It is with great sadness that on 4th November 2025, Bro Paul England PPJGD passed to the Grand Lodge above having been taken ill whilst on a cruise to Canada.
Bro Paul (centre) receiving his British Citizen Award (BCA)
The funeral will take place at 3pm on Thursday 11th December 2025 at Brookside Methodist Church, 40 Gunthorpe Rd, Peterborough PE4 7TG, before which there will be a private burial. There will be a wake from 4pm at The Crab and Winkle Public House, 3 Loxley, Werrington, Peterborough PE4 5BW.
Bro Paul of St Peter’s Lodge and his wife, Denise, embarked on a cruise to Canada on 25th September 2025, however on 1st October, W.Bro Mick Smith, Secretary of St Peter’s, received a phone call from Paul’s daughter, Debbie. Debbie was distressed and stated that her father had been airlifted from his cruise and was currently in Clare’s Mercy Hospital, in St Johns, Newfoundland. He was unconscious and seriously ill. Her mother Denise had been taken to the Holiday Inn, St Johns. Quite simply Debbie asked for help. What could we do? She had tried many phone calls, but the cost was prohibitive.
Recognising the scope of Masonry Worldwide, Mick researched and emailed the Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador. A response was received from Bro Tucker the Senior Warden at St John’s Lodge No 1. He stated that the request for assistance had been passed to MW.Bro Don Vokey, Almoner of St John’s Lodge, who was also the Immediate Past Grand Master of the Newfoundland Grand Lodge.
It was MW.Bro Vokey’s intention to visit Paul on 2nd October with a District Grand Master. This proved unsuccessful as Paul had been moved to a different hospital.
Later on 2nd October, Mick received email confirmation from the Grand Secretary of Newfoundland and Labrador, RW.Bro Daniel Crocker.
On 3rd October, the wives of the Canadian Masons became involved with several helping to convey Denise from the hotel to the hospital on a daily basis, also providing much support during her visits to see Paul.
By 8th October, Paul’s condition had deteriorated. He was now unconscious and intubated.
Hope of Paul being flown home were dashed as Paul underwent two heart operations and on 30th October RW.Bro Don expressed serious concerns to Mick that the hospital had sadly deemed Paul to be on ‘end of life care’.
By 3rd November both Denise and Debbie feared the worst and Paul unfortunately passed to The Grand Lodge Above on 4th November 2025.
Overall, Denise had been contacted by a Mason every day of the 34 that Paul was in hospital. Denise and Debbie eventually arrived home on 11th November.
Paul had suffered with health problems for a number of years, mainly physical as he had a prosthetic leg and managed with two sticks. He was initiated into St Peter’s Lodge in 1995 and raised in 1996.
In 2024 he was honoured with a Provincial appointment of PPJGD. He had been a very good Almoner for St Peter’s from 2016 to the time of his death.
A man with community at heart, Paul was delighted to receive a British Citizen Award (BCA) in 2020.
Link to article about Paul receiving the BCA award
REQUIESCAT IN PACE
Bro Paul lived respected, died regretted and will be greatly missed.