Tony in summary
(please select relevant information from this section for introductions, etc)
W Bro. / E Comp. Tony Harvey is a researcher, writer and speaker who has been a Freemason for over thirty years.
He has held Provincial roles in the secretarial, membership, mentoring, learning & development, charity and communication areas of Freemasonry. He is a grand officer in the Craft, Royal Arch and Mark and in two other Orders within English Freemasonry.
Tony held United Grand Lodge of England‘s (UGLE’s) prestigious Prestonian Lectureship in 2012 with his lecture, “Scouting & Freemasonry: two parallel organisations?” He has delivered his lecture on more than 130 occasions in every Province in England & Wales and to a number of overseas Districts and foreign Grand Lodges.
Tony conceived, and was the main author of, United Grand Lodge of England’s (UGLE) Members’ Pathway, which the Past Pro Grand Master described as a “game changer.” The Members’ Pathway provided Lodges with tools and guidance to attract, introduce and engage new members. In 2025 it was combined with the Royal Arch’s Archway to form Building Together.
In late 2022, Lewis Masonic published Tony’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Lodges, with a foreword written by the then Deputy Grand Master of UGLE, RW Bro. Sir David Wootton. In this book, and in his talks and workshops based upon it, Tony explains how Lodges can modernise their culture and management practices to suit the lifestyles and mindsets of the twenty first century Freemason. In 2025, Lewis Masonic published an audiobook version of The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Lodges. It was their first ever audiobook and was narrated by Tony and Sir David.
The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Lodges are complementary to, and supportive of, the Member’ Pathway. They have been adopted by several Provinces and at least one Grand Lodge as their means to rejuvenate their lodges.
As well as being the Prestonian Lecturer in 2012, Tony has held several other prestigious Masonic lectureships. He was:
The 2013 Richard Sandbach Lecturer (Province of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire).
The 2017 Peter Churchyard Memorial Lecturer (Mark Province of East Anglia).
The 2018 Cornwallis Lecturer (Provinces of East & West Kent).
The 2020 Jack Bryan Memorial Lecturer (Wolverhampton Masonic Study Circle).
The 2021 Inaugural International Speaker (the Mabini Society of the Philippines).
The 2020 (inaugural) Mike Baker Memorial Lecturer (Mark Province of Kent).
The 2023 Rectitude Essay (Province of Wiltshire).
During the Covid-19 pandemic Tony delivered online talks on more than 140 occasions for hosts on six continents.
Tony’s books, talks and articles combine historical analysis with an understanding of organisational development to promote a forward-thinking approach to Freemasonry, based on the evolution of our Lodge practices while retaining our fundamental meaning and purpose. He encourages Lodges to adopt a member-centric approach, more suited to 21st century lifestyles.
Since 2012, Tony has raised £138,687 for Scouting and Masonic charities, £129,036 of which has come from his Masonic books and talks.
Having served for three years as a Trustee of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, and seven years as a Founding Trustee of the Masonic Charitable Foundation, in 2022 Tony became a Trustee of Lifelites. Lifelites was formed by the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls & Boys as its millennium project, and is now a separately registered charity with its own Board of Trustees. In January 2024 the board appointed him their Chair.
Tony was a member of the Steering Group that created the Bursary Scheme for the Grand Master’s Keystone Fund, a fund operated by the Mark Benevolent Fund. He continues to support the scheme as Deputy Chairman of its Awards Panel.
Tony has been a Scout for nearly sixty years. At various times he has been a member of the boards, committees and working groups responsible for UK Scouting’s approach to recruiting, training and managing adult volunteers. He has been the Kindred Lodges Association‘s liaison with both the UK Scout Association and United Grand Lodge of England since 2005. Currently he is the UK Scout Association’s HQ Liaison with Freemasonry, Team Leader of Square & Compasses National Support Team and Team Leader of Erewash District’s Volunteering Development Team in Derbyshire.
Professionally, Tony is a coach, speaker and consultant specialising in leadership, change and organisational development. His published books and articles focus on his own model of personal and organisational change, the Success Cycle.
