Worshipful Brother James Gault known to us all as Jim was brought up in Ballyeaston and still lives there at No.1 Ballyeaston Village. In his youth Jim attended Ballyeaston Primary School and then Ballyclare High School.
On leaving school Jim furthered his education at Greenmount Agricultural College.
Jim took up employment in 1959 working for Lord Brookeborough in the Colebrooke Estate in Co Fermanagh as Assistant Farm Manager. Jim was highly respected by the family and Jim attended many of Lord Brookeborough’s family gatherings as he was held in such high esteem. Jim travelled back to Ballyeaston about once a month.
Jim worked at the Colebrooke Estate until 1964 and was employed by the Department of Agriculture for 35 years until his retirement in 1999.
Jim became a member of Border Masonic Lodge 482 in Fivemiletown; being proposed by W Bro Watters a Milk Inspector from Fivemiletown who had a close association with Jim due to his employment at Colebrooke Estate.
Jim received his Entered Apprentice Degree on 10th September 1962, was passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft on 11th March 1963 and was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on 8th April 1963.
W Bro Watters was part of the degree team.
As Jim was now residing in Ballyeaston he and a friend Erskine McIlwaine thought they would like to affiliate to a Lodge nearer their home. After discussion in Staffies Bar one Saturday night and talking to others they decided Rashee Temperance Masonic Lodge 736 was best suited for them.
On 19 March 1979 Bro R Wilson and Bro R Hall Proposed and Seconded the two Brethren for affiliation.
On 17 December 1979 W Bro Jim Gault was welcomed into Rashee by the Worshipful Master W Bro Brian Moore, presented with a copy of the Lodge’s Bye Laws. Jim had previously paid an affiliation fee of £2.20.
It’s great to see that both Jim and Bro Erskine McIlwaine are still members of the Lodge.
Jim was Worshipful Master in 1993 and has been an active and highly respected member of free Masonry in Rashee and the class of Instruction in Doagh for many years.