Freemasons in Leicestershire & Rutland have had a change of leadership for the first time in ten years. At a special meeting in Leicester, where over 420 Freemasons attended, Peter Charles Kinder, a Freemason for the last 46 years, has taken over as Provincial Grand Master, succeeding David Hagger as the organisations thirteenth head since the combination of the counties of Leicestershire & Rutland in 1856.
On Friday 29th November 2019, Freemasons’ Hall Leicester was close to capacity as the Deputy Grand Master, Jonathan Spence and his team made their way from London to preside over the Installation of Peter C. Kinder as Provincial Grand Master of Leicestershire & Rutland.
Prior to the meeting, a lunch was held in both the Oliver and Holmes Dining Rooms as many gathered to celebrate a new era in Freemasonry for Leicestershire & Rutland. At the meeting afterwards, Peter C. Kinder was announced as the new Provincial Grand Master, after which he proceeded in announce his team for the coming year to help run, support, and manage the eleven Masonic Centres and 79 Lodges.
Peter was born and raised in Leicester, son of Ken Kinder, a sales and marketing professional at British United Shoe Machinery Limited in Leicester. Peter’s mother Kath, was born in Hertfordshire, where the family bakery business was run by her father until she moved to Leicestershire after meeting Ken.
Peter completed his education by attending Southfields College in Leicester where he studied Boot and Shoe manufacturing, (BBSI Grad.) linking in with his occupation with the National and International Adhesive Manufactures Bostik Limited as a sales management trainee. Peter has stayed within the industry and is now Chief Executive Officer of Anglo Adhesives in Melton Mowbray.
Freemasonry runs in the family, the influences of his Father, Brother, God Father, and many friends led Peter to join the fraternity in 1973. When not working or carrying out his many duties for the Freemasons, Peter is a keen golfer, he was Captain of Rothley Park Golf Club in 1994, was also a very keen Rugby player at Stoneygate FC and now follows Leicester Tigers and Leicester City Football Club where he holds season tickets.
When asked about his goals for taking over as Provincial Grand Master, Peter said: “Freemasonry is more relevant in today's society than ever before. The constant challenges that face us in our working and social lives, can be enriched by the work we as Freemasons do. My major objectives during my tenure as Provincial Grand Master is to build on the successes of the past, to encourage larger attendances at Lodges and further develop the Pathway project that will hopefully lead us to Recruit and Retain many high calibre members, also to ensure that our members take great enjoyment out of what we do, and to bring Freemasonry to the forefront of the local communities that we serve”.