At the meeting of the John Evelyn Lodge No. 5518 held at Mark Masons Hall on 24th October 2015, Visiting Officer W. Bro John Blackman, SLGR, took the chair to Initiate his son Christopher into the Lodge.
Bro. Blackman is also a member of Verity Lodge No. 4870 in Eastbourne and ten members from Verity travelled to London to witness the ceremony with W. Bro Jamie Allen presenting Christopher with a Masonic Bible.
It was a very emotional day for Bro. Blackman as it also marked his 33rd year in masonry, for it was at the October meeting in 1982 that he had been Initiated into the Lodge.
It was a good end to a very busy year for Bro. Christopher who at the start of 2015 became a Karate and Kickboxing Instructor and then graduated from university with a degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
Bro. Christopher said "It was a fantastic day, having grown up with masonry, I had been keen to join for a long time and being surrounded by brethren I have come to know over the years from both London and Eastbourne made it even more special. But the highlight was of course having my dad carry out the ceremony; it was a day I will remember for a long time".
The evening was rounded off by the Brethren being treated to the excellent carvery at Mark Masons' Hall for their Festive Board, during which, not only did Bro. Blackman propose the toast to his son but also sang the Initiates song.