On 7 October 2016, our Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Max Bayes, surprised the Past Provincial Grand Orator, W Bro Michael Gorrod at the Lodge of St James Installation meeting. W Bro Michael had been expecting to be part of a Q&A lecture that he has delivered many times with W Bro John Harvey.

However, the Provincial Grand Master had other plans and decided that this was a suitable occasion to present him with his Certificate of Merit along with an immediate promotion to Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden. This promotion was made to reflect W Bro Michael’s massive contribution to Freemasonry in this Province and he was rendered speechless and not a little surprised by this significant and rarely given promotion.

In 2011, the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Barrie Hall appointed W Bro Michael as the first Provincial Grand Orator and it was a very challenging role. It was a challenge that he relished and over a period of four years he transformed the role and its perception through a range of interesting, informative and educational talks so that Lodges look forward to receiving them as well as putting in place the structure for the Provincial Orations team to flourish.

W Bro Michael was initiated into Kirkhill Lodge, No 1230, in the Scottish Constitution on 23 March 1961. He travelled widely as a Sales Executive in the shoe industry and eventually settled in Kettering at which point he recommenced his Freemasonry by joining Willowbrook Lodge in March 1993. In 2005, he became Worshipful Master and did a two-year term, his performance as Worshipful Master was rewarded by being appointed to Provincial Grand Steward in 2008.

W Bro Michael is also a member of Palmer Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards, Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Lodge of Installed Masters, Richard Sandbach Lodge of Research and Pro Musica Lodge as well as being a Past First Principal of St Crispin Chapter.