Meeting
of Provincial Priory
A change of venue for the meeting to Allum Hall didn't result in a change in the weather, for the Provincial Prior, R.E.Kt. Brian Blanchard, worked his magic, to yet again, bring us a warm sunny day.
Nearly 200
Knights, including 2 Past Provincial Priors of Hertfordshire, 7 visiting
Provincial Priors and many Heads of Orders, were present to
see the Provincial Prior bestow appointments
and re-appointments on deserving Knights of the Province.
This was, as always, a very friendly and colourful meeting, (as the photographs show) and over 120 Knights enjoyed a very tasty lunch, where we were pleased to be joined by the Craft Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Colin Harris, and the Provincial Grand Secretary, W.Bro. Keith Gilbert.
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The Provincial Prior and Sword Bearer
The Body Guard Receiving Instruction
Malcolm Mcaw is in despair!
Distinguished Guests Retire from Provincial Priory |
The Provincial Prior's
Address
Bro. Knights, may I first of all thank you for your attendance here today at Provincial Priory, and at this new venue. I trust you have found the facilities it offers to your liking, because upon the success of this meeting and your reaction to the new venue, depends whether we meet here again. I must, however, warn you that should we return next year, to make it cost-effective, it will have to be on a weekday and I would welcome your reaction to this. We always used to meet on the fourth Wednesday in June and I see no reason for not returning to a weekday arrangement, whether we meet here or not. Indeed, those to whom I have mentioned the possibility have all reacted favourably.
The past year has been one of highs and lows. There is no denying that much has been achieved of which we can be proud. As a result of successful fund-raising events organised by my very pro-active social committee, our KT Province was last year able to donate £2000 to the Ophthalmic Eye Hospital at Jerusalem and I see from the returns of Great Priory that a further £1200 was donated by Preceptories in the Province, making a total contribution that compares favourably with those from other Provinces. At the same time, since I started the appeal, a further £3000 has been collected for the Craft 2009 Festival and the £1000 we have been able to allocate this afternoon to this cause, plus a contribution of nearly £500 from my Warden of Regalia means that the likelihood of next year handing the PGM of the Craft a cheque for a total contribution in excess of £5000 from the KT is a distinct possibility.
The Provincial Prelate and Chancellor Share a Joke
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Our good relationship with the other Orders continues to flourish and I am delighted to say that I have managed to obtain the permission of the Grand Superintendent of the HRA to perform a ‘KT meets the RA’ presentation at the March meeting of the Herts. 1st Principals Chapter, and if he thinks it to be of benefit to his Companions, he has given me his assurance that we will be allowed to approach RA Chapters throughout the Province with a view to make such a presentation at one of their meetings should we be so invited. Such an exercise has proved very successful with the ‘Mark meets the Craft’ presentation, and I have always believed that if you see a good idea, pinch it.
Bro. Knights, whatever success we might have achieved during the past twelve months has undoubtedly been overshadowed by the resignation of my Provincial Sub-Prior, V.E.Kt. Tony King, on the 1st May. I do not here wish to question what brought him to make such a decision, one can only respect and accept it for what it is. Over the past four years he has given me every support and I have benefited greatly from his wise counsel and advice, not to mention his companionship as a friend and a mason and I would like to put it on record that the Province will be the poorer for his absence. Nevertheless, the timing of his action and its unexpectedness, just five weeks before this meeting, meant that I felt unable to concentrate my mind fully on who was to be his successor, and hence the reason for not appointing a Provincial Sub-Prior today. I very much appreciate the unsolicited support I a have received from all quarters, even from other Orders, but now that the dust has settled, I can assure you all, that in the fullness of time, I will make my choice and that the new Provincial Sub-Prior will be invested and installed on the occasion of a meeting of Provincial Priory held at Letchworth on 8th November, especially convened for the purpose of celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the re-Constitution of the Province in 1933.
On a brighter note, I was recently present at Great Priory to see certain Knights in the Province receiving appointment to, and promotion in, Great Priory Rank. There were promotions to, the now Very Eminent Knight, Peter Aikman, PGtReg – an honour well deserved for continuous service to the Province as Provincial Treasurer over the last 25 years – I am the fourth Provincial Prior he has served under. Other promotions were E.Kts. Terry Deakin and Sidney Tuck to PGtHer, and a first appointment to PGtA-de-C for my Provincial Marshal, E.Kt. Tony Lapsley. E.Kt. Terry Bany also received the same rank through London. To all of these Knights I offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations on this acknowledgement of their past commitment to our Order and, of course, my expectation of their continued service.
The same also applies to those Knights I have today appointed and promoted in Provincial Rank, and I look forward to working with you all during the coming year. During my visits to Preceptories throughout the past year, I have always been accompanied by an escort of Provincial Officers and a contingent from my Body Guard. To them all I offer my thanks for their commitment to me and for their dedication to the duties they undertook to perform. My gratitude also extends to my Executive Officers for their undying loyalty and for bringing events, such as today, to fruition. You know who you are and I trust you know just how much your dedication means to me. In this round of ‘thanks’, may I also say how I appreciate the contribution made by the members of John F.Cleeves Preceptory in transporting their equipment from Cheshunt and setting up the Temple here today.
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Knights of Melita
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The Provincial Prior with the Provincial Grand Master, Two Past Provincial Priors of Hertfordshire together with Priors of Other Provinces
"The Secretary's Table"
Happy Hertfordshire Knights
Bro Knights, I am today entering the fifth and final year of my Patent of Office as your Provincial Prior and I find it difficult to believe that four years have passed since my Installation. During those four years much has happened for the good, and of course there have been times, as now, when things have not run smoothly. Nevertheless, the periods of calm and success between the maelstroms have made me realise what a privileged position I am in. The 14th Dalai Lama, who went into exile from Tibet at the age of 12 in 1950, has said:
The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of happiness. This world is not perfect. There are problems. But things like happiness and unhappiness are relative. Realizing this gives you hope.
He, of course, was speaking on a much grander scale, but I can relate to his sentiments in the running of our Province. Despite our setbacks let us face this coming year with renewed hope and enthusiasm and build upon what has been achieved.
My Bro. Knights, I thank you for the courtesy of listening to me. I wish you all well.
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