Lodge History

WHO WAS WILLIAM SEFTON ?

By profession William Sefton was an Estate Agent and Accountant and practiced under the name of Robert Boyd, Estate Agent, Garfield Street, Belfast. He was known to us, his friends, as wee Billy Sefton or to his more intimate friends as wee Seftie. He was physically a small man, always immaculately dressed but he was a person of great stature both as a man and as a Mason. Those who were privileged to know him never heard him speak ill of any man or refuse to help those in need - he had all the attributes of a true Mason. He was a Past Master of the craft, a Past King of the Royal Arch Chapter and he was also a member of the Preceptory.

He came to Groomsport a number of years ago and endeared himself to everybody who came in contact with him. He was an exceptionally friendly type of man. He took an active interest in the affairs of the village and was an active member of a number of the Organizations. He was a man who enjoyed company; a marvelous wit and a songster of no mean ability.

At the latter end of 1969 whilst in the company of Brother Harry Caren and W. Bro. Andy Patterson, Billy Sefton put forward an idea of forming a new Masonic Lodge in Groomsport. Unfortunately he suffered a severe heart attack soon after and had to take things easy, but he never gave up his ideas for the formation of a new lodge. He died very suddenly in August 1970.

In the early part of 1971 a number of the Brethren persuaded W. Bro. Andy Patterson to call a meeting of certain Masonic Brethren for the purpose of ascertaining their views on the formation of a new Lodge. W. Bro. Patterson called a meeting and was delighted to have so many of the Brethren present.

It was agreed to present a Memorial to Grand Lodge through Provincial Grand Lodge for the formation of the Lodge. At that meeting it was unanimously agreed that if permission was granted to form a Lodge the Lodge should be called the William Sefton Memorial Masonic Lodge.

I think perhaps it is only right to mention that one of the Brethren present during the preliminary discussions was Bro. Hugh Bowman, Q.C., and in due course he was .appointed to the office of Junior Warden in the new Lodge, but he too died very suddenly during the early part of 1971.

However, The William Sefton Memorial Masonic Lodge No. 842 is now an accomplished fact, and a great deal of the credit for this must go to the Rt. W. Bro. James Spence who gave valuable assistance in all that was done to make this possible. There are also three Brethren of the Lodge who deserve special mention - that is W. Bro. Peter D. Watterson our Secretary, Bro. Jim French our Treasurer and Bro. Harry Caren our Senior Warden. Each of these Brethren have worked hard in their own special way in the formation of the Lodge.

W. Bro. Patterson said upstairs in the Lodge room “We have set a very high standard for this Lodge. I sincerely hope that in the years that lie ahead we will be able to maintain those standards and be a credit not only to Freemasonry in general and this Lodge in particular but to the memory of the late W. Bro. Sefton whose name we proudly bear.”