William Leak

William Leak was a Freemason and member of Lodge Temperance 2557 who served in the 2nd World War. A letter to the Provincial Grand Secretary of Northumberland from WBro John Sowerby, Secretary, and dated 7th November 1947 attached a list of the names and service of forty three Brethren and Brother William is shown as serving in the Royal Air Force.

At the Lodge Temperance 2557 meeting held at the Royal Assembly Rooms, Westgate Road, on 16th June 1942 William was proposed by Bro Robert Curry, Senior Warden and seconded by WBro William Douglas, Chaplin, as a fit and proper person to be made a Freemason.

He was a 28 year old accounts clerk working for Clark Chapman Ltd of Gateshead residing at 133 Brighton Road, Gateshead, Co. Durham.  A successful ballot was held the following month on 20th July and he was initiated into the mysteries and privileges of Ancient Freemasonry on 19th April 1943. He was passed to the second or Fellowcraft degree on 17th July 1944 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on 16th October 1944.

William became Worshipful Master of Lodge Temperance 2557 when he was installed in the chair of King Solomon in 1959. At the time Lodge Temperance was meeting at Broomfield Masonic Hall, Jesmond Road and William was living at 18, Ambleside Gardens, High Fell, Gateshead.

Unfortunately, military service records after 1920 are only available to proven next of kin and we have not been able to identify any of William’s military information from records available to the general public.

William was born on 3rd October 1914 in Sedgefield, Co. Durham to James and Margaret Ellen Leak. Dad George was a coal miner hewer from Easington, Co. Durham. James married Margaret Ellen Thompson in Easington in 1904 and they had at least 4 children:

  • Garnet (02/05/1905 – 25/12/1992)
  • Doris (21/04/1907 – 08/1991)
  • Elsie  (21/04/1910 – 01/1949)
  • William (3/10/1914 – 12/02/1972)

It’s interesting that William’s older brother, Garnet Leak, became a Primitive Methodist Preacher and travelled extensively on the Methodist circuit in England and Wales before leaving with his family for Canada in 1977.

William married Muriel Wears Curry in Gateshead at the outset of World War 2 in July 1941. Muriel was the daughter of Bro Robert Curry, Senior Warden who proposed William as a fit and proper person to be made a Freemason. Robert became Worshipful Master in 1942 and is also included in the Lodge Temperance 2557 World War 2 Roll of Honour.

 William and Muriel had at least one daughter. William died 12th February 1972 in Gateshead and was still residing at 18, Ambleside Gardens, Low Fell, Gateshead. He left £1736 in his will.