Eulogy for Edward Joseph Holman Past Provincial Grand Master 4th June 1926 - 1st February 2010

Delivered on 17th February 2010 at St Mary's Parish Totnes By Michael T Penny Provincial Grand Master

We are here today to give thanks for and to celebrate the life of Edward Joseph Holman - a wonderful husband friend, neighbour and to many of us a true Masonic brother.
This thanksgiving is, however, interwoven with a feeling of extreme loss and sadness; it is impossible to separate these feelings from the heart when parting with someone we have held dear to us for so many years.

To Kathleen, Ted's devoted wife and best friend for 44 years and to all his family we offer our love, support, and prayers.

Many of you who are here today will have known Ted far longer than me, even though I have had the privilege of knowing him for many years. Undoubtedly we all have our own special memories of him and the many ways, over the years, that he has touched our lives and influenced our thinking and approach to life.

Ted was born on the 4th June 1926 into a well-respected local family and was a staunchly proud son of Totnes. He was
educated at the Grammar School here and, on leaving, went to work in his father's business as a Seed and Corn merchant on the Plains. There he remained until, in common with all young men at the time, he had to do National Service. He was drafted into the Army serving for three years in Kenya, attaining the rank of Sergeant.  Here can be seen the first green shoots of Ted's leadership skills and clear evidence of his strong sense of loyal service and duty.

On completing his National Service, Ted returned to work again in the family business and it was there that one of the most important and significant events of his life was to take place. Ted began courting his father's secretary, Kathleen. Understandably romance blossomed, culminating in Ted and Kathleen's marriage in 1966. So commenced a loving and mutually supportive partnership which endured for the next 44 years.  Ted remained working in the family business until the death of his father, when the business was sold.

After these two events, Ted was able to pursue one of the main passions in his life - horse racing. He particularly enjoyed the Ascot and Cheltenham meetings and we all knew it was best not to telephone him when those events were taking place.  He became a part-time judge for the Jockey Club covering racecourses right across the South of England and, because of his talent, was offered the post of full-time judge in the North of England. However, after considering this with Kathleen, Ted declined the offer as both were reluctant to leave their beloved Devonshire.  Ted was also proud to be a Director of the Bridgetown and Totnes Racing Company.

Ted and Kathleen's decision to remain in Devon had a very significant and beneficial consequence for another of Ted's passions and that was his practice of freemasonry.  Ted began his Masonic journey on the 27 January, 1959 when he was initiated into Pleiades Lodge No.710, the Lodge to which his father already belonged. His keenness and love of the Order manifested itself early in his Masonic career by his ability to learn and deliver the First and Second Degree Tracing Boards, both long pieces of ritual normally delivered by senior and experienced masons. 
He became Worshipful Master of Pleiades Lodge in October 1970 and in 1973 became the Secretary of the Lodge, an office which he held for eleven years.

In April 1979 Ted's talents and skills were recognized at County level by the then Provincial Grand Master, when he was appointed to the Office of Provincial Junior Grand Warden, one of the senior offices within the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire. 
Soon after this he became involved in the administration of the Province. In April 1983 he was appointed Provincial Grand Secretary, a position he held until April 1986. Following this, he was again elevated to the office of Assistant Provincial Grand Master and in 1992, Right Worshipful Brother Kenneth Alford the Provincial Grand Master, appointed Ted as his Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
Following the tragic and untimely death of Right Worshipful Brother Alford, Ted was installed as Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Devonshire in September 1994 when he became Right Worshipful Brother E J Holman. To us, fellow masons, he was always referred to as simply 'Sir' as a mark of the respect in which we held him and the office he held.

During his time as Provincial Grand Master, Ted presided over the Province with meticulous care and love in his own delightful and courteous manner. Four new Lodges were consecrated within the Province of Devonshire whilst he was Provincial Grand Master – a worthy reflection of the healthy state of freemasonry under his leadership.  In 1999 Ted took a very well deserved retirement, having served as PGM for 5 years.

As well as rising to the highest office in the Craft. Ted was also a member of The Holy Royal Arch and he held the office of Deputy Grand Superintendent for the Province of Devonshire from 1993 to 1995.
He also had a very special affection for the Degree of Mark Masonry and the Ancient and Accepted Rite. He held very high ranks in both these Degrees and was particularly proud to be a founder member of the Pleiades Rose Croix Chapter of which he was the first Most Wise Sovereign in 1998.

