Special 75th Anniversary Meeting

Saturday 8th November 2008 saw a full house assemble, under the Banner of Stuart Preceptory No.28, at The Cloisters, Letchworth, for this extra special meeting to celebrate, seventy five years ago, to the day, the Re-Constitution of the Knights Templar Province of Hertfordshire.

After the various processions, the R.E.Provincial Prior opened this Provincial Priory and was then saluted in the accustomed manner under the direction of the Acting Provincial Marshal, E.Kt. M. Stanforth. The minutes of the Provincial Priory Meeting of 7th June 2008 were confirmed and the R.E. Provincial Prior proceeded to welcome the distinguished guests and visitors thus:

Bro.Knights, official guests are invited only to our normal Provincial Meeting in June, but I feel it incumbent upon me to introduce to you those distinguished visitors we have here today, who are attending as guests of myself and my executive, but before I do so, can I say how delighted I am to have with us two of my predecessors as Prov.Prior, R.E.Kts. John Hay and Peter Fotheringham, both Knights Commander of the Temple.      Other R.E.Kts. present are R.E.Kt. Ted Bramford, KCT, Past Prov.Prior for Leicestershire and Rutland, R.E.Kt. Kessick Jones, Prov.Prior for Kent, R.E.Kt. Geoff Hewitt, Prov.Prior for East Anglia, R.E.Kt. Eddie Goodwin, Prov.Prior for London, and the latest recruit to the ranks of Priors, R.E.Kt. Glyn Hughes, Prov.Prior for Middlesex.   Other visitors of some repute are V.E.Kt. Bob Morrow, PGt1stCon, E.Kt. Peter Salt, Prov.Sub-Prior for Derbyshire, the GtHer, E.Kt. Peter McIntyre, Prov Sub-Prior for Kent, E.Kt Kingsley Branch, Prov Vice-Chancellor of East Anglia and E.Kt. Peter Wise, Prov Vice-Chancellor of Kent.  Also here from the Mark Province of Hertfordshire is a Knight who plies his trade as a Knight Templar in London, our PGM in the Mark degree, Kt. Chris Radmore.    I am aware there are other visitors here today and to each and every one of you I bid you all a hearty welcome.

and continued:

Bro Knights, I rise to address you on the purpose of the meeting and why we are gathered here this morning.   It was exactly 75 years ago to the day that on the 8th November 1933, the Provincial Priory of Hertfordshire was re-Constituted at the Chancery of the Orders in Great Queen Street by the M.E.& S Pro Grand Master, The Earl of Harewood.  The first Provincial Prior of the re-Constituted Province was V.E.Kt. John F. Cleeves, KCT (It was some years later, Bro Knights, that Prov. Priors were given the appellation, Right E.Kt).   John F. Cleeves’s name, of course, lives on today in the Preceptory named after him, and I am also proud today to be carrying the Prov. Prior’s baton bearing the inscription ‘Presented by John F. Cleeves, KCT, 1933’   Over the years. it had become a little worse for wear and was showing it’s age, and in readiness for this special occasion, I have had it re-gilded to its former splendour.

Bro. Knights, although we meet here today to celebrate this great event in the history of Knight Templary in Hertfordshire, we as a Province, can legitimately trace our roots back to 1840 with the formation of Watford Encampment, which was later to become Stuart Encampment and then Stuart Preceptory.   With Watford Encampment came William Stuart Snr., who ruled the Province as Provincial Grand Commander.  He was succeeded by George Francis, who held the office until he died in 1879.   With his death, the Province died with him and was never to meet again in its early form.

The prime mover in getting the Province re-Constituted in the early 1930s was one which had existed throughout all this time, the only Preceptory in existence in Hertfordshire, that being the aforementioned Stuart Preceptory, No. 28, and it was it, which made a concerted effort in 1930 to form two new Preceptories – one at St. Albans and another in the Hertford region. As a result, the Preceptory of St. Alban, No. 266 was Consecrated later that year, followed by Temple Chelsin Preceptory, No. 269 a year later in 1931, and the re-Constituted KT Province of Hertfordshire was a reality, although it took another two years to bring it to fruition.

It seemed eminently suitable, therefore, Bro Knights, that on this special day, we should dedicate the Watford Encampment Banner, a tangible reminder of our past history.   There is no evidence, or record, of this having been done in the past and to be in a position to be able to do it now after an interval of 160 years was too good an opportunity to miss.  

That, however, Bro. Knights is for later because now there is more pressing business for us to perform. I refer, of course, to the Installation of my new Sub-Prior.

The Acting Provincial Marshal, E.Kt. Mike Stanforth was instructed to ascertain that E.Kt. Tony Lapsley PGtA-de-C was in attendance. Having found him to be so, E.Kt. Stanforth confirmed his attendance to the Provincial Prior and requested that he be admitted so that he could be obligated, invested and installed. E.Kt. Lapsley was then paraded into the Chapter House with an escort and under an Arch of Steel. The Provincial Prior demanded to see the patent of appointment and following such the Provincial Vice-Chancellor read it aloud. The Provincial Sub-Prior nominate was then obligated, invested and installed by the Provincial Prior. E.Kt. Tony Lapsley was then proclaimed by E.Kt. G.R. Ward ProvHer, following which the Provincial Prior, R.E.Kt. Brian Blanchard invited him to take his seat in the Chapter House.

The office of Provincial Marshal now being vacant, the Provincial Prior appointed and invested E.Kt. M. Stanforth, PProv1stCon as Marshal and E.Kt. R.J. Asser as Deputy Marshal.

