Jordan Giddings was born in Harpenden in 1967 and has lived there for most of his life. He attended St Nicholas Church School and Roundwood Park Comprehensive School in the town before winning an open Scholarship to read Physics at Balliol College, Oxford. Graduating in 1988 he undertook a PhD in nuclear particle physics at Imperial College London working between CERN in Geneva and DESY in Hamburg before joining University College London as a Research Fellow. In 1994 Jordan joined the Civil Service, firstly as a research scientist followed by a variety of roles including advising the Government Chief Scientific Adviser on Defence, Aerospace and Security policy, as Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Transport, as Science and Technology Strategy Director for QinetiQ and as Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security. He is presently a Senior Civil Servant in the Civil Service leading a large multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers and analysts. Along the way he has been Chair of the Intellect Defence Research and Technology Council, a Board member of ERTICO and Chair of their public authorities’ space and a wide range of consultancy and non-executive director appointments. He also continues in his role as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow to the Imperial College Institute for Security Science and Technology. He is a Chartered Physicist, Chartered Scientist, Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Following a Guinness fuelled evening in a local pub, Jordan approached his long term friend and local butcher, W. Bro. Peter Russell, then Master of Harpenden Lodge which led to Jordan’s Initiation into Harpenden Lodge No. 4314 in 1997 and subsequently to his exaltation into Harpenden Chapter in 1999 which started to stimulate his deep interest and engagement with Freemasonry. His first Craft Chair was in Arts and Aldersgate Lodge No. 1657 (now the Grand Charities Lodge) in 2002 followed by Craft Chairs in Harpenden, St James Abercorn No. 1579 and St Nicholas 6658. Jordan was appointed to Assistant Provincial Grand Chaplain in 2009 and promoted to Deputy Provincial Grand Chaplain in 2013. He is also an active member of both the Salisbury Union University Lodge No. 767 and the Veritatem Sequere Research Lodge No. 9615 in Hertfordshire. Outside of Hertfordshire Jordan is an active member of Westminster and Keystone Lodge No. 10 and Pegasus Lodge No. 2205 in London (where he holds London Grand Rank) and the Apollo University Lodge No. 357 in Oxfordshire. He was appointed as a member of the Most Worshipful Grand Master’s Rulers’ Forum from 2008 to 2012. In the Royal Arch he is a Past First Principal of Harpenden Chapter No. 4314 and was appointed as a Provincial Grand Steward and then Provincial Deputy Grand Registrar. He is also a member of the Past First Principals Chapters and is taking the First Principal’s Chair in Old Albanians Chapter No. 4999 in 2016.
Jordan was Advanced into Camden Mark No. 418 (London) in 2005 and was Elevated into Rose and Lily RAM in 2007 where he is a past Commander. He was also a member of the Cloisters (as Past Master or William Hamilton Underhill Lodge), Provincial Grand Stewards, White Stone and Hertfordshire Installed Mark Masters Lodges. Jordan was appointed as Provincial Assistant Grand Chaplain in 2009 and promoted to Provincial Deputy Grand Chaplain in 2015. He has been an active member of the Mark Development Committee for approaching ten years.
Jordan has deep interests and engagements in International masonry, triggered by the work of the Herts Provincial Team during the consecration process for Hiram Lodge No. 37 under the United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria in 2006 followed by the consecration of Lodge St John in Serbia in 2007. He is active Banner Bearer for the CBCS Priory of Ypres in the Grand Lodge of Belgium and has connections with Masonry in both Austria and France.
Outside of Mark, Craft and Royal Arch, Jordan is also active Provincial Herald for the Hertfordshire Knight Templar as well as a member of the Red Cross of Constantine, Royal and Select Masters, Royal Order of Scotland and SRIA.
Jordan still lives in Harpenden with his partner, Becky where they enjoy the simple pleasures of pubs, travelling, friends and contributing to a range of charitable causes. He is a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Masons in the City of London.