Interviews with Tony
Find out more about Tony the man from his interview with the “13 Questions” podcast
Hear Tony’s Masonic interview with Leeds Light Blues Club
Listen to Tony in conversation with Antonio Russo
Hear Tony’s Derbyshire Freemasons Podcast, “Scouting & The Square”
Scouting & The Square – The Derbyshire Freemasons' Podcast
What others say about Tony
Click here to read what people have said about Tony and his talks.
Further details about Tony
(this information is for those who really want detail!)
W Bro. Tony Harvey was initiated into Pioneer Lodge No. 9065, the Scout Lodge for Derbyshire, in June 1991. He is the Immediate Past Master of Aetos Lodge No. 3702, the Derbyshire in London Lodge, and is a Past Master of five other Lodges (Pioneer Lodge No. 9065; Walesby Forest Lodge No. 9674; Authors’ Lodge No. 3456; Lodge of Unity, Peace & Concord No. 316 and Notts Installed Masters’ Lodge No. 3595). He is a member, founder or honorary member of Lodges and Chapters in London, nine Provinces, two overseas Districts and one foreign Grand Lodge.
Tony was the Province of Derbyshire’s first Provincial Grand Mentor (2009–13), its active Provincial Junior Grand Warden (2014) and its Provincial Communication Officer (2015–16). From 2008 to 2015 he was the Director of Communication for the very successful 2014 Derbyshire Festival in aid of the Masonic Samaritan Fund.
He was the Province of Nottinghamshire’s first Provincial Grand Membership Officer (2021-23). After building a strategy and recruiting a team he stood down so that his Deputy could assume the role. He continued as the Province’s Special Interest Lodges Coordinator and as the Provincial support for Nottinghamshire’s Light Blues Club (The Byron Club) until 2025.
Tony was the Province of West Kent’s first Provincial Grand Learning & Development Officer (2022-24) and Head of Learning & Development for the Craft and Royal Arch.
Tony holds the ranks of Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden (PPSGW) (2015) in Derbyshire, Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden (PPJGW) (2014) in Nottinghamshire and Past Provincial Grand Learning & Development Officer (PProvGLDO) (2024) in West Kent. The Board of General Purposes (BGP) appointed him as the 2012 Prestonian Lecturer. In 2016 he was appointed a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies (PAGDC) in the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and was promoted to the rank of Past Junior Grand Deacon (PJGD) in April 2021.
E Comp. Harvey was Exalted into the Royal Arch in Pioneer Chapter No. 9065 in 1994. He has been First Principal of two Chapters (Pioneer Chapter No. 9065 & Authors’ Chapter No. 3456) and is currently Second Principal of St George’s Chapter No. 5 and of Derbyshire Principals’ Chapter No. 8509. He is a Past Provincial Grand Registrar (PPGReg) (2017) in Derbyshire and was appointed a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies (PAGDC) in Supreme Grand Chapter (SGC) in April 2020.
In Mark Masonry, V.W.Bro. Harvey was Advanced into The Derby Lodge M.M.M. No. 302 in 1995. He is a Past Master of five Mark Lodges (The Derby Lodge No. 302; Derbyshire Lodge of Installed Mark Masters No. 1706; The Scout Lodge No. 1907; The Ralph Reader Lodge No. 1997 and Ruspini Lodge No. 363). He was Provincial Grand Secretary of Derbyshire from 2007 to 2015.
Tony has been the founding Master of two Mark Lodges; The Scout Lodge M.M.M. No. 1907 (Derbyshire) and The Ralph Reader Lodge M.M.M. No. 1997 (London) and founding Commander of two RAM Lodges; The Scout Lodge R.A.M. No. 1907 and The Ralph Reader Lodge R.A.M. No. 1997. The Scout Lodge M.M.M. No. 1907 is the world’s first Scout Mark Lodge and comprises members from around England and Wales, while The Ralph Reader Lodge M.M.M. No. 1997 is for Mark Masons who have, or have had, a connection with London Scouting.
