Thursday 5th January witnessed the funeral for the immediate past Sovereign Grand Inspector General for Warwickshire, V.·.Ill.·. Bro. Alan John Wellan 33°, at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford upon Avon, where a capacity congregation gathered to celebrate his life and pay tribute to him.
As a fitting reflection of the great love which Alan had for our Order, his coffin bore his 33° hat and the photograph for the order of service was of Alan complete with his regalia of Sovereign Grand Inspector General.
A verbal portrait of Alan’s life outside masonry was given by a close friend and brother, Ill.·.Bro. Charles Dyer 31°, including the fact that he declined to accept the office of Master at the Court of the Worshipful Company of Marketors – a charter-holding livery company in London – in preference to becoming Deputy PGM for Warwickshire.
His masonic journey was laid out by one of the many candidates that Alan introduced into our wonderful Order: Ill.·.Bro. David F Macey, 30°, immediate Past Provincial Grand Master, who reminded everyone of the prodigious capacity Alan had for work in all its guises.
Ill.·.Bro. Rev. Dr Roy Lodge MBE, 30° led the ceremony and shared his memories of Alan from his own Chapter, Himalaya No 80. Attendees then retired to the Stratford Golf Club to exchange personal stories of their encounters with Alan. As Ill.·.Bro. Roy said in his prayers, Alan was a brother who rose to eminence by merit, lived respected and now has died regretted.