In Remeberance of
Rev JOHN MARK MEREDITH DALBY
Archdeacon Emeritus of Rochdale
Died Monday 11th February 2013
At his home in Malvern Worcestershire.

I first met Mark Dalby about 1984 all though I am not sure exactly when but it was around that time.
I have been trying to find out from old memorabilia I have, however I do have a service paper in commemoration of a service at Manchester cathedral marking the 40th year of the accession of Her Majesty the Queen together with also the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the appointment of His royal Highness the Duke of Kent as Grand Master, it was also to mark the 275 anniversary of the United Grand Lodge of England this special service was on Wednesday 24th June 1992
It was somewhat a shock to see Mark Dalby being escorted in with the dignitaries of the day and later to hear him delivering the sermon even then I was not sure and asked my wife if that was Mark Dalby.
Afterwards I was even more surprised when I saw him talking to prominent freemasons in Manchester.
Soon after he came in to our butchers shop in Rochdale to buy some meat, he had been a customer since we moved to Rochdale; I asked him about the service the previous week I also asked him if he was a freemason to which he replied yes.
I discovered later he was also very active in church life in Rochdale obviously because he was the Archdeacon
I had attended various churches in Rochdale namely St Edmunds’s, St Mary’s but my regular church was All Saints Hamer
I got to know Mark really well; he was a most kind man a true Christian and a gentleman,
When we visit Rochdale to see family I often go to the churches and everybody asks about Mark.
Our son Barry who carried on the shop for a while , remarked that Mark still came in the shop to buy his spicy chicken
I also remember when I was president of the butchers association in 1996 if he would give a talk at our ladies function he declined but suggested a colleague of his would another clergy man from the Oldham area it turned out this vicar was also one of her majesties personnel equerries.

It was a shock to hear of Marks death because I had only been talking to him a few days before, I always seemed to be telephoning him or asking for advice, my attempt at a paper and a suggestion of his was that I prepare the paper and perhaps try and turn it into a book which was about a notable character from Rochdale who had like us moved and settled in the Worcestershire area in the 19th century.

He will be truly missed in Malvern where he lived,
He also regularly attending his Masonic Lodge, Royds 1204, he was also very active in Chapter, Mark and Rose Croix. But he still found time to travel to Manchester to attend his lodge and chapter there.
Couple this with his dedication to the province of Worcestershire where he was active as Chaplain and there must have been other commitments because he was Dep Grand Chaplain,

The service of funeral mass held at St Leonard Newland, the chapel of the Beauchamp Community where Mark was priest, was as expected well attended and as befitting of the man.
Un be known to me he had been writing a book on his travels, but sadly this has not been finished but it was Marks wish it be made available to the people present.
So Mark with fond memories of you, Joan and I wish you a well and god bless you.
Our condolences are extended to his family especially his Brother Andrew
After the service at St Leonard’s Mark was buried at Duke Street Cemetery Southport.

A service of Memorial Mass will be held at
St Chrysostoms Manchester at11 am on the 20th April 2013
Further information from Canon Ian Gomersall (executor)

SMIB