Born on Monday 12th September 1960 fair of face with fiery red hair (now strawberry blonde not grey) and live with my understanding sizzling red headed wife Ruth, who I met in November 1977 and married on Saturday 14th September 1985 (which caused distress to my father as this was a Septem Lodge regular meeting date).

We were blessed on Friday 7th February 1992 with the birth of a wonderful strawberry blonde headed daughter Rachel and we all reside together with our ginger cat blaze. As you can imagine when tempers flare they do and when these gingers snap they snap and the cat always wins.

I have been in the catering industry all my working life starting out as a part time kitchen assistant / commis chef for river caterers at the age of 14 which involved catering for many Masonic functions. On leaving School I became a full time commis chef at Dover College and after gaining my qualifications moved on to gain more experience by joining the brigade of chefs at the then well-established Webbs hotel which also involved catering for Masonic Ladies night events a few times a year.

I was given the opportunity to further my career in the ferry industry and became one of the Executive Chefs for Stena Line and after 18 years at sea working on various vessels throughout their fleet, In 1998 I was offered the managers role in their production Kitchen shore side, I did not hesitate for one moment as I could then attend more Lodge meetings. When I was approached by the chairman of DMHC in 2001 if I would take over the catering at Dover Masonic hall it was a dream come true. 

I am what you call in masonry terms a Lewis, which is the son of a Mason, my father Ernest Arthur Skelton who was initiated into freemasonry on Saturday 10th January 1970 and eventually became master on Saturday 11th September 1982, so as you can guess, I had a long understanding of Freemasonry long before I joined.

I had the honour of being initiated into Septem Lodge 7788 on Saturday 12th November 1994. I became a steward of Septem Lodge in May 1995 progressing through the offices in the Lodge each year and had the privilege of being Master of the Lodge in May 2003. After my fantastic year in the chair of King Solomon I have since held the offices within Septem Lodge of Assistant Director of Ceremony’s in May 2005, Director of Ceremony’s in May 2009, Lodge Mentor in May 2013, and Director of Ceremony’s again from 2019 until 2021, after which I was appointed as the Lodge Membership Officer.

By then Masonry had taken a firm grip of me and as I had taken an obligation to make a daily advancement in masonic knowledge and being very inquisitive I joined a few other lodges and side degrees throughout the province of Kent. Which include; Trinity Mariners Lodge 8406 PM, Royal Military Lodge 1449 PM, Pharos Lodge 6967 Honorary Member, Cornwallis Lodge of installed Masters 9515, East Kent Masters Lodge 3931, Dover & Cinque Ports Lodge of Mark Master Masons 152 PM Dover & Cinque Ports Royal Ark Mariners 152 PC, East Kent Royal Ark Mariners 999, St Martins Mark 262, Corinthian Chapter 1208 PZ, Military Jubilee Chapter 2195 PZ, East Kent First Principles Chapter 3931, Conclave Red Cross of Constantine 201 PS, Hubert de Burgh Chapter 103, Rose Croix MWS 30th Degree, Ethelbert Chapter 82 Rose Croix 30th Degree, Golden Arrow Conclave Secret Monitor 358,
White Cliffs Council 201 Allied Masonic Degrees, Ashford Council 99 Allied Masonic Degrees, Court of King Egbald 72 Athelstone, Temple Ewell Preceptory 352 Knights Templar PP, Temple Ewell Preceptory 352 Knights of Malta PP#, Sir Thomas of Acon, Royal and select Masters, Royal Order of Scotland, St Augustine’s College Rosicrucian.

I was appointed to Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in April 2011, promoted to Past Provincial Deputy Grand Sword Bearer in April 2017 and promoted again to the active rank of Provincial Grand Sword Bearer in April 2023.

My hobbies are Masonry, Socialising, Motorbikes, Shooting and Music