Pictured, Bro.Gordon Mackay PM, Bro Ewan Mackay IPM and Bro. Trevor Cooke RWM
A special presentation was made during our regular meeting held on Thursday 23rd March 2023 to I.P.M. Bro. Ewan Mackay. To mark the occasion of his time in office he was presented with the Past Masters jewel previously owned by P.M. Bro. Kenny Davidson who was R.W.M. between 1986 and 1988. Unfortunately, Kenny entered the Grand Lodge Above just 3 years before Ewan entered the lodge as a Lewis Mason in 2014, they had come to know each other very well during these first 15 years of Ewan’s life as Kenny was a regular visitor to Ewan’s family home, and they enjoyed each other’s company on many occasions.
Kenny was a prolific Doric writer and published a number of short stories. He wrote ‘i Ploomins Grep an’ Werd‘, (The Ploomin were a fraternal organisation who used secret words and handshakes to identify themselves to one another, I wonder where they got that idea from?), in December 1996 and dedicated it to Ewan who was 18 months old at the time, this was an early indication of the friendship that would develop over the years.
On one occasion when Kenny paid a visit to the Mackay household, he was surprised to find the door opened by the then 5 – year-old Ewan, who invited him into the lounge before offering him refreshments from the drinks cupboard, a whisky no less! Kenny graciously declined and after some time passed, he realised that Ewan’s mother was upstairs attending to some matter or another, and as Ewan was making no signs of attracting her attention, Kenny politely made his excuses to Ewan saying he’d call back later.
It’s with this friendship in mind that it was thought appropriate that Kenny’s Past Masters jewel which was left to the lodge after his passing, was presented to Ewan, who was both honoured and surprised to be the recipient of this special jewel which he will wear with the same pride he takes in wearing the Past Masters apron previously owned by another family friend, Derek Stephen who passed to the Grand Lodge Above in December 2021, and which was presented to him during the installation ceremony in 2022 when he passed the governance of the Lodge to his successor Bro. Trevor Cooke (pictured above).
We’re all for recycling at Lodge St Olaf.