W. Bro Clarke Walter Tydeman PPrGSWdB
10Th June 1933- 25th March 2023
It was with great sadness that the family of Bro Clarke Tydeman announced his passing after a brief illness on 25th March 2023 at the age of 89.
He was born in Twickenham, shared the same birthday as the Duke of Edinburgh, having been born on 10th June 1933, although he was a little younger than the Duke.
During the war he was evacuated to Swansea where he became very interested in all things Naval. Consequently, at the age of 14 he joined the Navy as a boy entrant at HMS Ganges. A little later aged 15 he joined his first ship at Malta where he served for several years before returning to England where he was later engaged in duties connected with the Coronation of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Having signed-on for another 7 years ‘Full Service’, he was attached to a ship that became involved in the bombardment of the Suez Canal. It was also the last one to leave the Canal area. In his last 4 years in the Navy, he trained to work as a butcher aboard ship.
Back in ‘Civvy Street’ he ran his own butchers shop for several years and then worked for Securicor at Heathrow Airport. Sadly, a stroke at the age of 64 ended his 24 years’ service with the airlines.
He was initiated into Fulcorn Lodge No 4791 on 11th May 1979, and was made an Honorary Member in 2019 after 40 years. He was Worshipful Master in 1987 and a Charity Steward serving in the post for many years.
In 1989, he became a Founder member of Keystone Chapter No 7911 and subsequently elected to Honorary Membership for both the Keystone Chapter in 2017 as well as Alert Chapter No 5861 in 2019.
In 1994, his first Provincial appointment was to PPrAGDC which was followed by a further three promotions, the last one being to PPrGSwdB in 2014.
Bro Clarke could be found tiling at any of the Centres in Middlesex as well as at some in London and at Freemasons’ Hall itself. In this Province, he had been the Tyler for 12 Lodges and the Janitor for 11 Chapters. He also performed much the same role for other Orders as well.
During his time, he gave a great deal of money to various charities as well as to the Harrow Masonic Centre and had discreetly dispersed it through the various Lodges and Chapters for which he tiled so that the full amount did not attract attention. Although he was a quiet and private individual, he had a reputation for being helpful to all.
He was awarded the PGM’s Award of Merit for 2011.
