On Monday 17th April 2023 one hundred and sixty brethren enjoyed the wonderful spectacle of a double initiation ceremony of Mr Godfred Asante and Mr Daniel Blight at St Johns Lodge, in Northampton. St Johns is the province’s designated University lodge and part of UGLE’s University lodges scheme and this was its first initiation of University students.
The lodge was privileged to welcome an array of dignitaries led by Sir David Hugh Wootton, Deputy Grand Master who heads up the University lodge scheme. He was accompanied by our own Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Mark Constant, and two past Provincial Grand Masters, RW Bro Max Bayes, and RW Bro Barrie Hall. Also in attendance were several other Right Worshipful brethren including the PGMs of Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Our province was well represented by the Provincial Executive, together with many Grand and active Provincial Officers.
The meeting was conducted in fine style by the WM David Cooper who obligated the candidates and WBro Reuben Freeman the Junior Warden who took the chair to entrust the candidates, with the Junior and Senior Deacons, Bros J Schultes and M Antoniou taking care of the candidates in exemplary style conducting them confidently around the lodge. Finally, Bro Antony Henderson then presented the Working Tools in an excellent manner.
The North East corner section was delivered in excellent style by WBro N Parsons. The charge after initiation was delivered with aplomb by Senior Warden Bro M Hawes and brethren enjoyed a dramatic presentation of the first-degree Tracing Board from WBro C Stanton.
Bro Schultes then enjoyed the rare opportunity of receiving his Grand Lodge certificate from the Deputy Grand Master making it a particularly memorable occasion for him. The Deputy Grand Master congratulated all those who took part in the ceremony and praised the quality of the ritual.
The Festive Board was a convivial occasion with good food and good company. The PGM presented the Deputy Grand Master with some gifts of a rather special gin as a thank you for making the time to join the brethren on this historic occasion. He too congratulated the lodge members on the superb ceremony and in showing the rest of the Province how to carry out a multiple ceremony. He hoped to see more such ceremonies in the future.
It was remarked in the Toast to the visitors how St Johns was thriving since it was designated part of the University lodges scheme after having struggled a few years ago with a declining membership. and how wonderful to see so many people attending and enjoying the Festive Board.
It was an historic occasion and the hard work of the lodge members made it a very happy and memorable occasion for all those present.