Interviews

Having already celebrated John’s amazing charitable work, it is now time to meet John Donoghue the Freemason—a man whose Masonic CV is so extensive it really ought to come with an index, a map and perhaps a break for light refreshment.

John was born in Drogheda, the historic industrial and port town on the River Boyne in County Louth, Southern Ireland. Several famous actors and musicians have come from Drogheda, including Pierce Brosnan. Having realised that the role of James Bond was unlikely to be his, John decided to devote his dramatic talents to Masonry instead - where the costumes are nearly as impressive and the scripts considerably longer.

John became a Freemason in 1990, joining Southern Star Lodge No. 1158, which now meets at Great Queen Street in London. He is also a member of Jubilee Lodge No. 8822, Beach Lodge No. 2955, St. Marylebone Lodge No. 1305, Brevity Lodge No. 9903 and Twynham Lodge No. 5889. He has served as Worshipful Master an astonishing eleven times (to date) and is an Honorary Member of seven Lodges. At this point, it may be quicker to list the Lodges he hasn’t joined.

His promotions came thick and fast from 2010 onwards, and he currently holds the Grand Rank of P.A.G.D.C. He was appointed to London Grand Rank and has since been promoted again within LGR - an achievement unusual enough to suggest that somebody, somewhere, has actually managed to keep track of everything he does.

John joined the Royal Arch through Octa Chapter No. 4397 and went on to serve as its MEZ. He was awarded Active Sword Bearer and is now ProvGSN. He joined Vale of Avon Mark Lodge No. 867, where he has been Worshipful Master twice, and Rose Croix Sandeman Chapter No. 32, receiving his 30th Degree in 2015. By then, his regalia cupboard may well have required planning permission.

John has also passed through the Chair in Royal and Select Masters and in the Knights Templar Priests. He is currently in the Chair of the OSM and is also a member of the Allied Masonic Degrees, the Royal Ark Mariners and the Royal Order of Scotland. In short, if there is a Masonic meeting taking place within reasonable travelling distance, John probably has an apron for it.

John has been married to Barbara for 48 years, and they live in Wimborne. It has been suggested that Barbara should receive an award for a lifetime spent supporting such an active Freemason. Frankly, a medal seems the minimum; naming a Lodge after her might be more appropriate.

One particularly interesting detail can be found at the Provincial Office of Hampshire and Isle of Wight at Chandler’s Ford, where three Tracing Boards are displayed on the walls. These were made by Barbara, presumably during those long Masonic evenings when John popped out for a meeting and returned several offices later.

I hope I have managed to get all the facts correct. Following John’s Masonic journey is rather like travelling around a Monopoly board: every time you think you have completed the circuit, he passes Go, collects another collar and joins another Order.

Johns charitable journey began when in 2006 his daughter, Tara, was diagnosed with lupus and became seriously ill. She was undergoing dialysis, had received four blood transfusions, and the family were told she may have only weeks to live. After extensive testing, it was confirmed that John was a 100% match to donate a kidney to his daughter. Shortly after the successful transplant, he bought a bike and set himself a formidable first challenge: cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats in just nine days. That little jaunt saw him cycling around 114 miles each day through continuous rain and sleeping each night in a tent.

After that John worked with the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB) and became a Festival Ambassador for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight 2020 Festival. He then toured Hampshire, Dorset, London, Wiltshire, and Kent, speaking at more than 40 lodges and helping to raise a considerable amount of money for the RMTGB.

Take a deep breath and read what John has done over the past 25 years…

He cycled from the Rock of Gibraltar to Branksome in Dorset raising £17,000 for the RMBI. John then rode from Edinburgh to Portsmouth, raising £7,000 for the Royal College of Surgeons. In 2010, he cycled to every masonic centre in Hampshire for the RMTGB (some even let him in!), raising £15,000 for the RMTGB.

In 2011, his cycling challenges for Help for Heroes raised over £10,000. In 2022, John completed a 50-mile sponsored swim raising £7,000. In 2024, he cycled the Camino del Norte trail to Santiago de Compostela, with W. Bro. Nigel Edwards, raising £20,000. Then in 2025 he again cycled the France Camino to Santiago trail and onto Finisterre, raising £20,000 for the MBF Mark Degree.

Obviously, he quite liked the area (or maybe the food), because in 2026, he cycled the northern route over the Picos mountains in Galicia to Santiago de Compostela and back again, covering 800 miles. This resulted in another £13,000 for the Freemasons’ Charity and £1,740 for Lifelites Children’s Charity.

And, at 71 years old, he’s not done yet! He says “I’m not intending to stop raising funds for the Freemasons’ Charity. My cycling days are nearly over, but I’m thinking of abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower next year!”

To date, John has collected approximately £787,000 for charity, including £554,000 for the Freemasons’ Charity. An incredible amount of money raised by an incredible Freemason.

I think most people in the New Forest area will know Norman — and if they don’t, they have probably still been let in somewhere by him, directed somewhere by him, or gently corrected by him at least once.

Norman was born in New Milton around 90 years ago, which means he has been a local fixture for so long that he may well appear on some of the older maps. After school, he joined the Merchant Navy for five years. Unfortunately, the sea and Norman never quite reached a full understanding, and after deciding that being seasick was not the career path for him, he enlisted in the Royal Horse Guards based at Windsor.

His Army service also took him to Germany and Cyprus, before he returned home to New Milton after five years. He then spent the rest of his working life with New Forest District Council.

Norman married Dot in 1957, and they are still together — a remarkable achievement by any standard, but particularly impressive given his numerous Masonic commitments. Dot’s patience, it must be said, may deserve its own certificate.

Norman joined Freemasonry in 1986, becoming a member of New Forest Lodge No. 319. He was also a member of the Royal Arch and Mark Master Masons and will be well remembered for Tyling at numerous Lodges and Centres. In fact, Norman’s reputation as a Tyler was such that he even Tyled twice for a Lodge while on holiday in Canada — proving that while some people bring back souvenirs, Norman brought back masonic minutes.

He also looked after the Centre at New Milton and was responsible for many renovations over the years. If there was a leak, a loose hinge, a doubtful light switch, or a mysterious noise in the corner, Norman was very often the answer - or at least the person everyone expected to have the answer.

On 5 February 2026, Norman was presented with a 40-year Certificate to commemorate his service to Masonry by APGM Chris Lockwood — although, knowing Norman, he may well have checked that the certificate was straight before accepting it.

The final word is from George Bernard Shaw, who said, “A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” I don’t think Shaw was a Freemason - though, to be fair, if he had met Norman Edwin Brian Taylor, he might well have applied on the spot. It sounds very much as though he wrote the quote with Norman in mind; and knowing Norman, he’d probably have improved the wording, corrected the punctuation, told Shaw to straighten his tie, and then quietly got on with his job!