Tony is a Past Grand Junior Overseer (P.G.J.O.) (2019) in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, a Past Provincial Grand Senior Warden (P.P.G.S.W.) (2019) in the Mark Province of London, a Past Provincial Grand Secretary (P.Prov.G.Sec.) (2007-2015) in the Mark Province of Derbyshire and a holder of Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank (R.A.M.G.R.) (2011) in the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner.
For six years Tony was the Secretary of The Mark Provincial Grand Secretaries Lodge No. 1641. He is currently the Lodge’s Master Elect.
In the Order of Royal & Select Masters, Ill.Comp. Harvey is a Past Master of The Peak Council R.S.M. No. 184 and a member of Emeritus Council R.S.M. No. 244. He holds the rank of Past District Grand Steward (P.D.G.Stwd.) in the District of Derbyshire and received the Silver Trowel in 2025.
In the Allied Masonic Degrees, W.Bro. Harvey is a founder and Past Master of Cleve Council A.M.D. No. 231 and holds the rank of Past District Grand Junior Warden (P.D.G.J.W.) (2015) in East Midlands District and of Past Grand Standard Bearer (P.G.St.B.) (2016) in the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees.
Tony was a Council Member / trustee of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB) for three years, until it became part of the new Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) in 2016. At that point he was appointed as one of the MCF’s first directors and trustees, a post he held until July 2023. He served on the RMTGB’s PR and Fundraising Committee, the MCF’s Communication Committee and the MCF’s Remuneration Committee. He was co-opted to work with the MCF’s Nominations Committee on a review of governance.
As a trustee of the RMTGB Tony was also a trustee of Lifelites. Lifelites formed its own board of trustees when the MCF was formed in 2016. In January 2022, Tony once again became a trustee of Lifelites, having been nominated by the MCF.
In August 2023 Tony became the interim Chair of Trustees for Lifelites and in January 2024, after an open recruitment process, Tony was appointed Chair of Trustees. Tony has championed the development of Lifelites’ ambitious new five-year strategy and the establishment of robust, modern governance frameworks to enable the charity to thrive.
Tony has been a supporter of the Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) since he was Advanced in the Mark in 1995. In 2024 he was appointed a member of the MBF Steering Group, to help develop a bursary scheme for the Grand Master’s Keystone Fund, to support individuals with their educational, vocational, and performance achievements. In 2025 he was appointed a member and Deputy Chairman of the scheme’s Awards Panel.
Inspired by his professional work, and his experience as a member of the team that developed the Scouts’ very successful approach to adult recruitment, in 2015 Tony conceived and proposed to UGLE the idea of the Members’ Pathway, a toolkit for Lodges to attract, introduce and retain new members. Between 2015 and 2020 he was its primary author and editor. In June 2019, UGLE’s then Pro Grand Master described the Members’ Pathway as a “game changer for many of our Lodges” and in February 2020 one of Freemasonry’s major social media influencers called it “one of the greatest innovations to Freemasonry in the last 100 years”.
In 2025 the Members’ Pathway was combined with the Royal Arch’s Archway to become Building Together.
Tony also spent a year as the content manager for UGLE’s Solomon project until stepping down when the workload required someone who could give it their sole attention.
Tony is a keen supporter of Masonic associations, believing they complement what is offered by Lodges and enhance the Masonic experience. He has been the Kindred Lodges Association’s (KLA) liaison with the Scout Association for 20 years and with UGLE for 17 years, and is now the KLA’s Deputy Chairman.
When he was the Provincial Membership Officer in Nottinghamshire, Tony worked with members of the Byron Club, the Province’s Light Blues Club, to reconstitute the club as a self-governing opt-in body and is now a proud Honorary member. The club has an enviable record of engaging and retaining members.
A failed biker himself (don’t mention the “fzzy”), Tony is also an Honorary member of four Chapters of the Widows Sons’ Masonic Bikers Association (WSMBA), as a result of their support for Lifelites. They are Merlin Chapter (Derbyshire), Nottinghamshire Chapter, Leicestershire & Rutland Chapter and Southern Chapter (Hampshire & Isle of Wight).
