David Purslow
Provincial Grand Master, Most Excellent Grand Superintendent
David was installed on 20th August as Shropshire’s latest Provincial Grand Master.
We look forward to telling you more about him very soon!
Nicolas Garavini
Deputy Provincial Grand Master
Nic was installed on 20th August as Shropshire’s latest Deputy Provincial Grand Master. He writes:
Born in 1972 in London, Nick was educated at Colfe’s School and then later at the University of West England where he obtained an Honours degree in Building Surveying. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and specialises in dilapidations law and other contractual disputes relating to commercial premises across the UK. Since qualifying in 1996, he has held various directorships of central London surveying firms and has been in practice by himself since 2008 that coincided with his move to Church Stretton.
Nick was initiated into Corium Lodge No 4041 in the City of London in 2008. He is Scribe E of Royal Kent Chapter No 15 and a member of Longmynd Lodge No 4877, Shropshire Installed Masters Lodge No 6262 and the Provincial Grand Stewards’ Lodge No 9971. He was honoured with active appointments to Provincial Grand Steward (2019), Provincial Junior Grand Deacon (2020) and was invested as Deputy Provincial Grand Master in 2025.
When not working or being on Masonic duty, he likes to spend time with his wife and three children, spend as much time as possible either at home or abroad supporting the England rugby teams and trying not to fall off his mountain bike.
David Kettle
Deputy Grand Superintendent
David John Kettle, (although he prefers to be called Dave) was born in 1953 in Birmingham and educated at Bournville Boys’ Grammar Technical School. He later attained an LLB Degree at Birmingham Polytechnic and a Cert. Ed. from Canterbury Christ Church College. Following a career in the Birmingham City Police and West Midlands Police he retired with the rank of Superintendent in 2002. He then operated a successful Training Consultancy until finally retiring from full time employment in 2009. He has been happily married to Cheryl since 1978 and they have one daughter, Sonia.
He was Initiated in Old Dixonians’ Lodge No 6037 in Warwickshire in 1987 becoming its Master in 1993. He is also a member of, and has been Master of, the Wernlegh Abbey Lodge No 6356 in Worcestershire and the Caer Caradoc Lodge No 6346 in Shropshire. He is also a Member of the Shropshire Installed Masters Lodge No 6262. He is a Past First Principal of the Caer Caradoc Chapter No 6346 and is also a member of the Shropshire Installed First Principals Chapter No 6262. He is a Past Provincial Grand Officer in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and, in Shropshire, he was appointed Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary and Provincial Assistant Grand Scribe Ezra in April 2007. He was promoted to Provincial Grand Secretary and Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra in 2011. He is also active in Mark, Royal Ark Mariners, Order of Secret Monitor and Rose Croix.
Stephen Rogers
Born in 1951 in Edgbaston to parents from Shropshire farming families, Stephen was educated at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
He graduated from the University of Liverpool with an honours degree in Law, entering Articles of Clerkship with a Shrewsbury firm of Solicitors and being admitted as a Solicitor in 1975. After 20 years in practice, Stephen was appointed as a District Judge in the Civil and Family Courts in 1995, retiring in 2016.
Initiated into Pengwerne Lodge No 3229 in 1985 and its WM in 1997, he is a Founder Member of The Iron Bridge Lodge No 9897, a member of Shropshire Installed Masters’ Lodge No 6262 and of The Wrekin Lodge No 2883 in London. Appointed Provincial Grand Sword Bearer in 2004, followed by appointment to the ranks of Provincial Grand Registrar between 2008 and 2011, and Provincial Senior Grand Warden in 2012, he was invested as the Shropshire’s first Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 2023. He was appointed PAGDC in Grand Lodge in 2019 and promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon in 2024.
In the Royal Arch, Stephen is a member and Past MEZ of Pengwerne Chapter No 3229 and a member of Shropshire Installed First Principals Chapter No 6262. After holding the positions of Provincial Grand Sword Bearer, Provincial Grand Registrar and Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah in Provincial Grand Chapter he was appointed Third Provincial Grand Principal in 2018 and Provincial Second Grand Principal in 2020. He was appointed and invested as Past Grand Standard Bearer in Supreme Grand Chapter in 2023.
Stephen has a daughter, son-in-law and young family in the USA and is therefore most grateful to have a British Airways pilot as a son, which makes travel a little easier. A past Chairman and currently a Vice President of the Shropshire Horticultural Society, organisers of the Shrewsbury Flower Show, when time and weather permit he plays what he fondly considers to be golf, albeit increasingly erratically.
Andy Delamere
Provincial Grand Secretary
Andy was appointed on 20th August as Shropshire’s latest Provincial Grand Secretary. He writes:
“I am a proud Lancashire lad, born in Bolton but brought up in Shropshire since the age of seven. I have two daughters, Katie (who is a Curate) and Amy (who is Veterinary Nurse). My partner is Sue and she currently works for an arts charity. My other main hobby is Scouting (a member for over 50 years and counting). I am a Queen’s Scout and paraded before the Duke of Kent in 1984. My other hobbies include supporting Bolton Wanderers, cycling, walking and gardening.
“I was initiated into Old Ben Lodge, No. 9461 in 1997 by my Dad Geoff. He was involved in my passing, raising and installation in 2005. I was appointed Active Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 2010, Active Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2022 and Provincial Grand Secretary in 2025. I was the Primus Master of The Iron Bridge Lodge in 2015. I was exalted into Pengwerne Chapter in 2007 and was installed as MEZ in 2015. I am also a member of Mark Masonry and Royal Ark Mariners and will be appointed Active Provincial Grand Senior Overseer in 2025.”
Jim Tucker
Jim is Provincial Grand Treasurer. He writes:
“I was born and raised in Manchester up to the age of ten, learning about football and acquiring a strong northern accent. My father was then appointed a headmaster in Huntingdonshire, and I found myself attending the King’s Grammar School in Peterborough, where I was taught Latin and rugby, told to forget football and lost my accent. After A-level exams (no gap year in those days), I ventured forth to Birmingham University to study Dentistry for five years, during which time I met my future wife Sue, who was studying Physiotherapy. After qualification and marriage, I worked for two years at a dental practice in the Hall Green area of Birmingham.
“Wishing to live in a more rural area I settled in Sue’s home county of Bedfordshire, and built up a successful dental surgery in Biggleswade, a town whose main claim to fame is that it once burnt down. In was here that I became a Freemason, being initiated into the Ivel Lodge 6846 in February 1987, and afterwards also joining the Royal Arch and Knights’ Templar. Somehow, I was also managed to find the time to pursue my hobbies of walking, shooting and particularly still-water fly-fishing- Grafham Water being a short distance away.
“After more than 35 years in Bedfordshire, having raised two daughters and gone grey, I seized the opportunity of early retirement and Sue and I moved to the north of Shropshire in 2013. I was immediately made most welcome by several lodges and became a joining member of the Roden Lodge 6243, being “volunteered” for various jobs quickly.
“I thoroughly enjoy my Freemasonry in Shropshire, and it being a small Province, I am making the most of the opportunity of visiting and meeting brethren. As Confucius says: It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”