32 North Street Ashford Kent was the childhood home of Sir John Furley. Like his father he was a Solicitor but his interest lay elsewhere - in the promotion of organised treatment for the sick and wounded. He was a founder of the British Red Cross Society and St John Ambulance and founded the first St John Ambulance Brigade Division here in Ashford.
Reverend Canon Neville Maurice Granville Sharp, known by us all as Maurice, was the Vicar of St Mary’s, Ashford for many years, and this, coupled with his somewhat extrovert character, gave him a very high profile within the community. He was equally well known within masonic circles having been Initiated in the Brothers of Birchington Lodge No 5226 in 1936, a joining member of Stour Lodge No 2305, here in Ashford in 1959, a founder of Ashford Lodge No 8945 in 1980 and a member or founder of three Chapters, two of which are in Ashford.
(Image: Kentish Express 1970. Queen Elizabeth II with the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne, escorted by Canon Neville Sharp, were introduced to churchwarden Percy Woods and other church officials after the celebrations to mark the 500th anniversary of the re-building of Ashford Parish Church)
The Church Collection, is an impressive library of books and publications on genealogy and heraldry is named after W.Bro. Dr Edward (Teddy) Church PJGD PProvSGW, who was a very distinguished and active Mason in Kent.
He studied medicine at Cambridge University and joined Freemasonry at a young age. He qualified during WWII, went straight into the Army Medical Corps and was commissioned as Medical Officer and parachuted into Arnhem where he had the bad luck to be captured and became a prisoner of war.
Teddy died on 19th March 2009. Here is a moving tribute to Dr Church, presented by his son Bill.