The 2016 Annual Meeting of the Provincial Priory of Surrey

In July the Provincial Priory of Surrey Annual Meeting was held under the Banner of Stephen Langton Preceptory No 478.


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Following processions of the Provincial Prelate accompanied by the Processional Cross and the Provincial Almoner, a deputation from the Order of the Knights of Malta, and distinguished guests from other Provinces, the Right Eminent Provincial Prior, attended by the Provincial Sub-Prior and Provincial Officers of the year, entered in procession into Provincial Priory. After a brief welcome to all those present, the banners of the Preceptories were paraded into the Temple.

The Provincial Prior, R.E.Kt. Patrick Peter Crossan opened a Chapter of the Provincial Priory of Surrey at 11.00am. He was then proclaimed by the Provincial 1st Herald, E.Kt. Brian Berry and saluted by all those present.

The Provincial Registrar, E.Kt. Hugh Saville, read out the names of those Brother Knights who had passed to the Holy City during the preceding year. The Provincial Prelate, V.E.Kt. Rev. David Allonby, OBE, conducted a requiem with all present standing in silent tribute to the memory of departed friends. The Provincial Prior warmly welcomed two Past Priors of the Province of Surrey, R.E.Kt Bryan Page, KCT and R.E.Kt. Michael Banbury and many distinguished guests from up and down the country including Derbyshire, Durham, Lancashire, Hertfordshire, London, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Essex, Sussex, Leicester and Rutland, Middlesex, Kent, Oxfordshire, Bucks and Berkshire, and Nottingham, together with representatives of many of the other Masonic Orders in Surrey.

The Roll of Officers of Provincial Priory was called by the Provincial Vice-Chancellor and the Provincial Registrar called the roll of the Preceptories of the Province.

The Provincial Vice-Chancellor presented the Minutes of last year’s annual meeting and also his own detailed report of the Province during the preceding year. Both were accepted and approved and the E.Kt. Peter was thanked for all his efforts during the year.

The accounts for the year to 31st August 2015 were presented and approved. Elections then took place for Knights Alistair McKenzie and Jim Smith to serve on the Provincial Committee, and E.Kts. Peter Vosser and Neil Bonter to be account auditors. Finally, to end the business part of the meeting, the Provincial Vice-Chancellor proposed a number of donations to charity including the Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, the Craft 2019 Festival in support of the RMBI and the Mark 2022 Festival in support of the Mark Benevolent Fund.

E.Kt. Derek Barr, Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Craft Province of Surrey, and E.Kt. Chris Eley, Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Province of Surrey, were presented with the cheques by the Provincial Prior and thanked all the Knights of the Provincial Priory of Surrey for their kind donation.

The Provincial Prior announced that he had great pleasure in reappointing V.E.Kt. Chris Cradock as his Provincial Sub-Prior for the coming year. He thanked V.E.Kt. Chris for all his hard work and support during the past year and looked forward to working with him in the coming year. The Provincial Sub-Prior was then proclaimed by the Provincial 2nd Herald, E.Kt. Leslie Grout, and saluted by the Knights of the Province.

The Provincial Vice-Chancellor then called out the names of those Knights who the Provincial Prior had appointed to hold Provincial Office in the coming year. Each Knight was conducted to the Provincial Prior who invested him with the authority of that Office. A full list of all those appointed can been seen elsewhere on this web site under the heading of ‘Provincial Officers of the Year’.

The Provincial Prior thanked the outgoing Deputy Commander of his Bodyguard, E.Kt Mike Ellis, and re-appointed E.Kts. Peter Vosser and Neil Bonter to those Offices. Under the direction of the outgoing Commander and Deputy Commander, the Bodyguard formed up for inspection by the Provincial Prior who thanked all members for their unstinting service during the past year.

The Provincial Prior then addressed Provincial Priory (Click Here to read). This was followed by thanks to the Knights of Stephen Langton for all their hard work as Banner Preceptory for this year’s meeting and gladly accepted the offer of Whyte Stone Preceptory to perform the same task next year.

After the regular business of the Priory had been completed the Right Eminent Provincial Prior closed the Chapter of Provincial Priory and two verses of the National Anthem were sung.

The Right Eminent Provincial Prior, accompanied by the Provincial Sub-Prior, the Right Eminent Past Provincial Priors, Right Eminent Knights, Very Eminent Knights and other Distinguished Guests of the Province retired in procession under the direction of the Provincial Marshal.

After the meeting the Knights of the Province of Surrey and their guests sat down to a splendid luncheon in the Croydon Masonic Hall.

Article by Chris Eley and photographs by Bob Tuthill and Chris Eley




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