W. Bro. Jack Oliver - 60th Anniversary & W.Bro Carl Clifford - 50th Anniversary 30th October, 2007.

Jack is a Yorkshire man - From Doncaster born 2nd Jan 1924. In those days they had to travel for good schools. Jack was educated at The Magnus Grammar School here in Newark.

Jack’s interest in flying in his early years led him through to a distinguished career in the Royal Air Force. This started by him joining the Air Training Corps at the Magnus School at the beginning of the Second World War and on to pilot training in Southern Rhodesia. He won numerous awards, such as the ‘Sword of Honour’ the ‘Platsis Cup’ and the ‘Burnett Trophy’. Jack went on to become a flying instructor for the RAF in Southern Rhodesia where he remained until the end of the war.

On his return to the U.K. Jack was stationed at the RAF College at Cranwell. One of his first duties there was to take a party of College Cadets to line the route for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey. Another duty was to be Officer-in-Charge of the R.A.F. College Band. It was also at Cranwell that Jack’s interest diversified into catering and was allowed to practice on various dignitaries including King George VI and the Queen Mother. (The apprenticeship for Masonic catering in those days was very strict.)

After a period of instructing at R. A. F. Feltwell, he was seconded to the Royal Navy for two and a half years for the purpose of qualifying all active R.N. pilots in Instrument Flying which they had to have to fly under U.S. administration in Japan and Korea. While with the Navy he flew various aircraft types to bring his overall total to about 26. These included the Hawker Sea Fury, the fastest and most powerful piston-engine fighter ever built and which is his second favourite aircraft. He recalls answering the question, “Can you fly so and so aircraft?”, with a resounding “Yes”. The RAF itself would have asked, “Are you qualified to fly….? Another of the Naval types was the little Sea Otter flying boat.

On return to the R.A.F. Jack asked to be trained on the Sunderland Flying Boat. Although being advised that this would not advance his career prospects he pleaded and subsequently trained at Calshot. During this time it was the Coronation and the Sunderland course was allowed to participate in the Royal Review of the Fleet on board H.M. R.A.F. Vessel ‘Bridlington’, one of two frigate types operated by the R.A.F.

Jack tells us that the Sunderland became his favourite aeroplane, which he flew on operations in the Korean affair and in Malaya when stationed in Singapore. It was during this period that our New Queen was on her first World Tour. Having been to Japan, Australia and New Zealand, she was on her way to Ceylon. The R.N.Z. Navy had brought her in a cruiser to ‘somewhere in the Indian Ocean’ where she transferred to the then Acting Royal Yacht ‘R.M.S. Gothic’. Jack’s Squadron, No. 88, had been honoured to be Royal Escort and three of their Sunderlands met her at this transfer and continued to escort ‘Gothic’ to Columbo. For the whole of her three days in Ceylon the Sunderland crews were allowed to accompany her whereever she went in Ceylon.

Whilst still at Cranwell, Jack became a Mason and 60 years ago to the day Jack celebrates this remarkable Anniversary.

He was Initiated into the Newton Lodge on Tuesday 28th October 1947 by his father and Proposer, the W. Master, W.Bro. Edgar Oliver.

He was Passed on Tuesday May 25th 1948 again under the watchful eye of his father as WM. and Raised on Thursday December 29th 1949 by a new WM, W.Bro. R.E. Gardner, (I trust a dispensation was granted?) not for Jack but for the change of Lodge day.

Due to the service duties required by the RAF, Jack had to wait for almost ten years before he could become fully active in Freemasonry.

In April 1970 The Newark Lodge No. 8332 was consecrated and Jack was appointed and invested as Founder Senior Warden, and became WM on 16th September 1971. He became DC in 1977 and received Provincial Honours in 1978.

In 1986 Jack became Catering Officer of the Newark Masonic Hall and remained so for twenty years until his forced retirement (by his doctor not the brethren) in 2006.

