Nat Thomas 50 Years in Craft Masonry

W. Bro. Napier Picton Thomas – better known to us all as Nat – congratulations on achieving this significant milestone in your Masonic career. I must say that it gives me great pleasure to make this presentation to you on this special celebration.

We, as West Wales Masons, are very fortunate that you decided to move from the Cardiff area, to enjoy your retirement here in Carmarthen.

Born in 1929, you will soon be celebrating your 96th birthday, yet your ability to deliver quality ritual is an example to all of us.

You have been married twice, have two children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Your wife, Ann, was a very accomplished singer, and, if I recall the story correctly, regularly sang on BBC Radio where listeners were invited to phone in with requests at the start of the programme, for Ann to perform them live on radio.

Professionally, your working life was spent in horticulture. After an apprenticeship with Cardiff Parks Department, you studied at Llandaff Tech and RHS Wisley before attending the Rhine Army School of Agriculture in 1949 to prepare for civilian life after your Army Service.

Working your way through the ranks, you became District Foreman covering all parks, gardens, open spaces, and recreation areas in the Western District of Cardiff.

Subsequently, you moved to the South Wales Electricity Board as Head Gardener, becoming an Industrial Staff Supervisor following privatisation.

Your main interest has always been the theatre. From the time you worked at the Cardiff City centre gardens, when for five years, during the evenings, you worked at the New Theatre Cardiff backstage, setting up for pantomime and operas etc until you moved on to South Wales Electricity Board when you became involved with Star Delta Players, the drama group of the electricity board producing three act plays for competitions sponsored by the Electricity Council. On your retirement, you continued this involvement and joined the Saint Mellons Players producing their annual pantomimes. After moving to Carmarthen in 2000, both Ann and you joined Carmarthen Operatic Society performing at the Lyric Theatre for some years.

You became a member of Llangunnor Church where you were appointed Church Warden and served there for several years until, by your own admission, age retired you.

You were a member of Carmarthen & District Probus until its recent demise serving as both Secretary and Chairperson.

Fortunately for us, you discovered Freemasonry in 1975, when you were initiated into the Bute Lodge No 990 on the 1st of April that year. You progressed through the various offices to become their WM on 5th February 1986.

You joined the South Wales Lodge of Advancement – or St Cecilia Lodge – No 8748 in 1977 and again progressed to WM in that lodge in 1994.

In true Masonic tradition, you then left the East to go towards the West to seek enjoyment in your retirement in this wonderful part of Wales, joining St Peter’s Lodge in 2004.

In the Royal Arch, you were exalted into the Sir George Elliot Chapter No 360 in 1978, where you remain a member. You progressed to Zerubbabel in 1994, and again 2010, before occupying that First Principal’s Chair for a third time in 2018 – just a year before your 90th birthday.

At Provincial level, in the Craft, you hold the rank of PPrGSwdB in South Wales, and the rank of PPrGReg in West Wales – although RW Bro Alisdair James Ross is proposing to promote you to PPrJGW at the PGL meeting in June. This is the highest rank which this Province will award unless one has served as an active Warden.

In Chapter, you currently hold the rank of PPrGSN in South Wales, which is again a very senior rank within the Province.

Your support and engagement in other orders is equally impressive. You are a very supportive member of both the Mark and RAM degrees here in Carmarthen and ever willing to stand in for absent brethren – even at very short notice. Your hold the rank of PPrGJW in the Mark, and Pr RAM GR in the Royal Ark Mariners.

In the Red Cross of Constantine, you served as Most Puissant Sovereign in 2014 and were promoted to Past Divisional Senior General in 2023.

W Bro Nat, despite your love of the theatre, you described your love of Freemasonry very nicely recently when you said that you have always considered the Three Degrees in Freemasonry as the World's longest running three act play - and not Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, with a mere 30,000 plus performances.

It is therefore with much pleasure that I recognise your first 50 years in Freemasonry with the presentation of this 50-year jewel and certificate, with the sincere hope that you have many more years of health and strength to derive continued enjoyment and satisfaction from it.