Above
RW Bro Colin Penty Wright,
Pro Grand Master of West
Lancashire, lays a wreath
Bottom left
RW Bro Colin Penty Wright; Duke of
Lancaster's Own Yeomanry Sqn RMLY;
W Bro Rev Canon Harry Callaghan,
APGM for Eccles & District Group
of Lodges
Bottom right
George Allen, now over 90 and
50 years a Mason, pays his respects,
helped by John Tooley, both of
Walkden Lodge No. 4685
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Old soldier remembered
Troop Sergeant Major Richard Williams
of the 17th Lancers, a Freemason who was in the
Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava
in the Crimea on 25 October 1854, was
honoured by Masons, non-Masons and
civil and military dignitaries in October.
The ceremony took place at his grave
at St Mark's Church, Worsley in Lancashire,
to mark the 150th anniversary of the famous
Charge against the Russian guns.
The church bell was tolled 110 times
to mark the number of chargers killed,
and a trumpeter sounded the Last Post
and Reveille. Councillor James Hunt,
deputy mayor of Salford and John Abbott,
Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester,
were among those at the ceremony.
From the military Lt.-Col. Martin
Steiger, Honorary Colonel of the Duke
of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry and other
representatives of the regiment, and
Brigadier W G Hurrell, Colonel of the
Queen's Royal Lancers and others from
that regiment, also took part.
Colin Penty Wright, Provincial
Grand Master of West Lancashire
and the Rev. Canon Harry Callaghan,
an Assistant Provincial Grand Master,
were among many Masons present, along
with James Glithero, great-grandson of
Richard Williams.
Born at Bath in 1819, Richard Williams
moved to Worsley in 1867 after leaving the
army, and was the local postmaster for 30
years and a sidesman at St Mark's Church
for 35 years.
Richard Williams was initiated into
United Lodge No. 697 at Colchester in
1857, joined Bridgewater Lodge No. 1213
in 1870 and was a founder of Worsley Lodge
No. 1814 and Lathom Lodge No. 2229,
all in West Lancashire. He died on 7 July
1910 and the cortege was escorted by
mounted policemen.
The full story of Troop Sergeant-Major Williams
was published in MQ Issue No. 8, January 2004.
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