Ex Comp Paul Philip Paterson was appointed and installed as Second Provincial Grand Principal on 26th August 2009

He was exalted into the Chapter of Strict Benevolence No 97
and served as their 1st Principal in 1994

In 1998 he was appointed to the office of
Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah

In Supreme Grand Chapter he was honoured as
Grand Standard Bearer in April 2010

Paul was born in Sunderland and educated locally, at Southmoor School.  Having trained in Accountancy, he pursued a career in finance,
finally retiring in 2007

He married Jill in 1973 and they have two children,
Rachael and Giles, and one granddaughter, Isobel

Initiated into Freemasonry at Mowbray Lodge No 5373 (Sunderland) in 1977, Paul became Worshipful Master in 1987, later occupying the office of Lodge Treasurer for several years

In the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham he was an acting Warden in 1996 and in 2000 he became Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies
– a post he held for four years – before being appointed as
Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, a post he held until June 2010.
In 2002 he was appointed in Grand Lodge to the rank of PAGDC and promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon in 2010

Advanced into Bede Mark Lodge No 605 in 1983, Paul later joined Vedra Mark Lodge No 793, becoming their Master in 1992.  After being honoured in Provincial Grand Mark Lodge with the rank of Past Provincial Grand Senior Warden in 1997, he later became (in 2001) Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies – a post he held for six years
He was honoured with Grand Mark Rank in 2002 and in 2004 was appointed to the rank of Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies – a prestigious office which took him to various countries overseas performing his duties for Grand Mark Lodge, and which he held for three years.  In 2009, Paul was promoted in Grand Mark Lodge to Past Grand Junior Overseer

Paul is also a Knight Templar, a 30th Degree Rose Croix Mason, and Holder of Grand Rank in the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner

Outside of Freemasonry, Paul’s interests have included aviation - gaining his wings at Sunderland and undergoing advanced training at Oxford - and motorcycling, in which capacity he became a Founder Member of two motorcyclists’ lodges in Craft and Mark Masonry

A Churchwarden in his local church of St Michael and All Angels, Hawthorn, Paul is Lay Chairman of Easington Deanery, and is also training as a Lay Reader whilst studying for a Degree in Theology at Durham University
An enthusiastic Freemason, Paul is very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunity presented by his appointment as a Provincial Principal, and hopes to meet the high standards of the Province and expectations of the Companions