posted 31st October 2026
Celebration of Service: W. Bro. Vivian Alfred Stratton PGStB Awarded 50th Anniversary Certificate
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall proudly celebrates W. Bro. Vivian Alfred Stratton, PGStB, PProvSGW, on completing 50 years of distinguished Masonic service.
Known affectionately as "Viv," his five decades in the Craft reflect a life defined by craftsmanship, environmental advocacy, academic excellence, and devotion to Freemasonry.
The Year Was 1976
Viv was Initiated into Tregenna Lodge No. 1272 on 13th September 1976, Britain was in a distinctive era:
Politics & Society:James Callaghan became Prime Minister, Concorde launched commercial flights, and the UK endured a historic summer heatwave.
Culture & Costs:Brotherhood of Man won Eurovision (Save Your Kisses for Me), petrol was 76p per gallon, a pint of beer cost 32p, and the average UK home was £12,700.
A Half-Century of Masonic Devotion
Initiated in 1976, Passed in January 1977, and Raised in May 1977, Viv was appointed Junior Deacon in November 1977 and has held a Lodge Office continuously for 49 years.
Tregenna Lodge No. 1272
Viv was installed as Worshipful Master in 1981, he served as Director of Ceremonies for 25 years and Preceptor for 37 years, training generations of Brethren. As Master during Tregenna’s Sesquicentennial, he guided the Lodge through three consecutive years during COVID-19 restrictions.
Broad Dedication:
Maintained 50 years of continuous attendance at Trenwith Lodge No. 6309 (Honorary Member) and Godolphin Lodge No. 7790 in the Isles of Scilly. He has served as Senior Trustee for Tregenna Lodge and authored 250 Years of Freemasonry in St Ives.
Honours
Viv was invested as active Provincial Senior Grand Warden in 2012, visiting every Lodge in Cornwall. On 14th March 2018, he was invested as a Grand Officer of UGLE with the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer (PGStB).
Master Craftsman & World-Renowned Naturalist
Outside Freemasonry Viv’s achievements are equally extraordinary, Construction & Academia: Started as a Gold-Award-winning Craft Mason apprentice, built major commercial projects, and joined Cornwall College in 1981. He created the nation’s benchmark NVQ Level 2 & 3 Heritage Buildings qualifications for English Heritage and the National Trust, earning Cornwall College’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Ecology: Conducted landmark surveys of the West Penwith Moorlands, directly establishing them as an ESA and AONB. He helped draft Poland’s national Ecological Plan in 1989 and led international wildlife expeditions for 30 years (including 17 years in Africa and 17 in India).
Community: Gifted his family farm to create the 20-acre St Ives Community Orchard (planting over 1,000 trees himself), which earned National Reserve status and a BBC Radio Cornwall People That Make a Difference Award.
Saluting a Pillar of Cornish Freemasonry
W. Bro. Viv Stratton’s 50 years in Freemasonry mirror a life of duty, brotherhood, and excellence. The Brethren of Cornwall salute Viv on this remarkable milestone and wish him many more healthy years ahead!
