M.W Bro. Michael Herbert

Eulogy – MICHAEL EDWARD HERBERT – prepared by W.Bro. Andy Lee, DPGM, Leicestershire and Rutland

Bro. Michael Edward Herbert was made a Mason in Gartree Lodge, No. 7778, Leicester, in November 1961 and served as its Master in 1973. He was a member of five other Lodges, including Old Kimboltonians’ Lodge, No. 7204, his old school Lodge, of which he was installed as Master in 2016, in the presence of the Deputy Grand Master. In 1992 he was appointed an Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, and after several promotions became a Past Grand Sword Bearer in 2020.

He was exalted into the Royal Arch in Temperantia Chapter in January 1965, becoming its First Principal in 1978. As a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in the Royal Arch he served as Second Provincial Grand Principal of Leicestershire and Rutland from 1992 to 1995, becoming in due course a Past Grand Sojourner in 2021.

Michael’s major contribution to Freemasonry has, however, been in the Orders beyond the Craft. He has been the Grand Master of two Orders, the Allied Masonic Degrees and the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City (KBHC) and served as Deputy Grand Master of three others, the Mark degree, Royal and Select Masters, and the Order of the Secret Monitor, besides holding very senior rank in most others.

Michael became a member of the Knight of Malta Lodge of Mark Masters No. 30 Time Immemorial in Hinckley in 1964 and that Lodge and Mark Masonry in general were most especially dear to his heart.

Many stories and anecdotes about the Mark degree in Hinckley going back to the 1800s were invariably a part of Michael’s encouragement to younger brethren and he and his father Ted were key links in a golden chain of memory going right back to the old independent Mark Lodge in Hinckley before 1870.

Michael was the Provincial Grand Master in the Mark Province of Leicestershire and Rutland from 1995 to 2005 and served in the rank of Deputy Grand Master in the Mark degree from 2011 to 2013.

He was the Grand Master of the KBHC from 2011 to 2022; Deputy Grand Master in the Order of Royal and Select Masters; and a holder of very senior rank in all the other Companion Orders administered by Mark Masons’ Hall. Furthermore, he was also 33rd Degree in the Ancient and Accepted Rite.

Over a period of more than sixty years he held high office in fourteen different Orders and Degrees and was fully deserving of the magnificent award of the Grand Master’s Order of Service to Masonry in 2023.

Michael would be the first to acknowledge that Nancy was the bedrock on which his Masonic career flourished, and over more recent years in spite of advancing age and health challenges increasingly impacting on the quality of their lives, with typical Herbert resolve both settled into a domestic routine of looking after each other but still managed to enjoy a weekly trip out for lunch at The Foxton Locks Inn where they enjoyed live jazz music played by a group of former professional musicians….all in their 80s! A fitting memory of two lovely people.

Throughout his masonic career Michael tirelessly mentored generations of young masons in how to do things right with encouragement, wisdom and boundless enthusiasm. He had a superb memory, not only for ritual, but remembering the name of every brother he ever met, along with the names of their partners and often their children!

Michael Herbert was the most distinguished Freemason initiated in the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland. At a local level, at a national level, and indeed even at an international level he made an outstanding contribution to Freemasonry.

His breadth of Masonic experience at a high level was equalled by few alive today. For all of this, however, he remained a true friend and brother to all he met, and at the grand old age of ninety-one, he still commanded the affection and respect of all those with whom he encountered.

Michael Edward Herbert truly made his mark in the hearts of us all. He lived his life, greatly respected and as he has now left us to join the Great Architect and Supreme Commander of the Universe, will forever be remembered and sadly missed.

Past Grand Sword Bearer and holder of the Grand Master’s Order of Service to Masonry in the United Fraternity of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of England.

Past Assistant Grand Sojourner in the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England.

Past Deputy Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas; and in the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner.

Knight Grand Cross of the United Orders of the Great Priory of the United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta of England and Wales and its Provinces Overseas.

Sovereign Grand Inspector General 33rd Degree in the Ancient and Accepted Rite under the Supreme Council 33rd Degree for England and Wales and its Districts and Chapters Overseas.

Knight Grand Cross of Constantine of the Grand Imperial Conclave for England and Wales and its Divisions and Conclaves Overseas, of the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of St John the Evangelist.

Past Deputy Grand Master in the Grand Council of the Order of Royal and Select Masters of England and Wales and its Districts and Councils Overseas.

Past Grand Master in the Grand Council of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees of England and Wales and Districts and Councils Overseas.

Past Deputy Grand Supreme Ruler in the Grand Conclave of the Order of the Secret Monitor, or Brotherhood of David and Jonathan, in the British Isles and its Districts and Conclaves Overseas.

Past Deputy Grand Summus in the Grand Senatus of the Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord in the British Isles and its Districts and Consistories Overseas.

Deputy Grand Master Mason, Seventh Degree, Honoris Causa, in the Worshipful Society of Operative Freemasons.

Holder of the Grand High Priests Award in the Grand College of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests and Order of Holy Wisdom.

Past Substitute Provincial Grand Master in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire in the Royal Order of Scotland.

Past Most Eminent and Reverend Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Holy City; Grand Priory of the Knights Beneficent of

the Holy City of the Rectified Scottish Rite of England and Wales.