At the last Communication of The District Grand Lodge in Pune on 21^st September 2013, the name of W. Bro. Tom Wise a member of Lodge St. George No. 549 was announced as a recipient of a 50^th Anniversary Certificate from The District Grand Lodge of Bombay.

W. Bro. Wise was initiated into Freemasonry in The Marine Lodge No. 232 EC on 10^th December 1962 in Calcutta. He was passed and raised in 1963 and exalted into The Sinai Chapter No. 232 in April 1964.

In 1965 he was transferred to Bombay as Branch manager for his Company, Machine Tools (India) Pvt. Ltd. Within a few months he had joined Lodge St. George No. 549, Concord Lodge No. 757, The Bombay Lodge (Formerly the Army and Navy Lodge) No. 3651 and The Gymkhana Lodge. Since then, both Concord Lodge and The Bombay Lodge relocated back to UK in the late 1960’s as did his Mother Lodge Marine No 232 in 1972.

W. Bro. Tom and his wife Mary also returned to UK from India in 1967 and he maintained his membership of all these Lodges for many years serving as both Secretary and WM in both Concord Lodge and The Bombay Lodge.

When advised that the RW District Grand Master, was carrying his 50^th Anniversary Certificate to UK on his visit to Supreme Grand Chapter in October, W. Bro Tom suggested that he would like to have it presented at Concord Lodge No. 757 which now meets at Audenshaw in the Province of East Lancashire.

As he himself could not make it to Audenshaw, R.W. Bro. Driver recognised that W. Bro. Michael Holland , President, District Board of General Purposes was also an E. Lancashire Mason and mentioned to W. Bro. Tom that W.Bro. Holland would be able to present it on his behalf.

With the agreement and support of the Lodge and the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire, W. Bro. Holland was able to fulfil that task at the meeting of Concord Lodge on 20^th November 2013 where W. Bro Tom was also honoured by the presence of the following distinguished Brethren. W. Bro. John Pearson, PAGReg who was installed as the Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire the following day and W. Bro. Norman Clarke, PAGDC, Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals for the Provincial Grand Chapter of East Lancashire.

Left to Right – W. Bro. John Pearson, PAGReg, APGM, East Lancashire; W. Bro. Steven Graham, PProvSGD – East Lancashire, Worshipful Master Concord Lodge No. 757; W. Bro Tom Wise, PDistSGW – Bombay; W. Bro. Michael Holland, PDistSGW, Pres. DistBGP – Bombay; W.Bro. Norman Clarke, PAGDC, Assistant to The Provincial Grand Principals – East Lancashire.

After the Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Master W. Bro. Steven Graham, W. Bro. Pearson introduced W. Bro. Holland along with the members of his Delegation and requested that the Lodge Secretary W. Bro Carl Buckley read the Summons and Minutes of the meeting of Marine Lodge No. 232 on 10^th December 1962. W. Bro. Pearson then proceeded to set the scene as to what was happening in the world in 1962 before calling on W. Bro Holland to address the Brethren and give an account of W. Bro. Wise’s Masonic career.

After paying due tribute to what W. Bro Tom had accomplished and contributed during his 50 years as a Mason, W. Bro. Holland then read and presented him with his 50^th Anniversary Certificate, along with a lapel pin denoting 50 years service as a Mason, a 150^th Anniversary Jewel of the District Grand Lodge of Bombay and a commemorative volume of the history of the District.

W. Bro. Pearson then requested the Acting APGDC, W. Bro. Michael Porter to perambulate W. Bro Wise around the Lodge to receive the appreciation and accolade of all the Brethren.

W. Bro. Pearson then retired from the Lodge accompanied by W. Bro. Tom Wise, W. Bro. Norman Clarke, W. Bro. Michael Holland, W. Bro William Wootten,  W. Bro. Paul Waring and W. Bro. Michael Porter.

The Festive Board proved to be an exceptional evening of happiness and camaraderie with W. Bro. Tom’s guests enjoying typical East Lancashire hospitality and W. Bro. Michael Bullock who has known W. Bro Tom for over 40 years, paying further tribute to him and his family prior to proposing his toast.

W. Bro. Wise then responded in due from and thanked all involved who had made the evening such a memorable occasion for him.