When I was requested to write this tribute to the late John Porter my first reaction was to ask myself how I could do justice to a man and a Freemason when his life was so full of service to the community and the County of Kent in particular. All of us in the Province of East Kent share the grief of John’s family and would want them to know the great admiration and respect that we held for him during his 34 years as a Freemason. I doubt very much that, when he was initiated into Erasmus Wilson Lodge No. 1464 on the 19th October 1950, the members realised that they were introducing into the Province a man who would give so unstintingly of his time and talents in the interests of promoting those principles and tenets on which the Craft is founded.

Educated at Grenham House in Birchington and then at Radley, John went on to read agriculture and estate management at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1938 where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After the war he joined the family firm of auctioneers and estate agents “Porter Putt and Fletcher” based in Gravesend, and when his father died in 1948 he became the senior partner until his retirement in 1981.

Not many people knew of the public service that John gave during the second part of the twentieth century. He was one of the County’s most prominent figures in public life, particularly in North Kent. Being a natural leader it was not surprising that he attained high office in all of the organisations in which he served: Chairman of the Kent branch of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors; Chairman of the Anglia Building Society; Chairman of the Hastings and Thanet Building Society; Chairman of the Gravesend Conservative Association for twenty one years; President of the Kent County Cricket Club; Chairman of the Gravesend Bench for eight years, having been appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1952, and finally retiring at the age of 70 after serving for thirty four years. Not surprisingly, in appreciation of his services to the County, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent in 1984, going on to hold the appointment for the rest of his life.

We, of course, remember John for the great contribution he made to Freemasonry in Kent. He was appointed Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 1966 before the Province was divided in 1973. In 1981 he succeeded the late Lord Cornwallis as Provincial Grand Master, an office he held. for 11years. Over the 30 years that I was associated with John, his quiet yet firm style of management always impressed me. He had the ability to get the best out of us all by ensuring that we knew he appreciated all we did, and as a result of that leadership, the Province went from strength to strength.

When I succeeded him in 1992, he left me with a happy and united Province and I promised him that I would do my best to emulate his success and copy his example, although of course he was far too modest to acknowledge his achievements. I will always remember the letters of encouragement he sent to me after our annual meetings and other meetings I had with him when I needed the benefit of his experience.When I met him for the last time in 2004 he presented to me his regalia, expressing his hopes that I would accept it, which I was delighted to do. It was just another example of the man’s generosity, and I am proud to wear it to this day.

I would like to conclude these thoughts with the words which were expressed during the church service that was held to celebrate his life, for although he is no longer with us, our memories of him will live on. He will live for as long as we carry him inside us For as long as we carry the harvest of his dreams. For as long as we ourselves live, Holding memories in common, He will live on.

RWBro John Bonomy OBE PPGM

From Ed46, P1