Masonic Biography

RW Bro. Peter D. Cole
Past District Grand Master

Peter Desmond Cole was initiated into Freemasonry in Royal Victoria Lodge # 443 in April 1974 and was Raised as a Master Mason in November 1975.

He was one of the first joining members of the Lodge of Unity after its Consecration and was installed as Master in November 1978 at the age of 28, one of the youngest Masters in a Bahamian Lodge. In 1980, when he installed his successor, Vincent Higgs, his uncle, J K Cole, and father, F L (Peter) Cole, acted as Wardens. This was reminiscent of a meeting many years ago at the Raising of his cousin, Roy Cole, when six members of the Cole family acted as Officers. He was installed as Master of Royal Victoria Lodge in 1991, the fourth generation of the Cole family to hold that office, and along with his cousins, Roy Cole, Rex and David Albury.

He was Secretary-Treasurer to the Royal Victoria Lodge Trust and was later elected a Trustee in February 1989, in which position he continues to serve. From 1981 to 1988 he was Director of Ceremonies for the Lodge of Unity. He was a Founder Member of Arawak Lodge in Freeport at its Consecration in September 1979. He was installed as First Principal of Royal Victoria Chapter in February 1985. In June 1992 he represented Royal Victoria Lodge at the 275th Anniversary of Grand Lodge in London.

Grand Lodge in London appointed him Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in April 1988 and Grand Chapter gave him the same rank in April 1991. He was appointed District Assistant Grand Secretary in March 1982 and District Grand Secretary in November 1984. When the Royal Arch Chapters were formed into a District in January of 1986, he was appointed District Grand Scribe E, and was appointed Grand Superintendent for The Bahamas & Turks in 1993 to succeed E Comp. Ralph Seligman, and in which office he served until 2004. Peter became, at his installation on 13 November 1993, the first District Grand Master of English Masonic origins and Bahamian birth, as his predecessors RW Bro Larkin and RW Bro Seligman had been initiated as Scottish and Irish Masons respectively. He served alongside three District Grand Masters of the District Grand Lodge of The Bahamas (SC), and he strived to maintain and to improve the relationship with our Scottish Brethren, joining our members together with theirs in several joint functions, in recognition of which he was appointed Honorary District Grand Senior Warden of the District Grand Lodge of The Bahamas.

He was the Consecrating Officer of the Caicos Islands Lodge No. 9661 at Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands in 1997. During and after his term as District Grand Master, he visited many Lodges overseas, as well as all of those in The Bahamas & Turks.

He is active in all of the English Masonic Orders practicing in The Bahamas & Turks and, in 2001, he became Inspector General 33, of the District of Bahamas & Turks, holding under the Supreme Council 33 0 for England & Wales, from which office he retired on 31 October 2016. On 10 January 2010 he was installed as Grand Superintendent of District 35, Bahamas & Jamaica, of The Priestly Orders, in which capacity he continues to serve. And on 26 August 2017 was awarded the Caribbean Jewel of Merit for service to Freemasonry in the Bahamas & Turks.

He was educated at St Andrew’s School, Nassau, and was Lucayan House Captain in his final year, with soccer and swimming his main sports. At graduation in 1967 he received the Alumni Award as the Top Student, and entered the insurance profession. In 1975 he was the first Bahamian to become a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, and is Past President of the Bahamas Insurance Association and the Bahamas Insurance Brokers Association. From 1991 to 1993 he was President of the St Andrew Society ofThe Bahamas. He is married to the former Philippa Bennett and they have a daughter, Ashley, a son, Bennett, and two grandchildren.