During this time he was again installed as WM of the Newark Lodge in 1988. In 1993 Jack was promoted to Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden and in May 1997 was awarded the Provincial Grand Master’s Certificate of Merit. Likewise the Grand Superintendent’s Certificate of Merit.

Jack is also an active member of Magnus Chapter and the Persapientium Chapter Rose Croix of which he is at present Sovereign, the Alexander Chapter and he was the Founding Second Principal of the Newark Vernon Bussell Chapter and the founding Director of Ceremonies of the St John’s Lodge. In Grantham he became a member of the Granta Chapter at its Consecration and was Installed into the Heneage Preceptory of Knights Templar to become its Preceptor in 1987 and qualify him to be Second General of the Pilgrim Preceptory in Newark (the sword was useful after all). Likewise his membership of Worksop Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners qualified him to be a founder of the Newark on Trent Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners.

Jack has without any doubt fulfilled his Masonic Commitment Worthily and fully deserves the recognition and the high ranks he holds in the several Orders. He much appreciated the occasion in the Newton Lodge on the 30th October, when W. Bro. Dr. J.S.B. Mather, the Assistant P.G.M. presented him with a Certificate to mark his 6oth Anniversary . There were 70 Brethren in attendance to share in the celebration which concluded with a convivial Festive Board and the cutting of a cake kindly baked for W. Bro. Jack and W. Bro. Carl Clifford by Pat Cowley, who for so many years was one of Jack’s helpers in the Kitchen. Jack is a modest man, who is willing to help anyone. He is an inspiration to man and Mason and is much loved by us all. ------------------------- Carl Stephen Clifford. 50th Anniversary

Carl was born in Southwell on 23rd October 1932 and still lives there in the same house in which he was born. He was educated at the Minster School in Southwell.

In 1958 at the age of 26, Carl joined the RAF and began a long and adventurous career lasting three days. Carl joined on the Friday and was discharged on the following Monday. The reason given as “suffering from asthma”.

After his distinguished service in the RAF, Carl joined his Father’s firm W.H. Clifford accountants as an articled clerk and progressed through his qualification until he eventually took over from his Father as the company’s head.

Whilst working with his Father, Carl was proposed into Masonry and initiated by the W.M. W.Bro. N.A. Green as a Lewis into the Newton Lodge 1661 on Tuesday 26th March 1957.

He was proposed by his Father W.Bro. W.H. Clifford and seconded by W.Bro. Alf Atkins. Carl was directed around the Lodge by Bro. J.W. Gent the Junior Deacon at that time.

Carl is married to Muriel and has two daughters Caroline and Susan.

Bro. Carl has more than made up for his short service with the RAF by the dedicated service he has given to Freemasonry for the last 50 years. Carl has worked for many of the Newark Lodges as Auditor and Treasurer, and has worked for the Masonic Hall Company as Treasurer from its outset in 1980 to the current time, a period of 27 years. He has actively held an Office in Lodge, continuously for the past 37 years. His expertise in accountancy being beneficial to the Company and most importantly his time has been given freely.

Carl was a founder member of the St John Lodge No.8972 consecrated on 30th January 1981 and was its acting IPM for the first year.

During his Masonic career Carl has joined and is currently a member of 14 Masonic orders including, The Craft, The Mark, The Royal Arch, Knights Templar, Red Cross, including 2 London Mark and RAM Lodges. and recently became a founding member of the Notts Installed Commanders Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners. He holds Grand Rank in the Mark and R.A.M. and has had many other high honours bestowed during his 50 years of service to the cause. He was awarded the Provincial Grand Master’s Certificate of Merit by R.W.Bro. John Stuart Hill and is currently P.Pr.S.G.W.

W.Bro. Carl Clifford is a quiet man, always there if needed, reliable, well informed when help is required, he is considered a corner stone of Newark Masonry, and has given fifty years of dedicated service to Freemasonry in general and particularly to Newark Freemasonry.