John Yeates is a retired pharmacist and the fortunate husband of Mary. He has enjoyed the companionship of mainly Worcestershire Freemasons for nearly half a century, having been initiated into the Lodge of Stability No. 564 in 1974. Exaltation in 1980 was in the Royal Arch Chapter, same name and number, and in 1989 he became a Rose Croix mason. It was an honour to serve Worcestershire as its Junior Grand Warden in 1991 and its Third Grand Principal in 2015. Along the way he has been granted the privilege of Grand Rank in both Craft and Supreme Grand Chapter, and was recipient of the 31st. degree in the Ancient and Accepted Rite in 2015. He was also Information Officer for both Craft and Chapter under Richard Goddard and Colin Brown in 2011/12. 

John and Mary enjoy travelling, walking, attending theatres; concerts and the opera, absorbing history by exploring any available and accessible channels.