The next item on the agenda was the Dedication of the Watford Encampment Banner. After inviting certain officers to assist him in the Dedication Ceremony, the Provincial Prior asked the Provincial Marshal to form an escort and conduct the Banner into the Preceptory. Four Knights from Stuart Preceptory, E.Kt. M.D. Beaty PProv1stCon, E.Kt. J.R.C. Roberts ProvA-de-C. Kt. A. Potton and Kt. J.R. Innes, were called to form up and recessed out of the Chapter House. The Knights present were then called to order and the Banner was processed into the Chapter House.

Under the direction of the Provincial Prior and following solemn prayer by the Acting Provincial Prelate, E.Kt. P. Frost PGtA-de-C, the Banner was unveiled. E.Kt. Frost then gave his Oration:

Right Eminent Provincial Prior and Brother Knights,

As we now meet for this the celebration of the 75th Anniversary, on the exact date, of the reconstitution of the Provincial Priory of Hertfordshire we realise that much has transpired in the past 75 years.

It is also true that this especial meeting has three important elements worthy of note. Firstly we celebrate the anniversary; secondly, we witness the Installation of a new Provincial Sub-Prior in the person of E.Kt. Tony Lapsley and thirdly; and importantly, we celebrate the dedication of the Watford Encampment Banner.

It is the last of the three items of note that I wish to speak to you about at some length today. We first need, however, to understand the relevance and significance that banners, ensigns, flags, pennants and standards have played in the daily lives of many peoples for thousands of years.

The difference between a banner and a flag is, basically, very simple. Flags are usually made of cloth and fastened to a pole or mast by one side and the flag itself allowed to flutter horizontally in the breeze.

A banner, however, although in many respects similar to a flag, has a different construction. It usually has a sleeve at the top of the vertical end and hangs vertically off of a crossbar or pole.

A banner is a piece of square or rectangular material that carries a symbol, a logo, a coat of arms, or colours. The word banner is derived from the Latin name “bandum”, a cloth used to make flags.

From ancient times banners have been a rallying point in battle. Similarly a banner may indicate where a specific group is situated in an encampment or area or that a particular personage or leader is present.

The Assyrians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all fought under their respective banners and even today the Colours revered by every military battalion are items of great pride and lifelong honour.

Some easily recognised symbols within Freemasonry are, of course, the Roman Eagle and the standards used in the Holy Royal Arch.

In more recent times, but still within Freemasonry, are the banners used in Knights Templar, two colours only in this case.

The introduction of individual recognition colours or coats of arms was brought about by the all-enveloping suits of armour and the need to recognise one’s own side or leader in the heat of battle.

As the use of armorial symbols of recognition grew disputes arose when the designs clashed and precedent was disputed. From these disputes originated official heraldry and proper methods to be used in granting the design and application of Arms, were established in 1484 by the foundation of the College of Arms in London that still exists to this day and is the sole arbitrator of Arms granted in England and Northern Ireland.

Let us now come to the Watford Encampment Banner that we are dedicating here today.

It is my understanding that at the time of the consecration of the Watford Encampment in July 1840, later to be renamed Stuart Encampment in January 1861, there is no record that a banner had been produced. At some time later it seems the banner was made and would, one assumes, have been displayed.

In January 1897 the name Stuart Encampment was changed to Stuart Preceptory and the minutes of the meeting refer, for the first time, to the Eminent Commander as being the Eminent Preceptor.

On Monday, October 20th I was invited to visit Stuart Preceptory by E.Kt Dick Machin and met with E.Kt. Michael Beaty who kindly allowed me to inspect the recently refurbished Watford Encampment banner.

It appears that the original, one must also assume, Watford Encampment Banner, had been discovered in the cellars of Halsey Masonic Hall, Watford, at some time in the 1990s. It was, I am told, meticulously restored in the mid-1990s by Iwla, the wife of E.Kt. Dennis Thomas, Preceptor in 1985, and at the time, Chaplain.

The design of the banner has four main elements. Across the top is a red cross. Of the three vertical panels beneath the first denotes the Lamb and Flag, the central panel the purple and red veils of the RA Chapter emblazoned with the Star of David and the third panel is decorated with the black and white flooring of a Craft Lodge.

I have attempted to investigate the significance of the patterns displayed and have come to certain conclusions regarding their origins and meanings. I accept that I may be some way off in this regard but have to give you the following ideas:

The cross surmounting the banner could be, to my mind, one of two things. It may represent the vexillum belli that is always on display in our Preceptories or, does it represent the reflected rays of the sun that were observed by the leader of the small band of disillusioned knights making their weary way up the hill towards the village of Emmaus?

The Lamb and Flag is a common device popular throughout the Middle Ages, commonly used in Protestant Churches. As an emblem of the Knights of St John it has been widely diffused and may be seen in the Temple in London that belonged to the Order before being given over to the lawyers.

Does it represent the Paschal Lamb, the Lamb of God, or Christ? It bears a halo and stands beside a staff with a flag bearing the red cross of the order. This emblem was, I believe, used in the First Crusade in 1119.

The Banner was then paraded around the Chapter House while the Knights sang "Onward Christian Soldiers" following which the Banner was advanced and the Provincial Prelate delivered the Prayer of Dedication.

The Provincial Prior then Dedicated the Banner and delivered it into the care of the Eminent Preceptor of Stuart Preceptory No.28, E.Kt. Len Cheshire. The Prelate gave the Patriarchal Benediction and the Banner was saluted and placed in position in the Chapter House.

Having experienced once again the warmth and joy of another Happy Hertfordshire gathering, there followed a splendid lunch from which, I am sure everyone departed feeling "what a great day, wouldn't have missed it for the world". Let's hope we don't have to wait another 75 years for a similar occasion.

E.Kt. Mike Beaty                        

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