Deputy Governor meant running the prison and I speak from experience.    He was again promoted to be the Head of Operational Training for England and Wales where he was responsible for running five training units.
His responsibilities in this area included training of staff in riot control, hostage negotiation and incident management. He also had managerial responsibility for some 400 dog handlers and of course their dogs, an immense task.

In 1995 Jack retired from Her Majesty’s Prison Service and this enabled him to devote more of his time to his wife Dorothy and his family. Through their mutual interests in gardening, music, and the historical heritage of our country they shared their retirement together to the full. Of course they both shared a love of Freemasonry and this was a major part of both their lives.

Jack was initiated in to Freemasonry in 1971 in Justice Lodge No. 4632 which meets in the Masonic Hall in Bridge Street and this is where we first met. I attended a number of meetings of this lodge but the one I remember most was the Installation of Harry Ferguson by the then Worshipful Master, Jack Price. Jack was exalted in to the Royal Arch degree in 1974 in Empire Chapter No. 3803 which meets in Salford and again I had the pleasure of attending that chapter on a number of occasions. Jack was dedicated to his career in HM Prison Service and he showed the same devotion and commitment to his Freemasonry.
In the time allowed today it would be impossible for me to tell you of all his Masonic achievements but he served his lodge and chapter as well as the Province of East Lancashire in many important offices.
The pinnacle of his Masonic career was his appointment on 18 June 2008 as the Provincial Grand Master for the Province of East Lancashire and Grand Superintendent in and over the Royal Arch Province of East Lancashire.  I was appointed Provincial Grand Master for Cumberland and Westmorland a month after Jack and this meant that we regularly walked in to the meetings of Grand Lodge together, either side by side, or he would be behind me. He would whisper to me, “Not bad for two warders, young Norman”.

I will close this address using the words of my friend Jack,Look after each other, love one another and God Bless you all.
Thanks Jack, for being my friend.

The brethren gathered for refreshments at Leigh Masonic Hall, Ellesmere Street, Leigh, together with
Dorothy, Jonathan and Janet, their family and friends.

Memorial Celebration