The 2015 Appointments and Promotions to Supreme Grand Chapter Rank have now been published and circulated around Province – they will already be known to many therefore but may I, on behalf of the Royal Arch Province, formally extend congratulations on First Appointments to:

E Comp John Phillips of Montagu Chapter in Stamford on his first appointment to PGStB. John, of course, was our Third Provincial Grand Principal for a couple of years up until some 12 months ago. For his excellent contribution to the Province, John’s worthy recognition is richly deserved. 

E Comp Brian Gebbels of Socrates Chapter in Huntingdon who also received his first appointment to PAGDC. Brian has been a stalwart of Royal Arch Masonry in Huntingdon for many a year and I have been so grateful for his loyalty and support throughout.

E Comp George Bonham of Euston Chapter who has been a tremendous supporter to me personally and to the Holy Royal Arch in general as well as being our Provincial Grand Master in Mark. His support and generosity on behalf of Mark Master Masons in this Province during our 2013 Bicentenary Appeal for the Royal College of Surgeons was greatly appreciated and in an exceedingly busy diary, we are grateful for his regular and frequent support for his Chapter and the Royal Arch Province in general. A first appointment in Supreme Grand Chapter Rank to PGStB is well overdue and also very well deserved. 

And finally to E Comp Bob Pues PAGDC also of Montagu Chapter, a well-earned promotion to PGStB for his commitment and dedication to the Supreme Degree and for the sterling work he contributes in Stamford particularly. E Comp Bob is one of a number of stalwarts we have in Stamford all of whom have ensured that Montagu Chapter is constantly in the best of health. 

To them all, I extend my personal congratulations and best wishes from all throughout the Province.

E Comp W E Williams
ME Grand Superintendent

A date for your diary, at the First Principals’ Chapter on Thursday 3rd September 2015, we will welcome the demonstration team from the Province of Bristol who will perform the Ancient and Original Passing of the Veils. This is not a ceremony that you see very often because it is rarely performed outside of the Province of Bristol.

This meeting will be open to all Companions and is certain to be very popular. This poster has further details and booking forms from the Provincial Grand Chapter office will follow very shortly.

Our Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams, commented:

We are privileged to be hosting the Bristol Demonstration team at our FIrst Principals' Chapter in September. Space will be limited but ALL Companions are invited to attend.It will be a unique occasion for us and a unique demonstration, rarely seen outside the Province of Bristol and who are the only ones allowed to perform it. Check out the history of the Veils ceremony; there was early reference to the "veils" from the 1750s onwards as practiced in the Province of Bristol as a preliminary to the Exaltation ceremony. Since then, the Royal Arch ceremony generally has seen many changes and with a revision of the English ritual in 1835, the "Passing of the Veils" ceremony was removed. Bristol however managed to escape most of the changes so that, today, the Province is the proud possessor of some very old Royal Arch ritual which it will demonstrate and perform for us on Thursday 3rd September at Sheaf Close. Try and be there!

The Provincial Appointments and Promotions have been announced and full details can be found here. We congratulate  all those Companions who are being appointed and promoted. We look forward to seeing you at Provincial Grand Chapter in June.

Our Chapter Executive will be changing at Provincial Grand Chapter in June. E Comp David Jackson who has contributed and supported the Holy Royal Arch in this Province over many years will be stepping down with E Comp Mike Coleman being promoted from 2nd Provincial Grand Principal to Deputy Grand Superintendent.

E Comp George Clayton is promoted from 3rd Provincial Grand Principal to 2nd Provincial Grand Principal. Our new 3rd Provincial Grand Principal will be E Comp Mark Constant.

Following the announcement that E Comp Trevor Boswell will become Deputy Provincial Grand Master, his place as the Holy Royal Arch’s Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies will be taken by E Comp John Payne. Our sincere congratulations to them all and we know that they can count on your support.

Our Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams, commented: 

The Annual Convocation in June will be a sad occasion in many ways - why break up a winning team you may ask and it will be an awful loss to me personally to see David Jackson stand down. He has been with me from the very outset and has been an absolute rock throughout. He has been my Deputy for almost 8 years but we are charged with the responsibility of ensuring a future succession line and this has to be seen as one of the early steps in that direction. Rest assured, David will still be involved in the Royal Arch in some form of executive role – his experience is too great to lose. I congratulate those who will be moving up the line and welcome to the team, E Comp Mark Constant as 3rd Provincial Grand Principal - he will prove a great addition.