W Bro. Ian Cotton | 50 Years a Mark Master Mason

Somewhat to my surprise, and to that of many others I suspect, Ian was born and bred in Macclesfield but, sadly his Father died when he was six and the family moved to Glasgow whence his Mother hailed.  He completed his schooling and took up an apprenticeship at a Steelworks, which then enabled him to train as an Engineer with British Bakeries where his whole working life was spent, but in numerous locations, finally West Yorkshire in 1989.

His Masonic journey began when he was, on the 9th October 1969, Initiated into Lodge Tollcross No 1194, Glasgow. Advancement into the Mark lodge then followed on 4th June 1970 hence his fifty years is now complete. Work took him to Kirkcaldy where he was exalted into Royal Arch Masonry at Kirkcaldy Chapter No 97.  He also joined Oswald of Dunnikier Lodge No. 468 where he became Master in 1987 and at the same time 1st Principal at Kirkcaldy Chapter and under this banner he was Installed as the W.M. of the Mark Lodge. In March 1991 he became a member of Horsford Lodge No. 5339 having established his move to West Yorkshire, subsequently taking early retirement in 2006, and became the W.M. in April 2000, later becoming the Lodge Secretary in 2002, a post he still holds. Very sadly his wife, Iris, died in 2013, but after a period of reflection he was prevailed upon by long-time friend Barry Massam to join Wharfedale Mark Lodge in April 2015 where he was subsequently Installed as WM in 2018. Shortly after that both Barry, and sadly missed friend Graham Cooper, proposed him into White Rose Lodge No. 77, Allied Masonic Degree.

In March 2017 his good friend John Clough supported by R.W.Bro. Jim Steggles “persuaded” him that he  really wanted to join Claro Lodge of Royal Ark Mariner No. 525, he enjoyed it so much he became a founder member of the Rugby Football Lodge of RAM No. 1965 the following year. By now he had lost the ability to say no and the late David Cordell, District Grand Master for RSM, asked him if he would be his next District Recorder for West Yorkshire. When it was pointed out that he was not a member, the reply was “Oh that’s not a problem” and neither was it as by the following meeting in August of 2018  he was appointed and invested as District Grand Recorder. This was just before he was appointed and Invested in November 2018 as Provincial Assistant Grand Scribe E, an office he still holds. By January 2019 Cloughie, once again, convinced him to join Secret Monitor and introduced him into Claro True Friendship Secret Monitor No.4.
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Ian is a very enthusiastic and committed Freemason, a jovial, friendly character welcomed wherever he goes, long may it continue, Congratulations on achieving this superb milestone.