The recent meeting of the Lodge of Integrity was unusual to say the least.  It took place on a Saturday morning – Easter meant that the meeting had to be rescheduled – and one of the brethren was in for a treat.  The assembled throng were there to support WBro Brian Hardwick as it was almost exactly 50 years since his initiation into Freemasonry.  The lodge was honoured to welcome WBro Matt Perkins, our newest AsstProvGM, on his first visit to Integrity and, indeed, the first time that he’d presented a 50yr certificate.

As well as reflecting on what took place 50 years ago, since the lodge’s Centenary, it has become the practice hear an extract from ancient minutes.  Bro Anthony Styche, an EA and the newest member, most ably took the brethren back exactly 100 years – our predecessors did seem to get so more done!  Having opened the lodge, Bro Matt was delighted to take a seat alongside Bro Brian and the customary Warwickshire ‘chat’ followed.  Bro Matt did admit to only being 47 so Bro Brian’s achievement of 50 years service to Masonry was fantastic.

As with any good story, we began with where it all started – Ladywood on the 17^th September 1939.  Yes brethren, that was just a few days after the outbreak of WW2.  When asked about his early wartime memories, Bro Brian recalled the local faggots & pie shop and having to shelter under the stairs during bombing raids.  He attended local schools before leaving at the tender age of 15 to start work in a metal spinning company in the Jewellery Quarter.  A couple of years later, he moved to Burt Brothers, a renowned manufacturer of copper items (they made all of the Royal Navy’s rum measures amongst other things).  Here he obviously made quite the impression with the Mr Burt as he made Brian his personal chauffeur.  Not many 17-year-olds could boast of driving a Bugatti and a Rolls Royce and apparently the young Brian made good use of the positive effect of fancy cars with the oppositive sex!

It was whilst he was with Burt Bros that he met Emma, his beloved wife of some 67 years, when she was an usherette at the local cinema – Brian apparently went most nights and Emma took a little convincing at first!  To supplement their income as newlyweds, he managed a local laundry shop when the owner was away as well as doing some chimney sweeping in his spare time and also repaired boots!  However, National Service came calling and Brian joined the Royal Artillery.  Army life seemed to suit Bro Brian and he wanted to stay and have a career however, just 6 weeks into his training in Wales, another recruit dropped a heavy gun carriage on Brian’s leg and crushed it.  After 6 months recuperation, much to Brian’s disappointment, he was de-mobbed.  Soon after, his unit was posted to Korea so perhaps fortune had indeed smiled on Brian.  He returned to the Jewellery Quarter and, in 1981, took the plunge and set up his own company – AMME Ltd – which he managed for 44 years.  No, this is not some clever anacronym but rather a simple anagram of Emma!

In addition to his Freemasonry, Bro Brian joined the Aston Rotary Club.  As such, his charitable prowess became legionary and following the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, he was instrumental in the club raising £100,000 to support the fishermen of Chennai.  Bro Brian was delighted to get out to India to visit and see the ten boats that he’d help fund, especially as one had been called ‘Brian Hardwick’ in his honour!  Indeed, Bro Brian is a Paul Harris Fellow, the highest honour that Rotary can bestow.

Of course, we were all present to mark Bro Brian’s service to the Craft so talk turned to his Freemasonry.  This began when a friend invited him to join the Sutton Pilgrim’s Lodge No 7780 back in 1976.  It was obviously a very busy lodge as it took him 15 years to reach the Chair.  He was a Founder of the Lodge of Service Above Self No 9421 – rather appropriate having heard of his charity work.  He subsequently joined the Lodge of Integrity and soon became a much-loved member of his adopted Masonic home.  In those 50 years, he has been Master three times and held an amazing 39 other Offices.  He is truly an exemplar of “you get out of Freemasonry what you put into Freemasonry”.  Indeed, when Bro Matt asked what advice he would give to an EA today, Bro Brian immediately replied with “if you’re going to be in it, you’ve got to be part of it”!  When asked what his proudest achievement has been, his response was simple – his charity work.  We can’t argue with that!

Bro Matt then formally presented Bro Brian with his certificate and, of course, the all-important lapel pin before WBro Rob Burns, ProvDepGDC, delivered a superb proclamation.  Bro Brian responded by thanking everyone for making his such a special day.  The Worshipful Master, WBro Andy Grove, thanked WBro Perkins for the splendid manner in which he had presented the certificate, adding that it had been “a wonderful presentation to a wonderful man”.