Tony’s 2012 Prestonian Lecture, “Scouting and Freemasonry: two parallel organisations?” not only details the often-reported parallels between Scouting and Freemasonry, it also describes the historical, current and possible future relationship between the two organisations and what Freemasonry can learn from the transformation and growth of the Scout Movement.
In addition to holding the prestigious Prestonian Lectureship in 2012, the only lecture sponsored by UGLE and the oldest Masonic lectureship in the world, Tony has been been appointed as:
- The 2013 Richard Sandbach Lecturer (Province of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire).
- The 2017 Peter Churchyard Memorial Lecturer (Mark Province of East Anglia).
- The 2018 Cornwallis Lecturer (Provinces of East & West Kent).
- The 2020 Jack Bryan Memorial Lecturer (Wolverhampton Masonic Study Circle).
- The 2021 Inaugural International Speaker (the Mabini Society of the Philippines).
- The 2020 (inaugural) Mike Baker Memorial Lecturer (Mark Province of Kent).
- The 2023 Rectitude Essay (Province of Wiltshire).
He has delivered his Prestonian lecture and other talks in every Province in England & Wales, in a number of overseas Districts and in Lodges in other jurisdictions around the world.
His writings combine historical analysis with an understanding of organisational development to promote a forward-thinking approach to Freemasonry, based on the evolution of our Lodge practices while retaining our fundamental meaning and purpose. He encourages Lodges to adopt a member-centric approach, more suited to 21st century lifestyles. He has written a number of articles for The Square magazine and has twice held a regular column.
Tony’s most recent publication in a Freemasonry journal was an article in the September 2021 edition of Freemasonry Today, entitled “Strength in unity”, it is based on his talk, “The historic links between the Craft, Royal Arch and Mark.”
In late 2022, Lewis Masonic published Tony’s book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Lodges.” The book offers ways we can modernise Lodge management to create thriving and sustainable Lodges that suit 21st century lifestyles and increase engagement of the working man. It features a foreword written by the then Deputy Grand Master of UGLE, RW Bro. Sir David Wootton.
In 2025 Lewis Masonic published as their first audiobook, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Lodges, recorded by Tony and with Sir David Wootton reading his foreword.
Since 2012, Tony as raised £138,687 for Scouting and Masonic charities. Of this, £129,036 has come from his books and talks and the rest from other fundraising activities. He is currently fundraising for The Scout Association‘s Heritage Fund, the Masonic Charitable Foundation, Lifelites and the Mark Benevolent Fund.
Tony is a life long Scout. Both his parents were leaders during the 1950s, having met at a Scout event. He was invested as a Cub Scout in the 4th Erith (All Saints) Scout Group, Greater London South East, shortly after the Advance Party Report that restructured Scouting in the mid-1960s. As such he is too young ever to have worn uniform shorts or a B-P hat. His family moved to Gravesend, Kent, in 1972 and he joined Christchurch Scout Group, becoming Patrol Leader of the Ravens. He earned the top awards in each section and in 1977 became a Queen’s Scout.
His first adult role was as a Cub Scout Instructor with Christchurch Scout Group and it was in that capacity that he met the late HM Queen Elizabeth II at the National Scout Service at Windsor Castle in 1978. At local level he held appointments with the Scout and Venture Scout sections in the City of Nottingham before concentrating on Leader Training. After moving to Derbyshire, he became a Leader Trainer at the age of thirty-one, the youngest in the county.
Since then Tony’s local and county roles have included being Assistant County Commissioner for Community Development, International and for Adult Support, all in Derbyshire. He served as Chair of Derbyshire’s Appointment Advisory Committee and twice as a member of its County Executive. He has also been Chairman of Long Eaton District and of its Appointments Advisory Committee.
Nationally he has served on various boards, committees and working groups, including; the National Activities Advisory Board, the National Team for Adult Support, the Adult Recruitment Working Group, the Adult Training Working Group, the Management Training Review Group, the National Moderation Panel and the Operations sub-Committee. He chaired the Baseline Technical Group, the Trainer Training Review Group and the Fundraising Development Board.
