Cyril Brindle 50 years a Red Cross Mason |
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A potted history:- Born 11th January 1934 |
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| Grand Recorder Dan Heath, Grand Marshal Paul Norman, | |
Cyril Brindle, The Grand Sovereign Graham Flight |
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with Graham Williams Indendent General |
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| Cyril started his vocational career as an electrical engineer, upon completion of his apprenticeship he joined the Merchant Navy as 6th Junior Engineering Officer, he travelled the world for 10 years and left as 3rd Engineer lieutenant. Cyril refers to the Merchant Navy as the “Real Navy” | |
| He Joined BAE as an Electronics Test Engineer working on guided missiles, Fire Streak, bullpup and the likes. He was highly regarded in his field, he would often complete test firing reports and such was the respect that the Chief Engineer had for him, that they were passed on with just a cursory glance. His Father in Law was the Superintendent Engineer at the same factory, he was asked to design and manufacture all manner of things, what is now perceived as everyday items, a battery for example, he would question how many volts, what is the anticipated load etc, he was pointed in the direction of the engineering manager for answers and he would disappear into the workshop and emerge with said battery! Some things never leave you, he still has a workshop, with a metal screw lathe, a 10inch circular saw bench, a mortice, 12 speed pillar drill and so the list goes on. | |
| Cyril’s parents ran a Post Office and with his father’s ill health he was asked to run the business until his father recovered. You won’t be surprised to learn that the Chief Engineer offered him a six month sabbatical, with his job held for him. His father having run the post office for some 15 years, never fully recovered, he and Cyril swapped houses and Cyril along with his wife ran the business for another 42 years, escaped the Horizon IT scandal, many branches were being closed down but Cyril was assured his was safe as they issued “Motor Vehicle Licences”. Shortly after that assurance a big envelope arrived informing them that the Post Office were closing them down. All lost apart from the bricks and mortar. | |
| Cyril’s only child, a daughter, was the usual expensive daughter, a lover of the wallet emptying horse type. Although she went off to university to study in the world of dentistry, studying at Manchester Metropolitan, Oxford and Birmingham, a registered dental Hygienist. The Love of horse took her into breeding Sports ponies. Now you can get sports horses quite readily, but sport ponies generally were breed in Germany. At one time they had 12 ponies in their stables. | |
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| Geoff Porter Past Dep.I.General, Gordon Turner, Cyril, | |
Grand Sovereign Graham Flight and Graham Williams Intendent General |
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| Cyril Joined the Red Cross of Constantine on 13th March 1976 joining St George’s Conclave No 42. They would meet in the Tower Buildings in Wigan and regularly meet with Leonard Healey Conclave No 241. It was a local tradition that having joined one or the other, the following meeting you would become a joining member of the other! Tower Buildings was sold and they moved to The Orwell, on the Wigan Pier, then with the demise of Wigan Pier over to Pemberton and finally into Chorley. I think Cyril must hold some sort of record he tells me he was Marshall for over 30 years. Quite a feat in itself. | |
| Sadly, Cyril’s health has suffered of late, he struggles with long term covid effects and has also suffered from Bladder Cancer, although in remission he still struggles with his health and hasn’t managed to return to Masonry in any form since. His most recent visit to the Consultant showed positive results with the surgery having healed well and no further signs of trouble. However, He struggles with infections on a regular basis that are quite debilitating, the antibiotics not only kill off the infection but also affect his immune system. A vicious circle. | |
| 24th March 2026 | |
| As the Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign was doing a recce for the Church Service, we organised a visit to Cyril’s house to present him with his 50th Jewel and certificate. The MIGS, Graham Flight, was accompanied by the Grand Marshall, Paul Norman, the Grand Recorder, Dan Heath and the Intendant General, Graham Walliams, along with a couple of Red Cross Colleagues, long standing friends of Cyril. | |
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Cyril with M.Ill. Knight Graham Flight Grand Sovereign |
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| It was a most enjoyable afternoon expanding upon the information I gleamed from Cyril. Mrs Brindle had put on a lovely spread of sandwiches, treats and copious cups of tea. A very pleasant afternoon was enjoyed by all. | |
| Bless Cyril, on the lead up to the visit he had asked me was the dress standard was and we had all agreed smart casual, poor chap felt somewhat under dressed when they all turned up in suits and the MIGS adorned his regalia. Cyril offered to get changed but they wouldn’t hear of it, they just wanted him to relax and enjoy the occasion, which he tells me he did and will treasure the memories for years to come. | |
| Now, the MIGS should have been a poker player, he has an art for keeping his cards close to his chest, in true form, he had once again produced his ace and gave a field promotion to Cyril, promoting him to Past Grand Junior General. | |
| What a wonderful occasion, full of merriment and the icing on the cake to end with. | |
| Ray Thain Conclave Recorder St George’s Conclave No 42 |
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| Photographs courtesy of Dan Heath | |
