Leicestershire was constituted as a province in 1858, making it one of the oldest Provinces falling under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas which itself had come into being in 1856. Under its first Provincial Grand Master, William Kelly, who held office from 1858 until his death in 1894, the Province was expanded by being given responsibility for Lodges in Northamptonshire and Derbyshire. The establishment of a Lodge in Rutland led to that County as well being added.
On Kelly’s death, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire became independent Provinces.
The first two Mark Lodges in this Province were consecrated in 1858, with another Mark Lodge having Time Immemorial status registering with Grand Lodge in 1870. We have 16 Mark Lodges, and 10 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges, operating under the overall leadership of a Provincial Grand Master and his Deputy, who are supported by a team of Provincial Executive Officers comprising a Treasurer, Registrar, Secretary, Director of Ceremonies, Almoner, Charity Steward and Deputy Secretary.
A fuller account of the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Degrees in the Province and of their individual Lodges can be found in “Freemasonry in Leicestershire and Rutland: The ‘Other’ Orders and Degrees” by Aubrey Newman, David Hughes and Don Peacock, published by Anchorprint, Leicester, 2012 for The Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland.
Each May at the Annual Communication of the Provincial Grand Lodge, the Provincial Grand Master confers appointments and promotions on the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner brethren who are receiving preferments, and who are ceremonially invested with the collars and Jewels of their ranks and offices at the meeting.
Provincial Grand Master
Right Worshipful Brother Phillip J. Mann
Installed May 2017
Deputy Provincial Grand Master
Worshipful Brother Andrew S. Lee, P.A.G.D.C.
Appointed May 2020
Provincial Grand Secretary
Worshipful Brother Peter Gibson-Leitch, P.A.G.D.C.
Appointed and Invested May 2017
Office
Name
Lodge
Number
Grand Senior Warden
W. Bro. Richard J. Lambert, P.Prov.G.J.W.
Howe
21
Grand Junior Warden
W. Bro. Mark D. Meade, P.Prov.G.Insp.Wks.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
1783
Grand Master Overseer
W. Bro. Alan H. Issitt, P.Prov.G.Reg.
Simon de Montfort
194
Grand Senior Overseer
W. Bro. Gary McVeigh, P.Prov.G.S.D.
St. George’s
1133
Grand Junior Overseer
W. Bro. Paul Wright, P.Prov.G.St.B.
Rutland
1051
Grand Chaplain
V. W. Bro. Revd. Anthony W Avery, P.G.J.O., Prov.G.Ch.
St. Peter’s
1078
Grand Treasurer
W. Bro. Ian R. Johnson, Prov.G.Treas.
St. George’s
1133
Grand Registrar
W. Bro. Terence A. Weston, P.A.G.D.C., Prov.G.Reg.
Stonygate
751
Grand Secretary
W. Bro. Peter Gibson-Leitch, P.A.G.D.C., Prov.G.Sec.
Knight of Malta
30 T.I.
Grand Director of Ceremonies
W. Bro. Iain B. Walker, Prov.A.G.D.C.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
1783
Grand Almoner
W. Bro. Geoffrey K. Hibbert, P.A.G.D.C., Prov.G.Alm.
Stonygate
751
Grand Charity Steward
W. Bro. Clive S. Weston, P.A.G.Swd.B., Prov.G.Ch.Stwd.
Wiclif
1068
Grand Inspector of Works
W. Bro. Mark Thompson-O’Connor, P.Prov.G.J.D.
Multum in Parvo
1775
Grand Sword Bearer
W. Bro. Earl E. Harrison, Prov.G.I.G.
St. Peter’s
1078
Deputy Grand Chaplain
W. Bro. J. Michael Walker
Fowke
19
Deputy Grand Secretary
W. Bro. Roger A. E. Whale, Prov.Dep.G.Sec.
Fidelity
491
Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies
W. Bro. David Milner, P.A.G.Swd.B.
Wiclif
1068
Grand Senior Deacon
W. Bro. Christopher G. Packham
St. George’s
1133
Grand Junior Deacon
W. Bro. Mark Smith
Wiclif
1068
Assistant Grand Chaplain
W.Bro. Richard J. Moore
St. Peter’s
1078
Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
W. Bro. Christopher P. Maybury
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
1783
Grand Organist
W. Bro. Kevin Thompson, P.Prov.G.J.O., Prov.G.Org.
Fidelity
491
Grand Standard Bearer
W. Bro. F. David Alcraft
Multum in Parvo
1775
Assistant Grand Standard Bearer
W. Bro. Thomas J. Mee
Fidelity
491
Grand Inner Guard
W. Bro. Stephen J. Legate
Knight of Malta
30 T.I.
Grand Steward
W. Bro. Ashok K. Bagga
Wyggeston
1149
Grand Steward
W. Bro. Norman W. King
East Goscote
970
Grand Steward
W. Bro. John R. Morris
Joey Dunlop
1881
Grand Steward
W. Bro. Peter G. Wright
Stonygate
751
Grand Tyler
W. Bro. Stephen J. Finnigan, P.Prov.G.J.W., Prov.G.Tyler
Fowke
19