In these roles he contributed towards the development of successful methods of recruiting adult volunteers, the development and management of adult training and the creation of The Scout Association’s model for leadership and management.
Currently Tony is The UK Scout Association’s HQ Liaison for Freemasonry, Team Leader of Square & Compasses National Support Team, Team Leader of the Volunteering Development Team in his home District of Erewash, Derbyshire (responsible for overseeing the recruitment, appointment, training and recognition of adult volunteers) and a member of the Trustee Board of that District. His wife and daughter are also active in local Scouting.
Shortly after the Scout’s centennial World Jamboree in 2007, Tony, along with The Hon. Michael Baden-Powell (later Lord Baden-Powell, the 4th Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell), Steve Hilditch and John Ineson, formed a charitable company to raise the money to buy Robert Baden-Powell’s Rolls Royce, “Jam Roll”, and return it to Scouting and Guiding.
Jam Roll, a 1929 20hp Rolls Royce with custom coach work, was part of a “Gift to the Founder” presented to Baden-Powell from “The Scouts of the World” to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Scouting. Another part of the gift was a caravan, nicknamed “Eccles”. They were presented at the 1929 Arrowe Park Jamboree in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, who announced that King George V had conferred a peerage on B-P.
After B-P’s death the car was sold into private ownership. The charitable company, B-P Jam Roll Ltd, of which Tony is a director and trustee, displays Jam Roll to the public (see Great British Car Jouney) and takes it to Scout and Guide events where it is used to promote a better understanding of Scouting’s origins, heritage and the life of the founder.
Tony is also a founding trustee of the REQUEST Foundation, a charity inspired by the Shackleton-Rowett “Quest” expedition and which supports young people undertaking polar research and expeditions.
Tony’s service to Scouting has been recognised by several national good service awards, the first being in 1992. In 2025 the Chief Scout awarded Tony UK Scouting’s highest award for good service, the Silver Wolf, “for adult service of the most exceptional nature.” Locally, he received a Commissioner’s Commendation in 2021. He is also a Gilwell Fellow (UK Scouting), a Friend of Scouting in Europe (European Scout Foundation) and a Baden-Powell Fellow (World Scout Foundation).
In 2025, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania presented Tony with the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award. The award is one of Scouting America’s Community Organisation Awards and recognises Freemasons for their contribution to Scouting. The insignia comprise a neck decoration and a cloth emblem. Tony is believed to be the first British Freemason and first member of the UK Scout Association to receive the award.
The Grand Master also presented Tony with the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s Masonic Eagle Scout lapel pin.
In 2018, at a delivery of his Prestonian Lecture, Tony’s former Cub Scout Leader in the 4th Erith Scout Group, Joan Newell – the person who inspired him to become a Queen’s Scout – invested him with her personal neckerchief, 50 years after she had first led him in making his Scout promise.
In 2025 she and her brother, Tony’s Scout Leader from the 4th Erith, Jim Reynolds, surprised him by attending the presentation of his Silver Wolf at Gilwell Park, the international home of Scouting.
Professionally, Tony is a coach, speaker and consultant specialising in leadership, change, learning and organisational development and has managed his own practice for the last thirty years. Before then he worked for the Medical Research Council, conducting experimental and clinical research into hearing, and then moved to British Midland Airways as Training Manager. His published books and articles focus on his own model of personal and organisational change, the Success Cycle.
Tony holds degrees in psychology & education and in management, and is a:
- Member of the Society of Authors
- Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (in recognition of his research and publications relating to Scouting and to Freemasonry)
- Member of the British Psychological Society (MBPsS)
- Fellow of the Society for Education & Training (FSET)
- Fellow of the Learning & Performance Institute (FLPI)
- Fellow of the Institute of Training & Occupational Learning (FITOL)
- Fellow of the Institute of Leadership (FIoL)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (FCIPD)
- Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI)
- Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, manufactures and commerce (FRSA).
He is a Freeman of the City of London and a former Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators.
