With their usual last Friday of the month, the meeting was moved to Wednesday 27th March because of Good Friday. The Ashley Lodge in the Province of Dorset celebrated 50 years of service by one of their most respected members, Ron Kiver.
During the meeting, the Provincial Grand Master for Dorset, Graham Glazier, presented Ron with a 50-year certificate and pin in front of fifty members and their guests, including two Past Provincial Grand Masters and three Past Deputy Provincial Grand Masters all of whom served the Province with Ron during his 50 years.
Born on 16th April 1934, Ron was Initiated into The Ashley Lodge at their March Regular meeting in 1974. Ron first took office in the Lodge as a Steward in 1976 and became Master in 1985 and again in 1987. He was Exalted into St Aldhelm’s Chapter in 1978 and became its First Principal in 1992. Since that time, Ron has held numerous active Provincial Offices along with Grand Rank in both the Craft and Royal Arch, culminating in his appointment to the active rank of Junior Grand Deacon by the Grand Master, HRH Duke of Kent, in 2010.
A retired lecturer specialising in engineering, Ron devotes his time when not on duty by being actively involved with the researching and writing of Lodge and Provincial histories for publication. He was a long-time member of the Dorset Provincial Museum team and even appeared on local T.V. in that capacity in 2000. At 89, Ron is still an active member of Craft Lodges and R.A. Chapters, having just served a second term as First Principal of St Aldhelm’s Chapter. His influence and wise counsel to the younger Brethren and Companions he has contact with is still very much apparent today.
This was a very special meeting, celebrating Ron’s 50 years of service to Freemasonry, full of fun and laughter. At the end of the evening, the Master presented Ron with several gifts from the members, including a bottle of single malt whisky, an engraved firing glass and his favourite lemon drizzle cake.
During the meeting over £500 was raised for the 2025 Festival and the Masonic Charitable Foundation, supporting local charitable causes across the beautiful county of Dorset.