Ted achieved 50 years in freemasonry in January 2009 and we had hoped to have a celebration then. Unfortunately, his health did not allow this, but we were all delighted when he was able to attend a special meeting last December, when I had the great privilege of presenting him with my Certificate for 50 years' service.

As you can imagine, Pleiades Lodge was packed to capacity and a very physically frail Ted was present. However, true to form, he insisted on standing for the whole of the Presentation which went on for 40 minutes. Although obviously weak, his physical appearance belied the sharp intellect and wit which was still present. This was evident when, during the Presentation, I invited him to correct me if I made any factual errors. First he assured me that he would and secondly, he did, although after I had completed the Presentation. When I came to make reference to his time as Provincial Grand Master, I remarked that his achievements were far too numerous to list on that evening as time wouldn't permit. To which he replied ‘you just carry on, don’t worry about that’. It was clear that his sense of humour was as strong as ever right up to the end.

And here I would just like to pay a tribute to Kathleen. We know Ted achieved a great deal in freemasonry and in other areas of his life. And, as is so often the case, his achievements were made possible in no small part by the strong, quiet unwavering support of his wife, Kathleen. I am quite sure there will have been many times when a degree of sacrifice was required by Kathleen for the sake of the smooth running of Ted's Masonic engine.

Knowing Ted as I did, I feel certain that he fully acknowledged his debt to her and would be the first to give her the recognition that she deserves for her love and support over 44 years.
I am also certain that Ted will take comfort from the support Kathleen is receiving from their friends and neighbours particularly Richard and Linda Bourne.

Ted gave much, and took little, from life. He loved his garden and nature generally, he had a great fondness for the countryside particularly Dartmoor. He had a special interest in the birds that visited his garden and a great love of butterflies.

Ted was an incredibly courteous man and regarded good manners as an important and fundamental characteristic of a man, especially a Freemason.  He was a master of the little touches and personal kindnesses and showed a great awareness of other peoples feelings.   This was typified by his skill and propensity for letter-writing. A letter from Ted was normally the highlight of the day if not the week or even the year! It was always beautifully crafted.  He was a shrewd observer of people and had an encyclopaedic knowledge of people's names - full names, addresses, their ranks in freemasonry and family history - he had an interest in them all. 

Ted was very much a man of his time and I think he may have found it difficult to adapt to some of the changes facing society generally and Freemasonry in particular. And, although he
would rarely say anything of the kind, his facial expression often spoke volumes.

I am sure that many of us here today will have been in receipt at sometime of one of Ted's 'looks'. He only had to peer over the top of his glasses in that certain way of his, for the recipient to know exactly what he was thinking.  On the other hand, Ted enjoyed a wonderful sense of humour and a very sharp wit often on the dry side.

He practised charity in its widest sense; caring not only for the members of his Lodges, but for all whom he came into contact in whatever context.  He strove for and attained the highest moral standards as required of a Freemason. He was a man of complete integrity and a Brother to all in every sense of the word.

Ted was a committed Christian and had a very simple faith in God as a loving Father. He believed that without the love of God he would lead an impoverished life and so he lived acknowledging the love and justice of God as experienced through Jesus Christ, whose path he did his best to follow.

This address has only been a thumbnail sketch of a man of great depth and wisdom whose life touched and influenced the lives of all those with whom he had contact, not least of all my own.

We celebrate the life of one who loved his fellow men and with whom we have shared fun and fellowship and have held in the highest affection and greatest respect and we have seen and recognised in Edward Joseph Holman, straightforward decency and courtesy, love and loyalty, wisdom and joy. These qualities combined in him to produce a superb personality who has given much for others.


I am sure that you will agree with me that it has been a splendid life; now he has returned whence we all come, and has left us an enduring memory and legacy. It might be that when we meet again he may well have something pithy to say about this address - in fact I would put money on it; but I know for certain that there will be a twinkle in his eye as he says it!

I hope that I will be able to reply that today we have rejoiced in his life with love and affection, and that we all feel much better for having known him, a man of whom it is surely true that he 'lived respected and died regretted'.

Thank you God our Father for Edward Joseph Holman, beloved husband, good friend and a fine Freemason who lived by Your principles - in every way a fine Christian gentleman.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.