February 2023 – The photograph shows the Inspector General (far left) and the District Recorder (far right), together with Ill∴Bro Bill Thomas 31º (third from the right) celebrating with those Princes of the District who received higher degrees on Monday, 13 February 2023 …….
…..Ill∴Bros Harry Hunter (second right) and Matt Arnold (third left) both received their 31º and Ill∴Bro Peter Stinson (second left).received his 30º in excellent ceremonies conducted by the Supreme Council 33º at the Grand East. This was followed by dinner at Mark Masons Hall.
Harry is a member of Via Phari Chapter 1060 and Matt is a member of the Robert De Turnham Chapter 917. Both Princes are also active members of the Buckinghamshire Higher Degrees Chapter. Peter is also a member of Via Phari Chapter 1060 and we wish them all our heartiest congratulations on their preferment.
March 2023 – Robert De Turnham Chapter continues its run of candidates with the latest and newest member of the Chapter, E&P Bro Rod Shepherd.........
…..here seen with his proposer and MWS E&P Bro John Marriot. John has followed Rod through his masonic career - his initiation, his installation, his exaltation and now his perfection.
An excellent ceremony was performed by the Chapter members and we wish Rod great success and enjoyment in the wonderful order.
April 2023 – Robert De Turnham Chapters' newest honorary member.........
…..at its March meeting, members of Robert de Turnham proposed, balloted and agreed to E&P Bro Mick Abrahams becoming an honorary member. Mick is now looked after in a local home in Bletchley.
Members of the chapter led by its Almoner Ill Bro John Petrie, visited Mick to present him with his certificate on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Ill Bro Mike Clanfield confirmed that cake was enjoyed by all!
April 2023 – There was a large gathering at the Grand East to witness and celebrate when three of our members, Ill∴Bros John Marriott (second left), Gordon Robertson (centre rear) and Gary Brodie (second right) received their 30º on 25 April 2023…….
...The ceremony was conducted by the Supreme Council 33º and was followed by an excellent dinner at Mark Masons Hall. The photograph shows them celebrating with the Inspector General (centre front), the Past Inspector General (third left), John Petrie (far right), and the District Recorder (far left)
John is a member of Robert de Turnham Chapter 917 and Gary is a member of Merlaue Chapter 1145 and Sunnymeads Chapter 1158. Gordon is a member of Windsor Castle Chapter 252 in Berkshire and also a member of Sunnymeads Chapter 1158. We wish them all our heartiest congratulations on their preferment.
May 2023 – Robert De Turnham Chapter No:917 at Bletchley welcomed E&P Bro Wayne Bentley to the Order.....
...on Friday 19 May 2023 in an excellent ceremony which was conducted by the MWS, Ill.Bro. John Marriott and Ill.Bro. Aleks Muncan. They were ably assisted by the Officers of the Chapter and then all dined together at the Festive Board.
The photo shows E&P Bro Wayne (third right), the Inspector General, V.Ill Bro Peter Harborne 33° (third left), Ill.Bro. John Marriott 30° (second right), the Past Inspector General, V.Ill Bro. David Sawyer 33° (far right), Ill Bro Aleks Muncan 30° (far left) and Wayne’s proposer E&P Bro. Mike Perkins 18° (second left).
Wayne is the current Master of St Giles Lodge No. 8555 and a member of Dagmar Lodge No. 2262. We all wish him many happy and successful years in this wonderful Order.
June 2023 – There was a large gathering at the Aylesbury Masonic Centre to celebrate the Centenary meeting of Hope Chapter No. 240. The meeting was attended by a number of members and guests including the Grand Chamberlain, M.Ill.Bro. James Thom KC 33º and his escort, Ill.Bro. Kyle Alexander 31° Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, the Inspector General, V.Ill. Bro. Peter Harborne 33º, the Past Inspector General, V.Ill. Bro. David Sawyer 33º and the District Recorder, Ill.Bro. Peter Moody 32º Elect.
...the minutes of the Consecration meeting held on 30 April 1923 were read and an extremely interesting history of the Chapter was delivered by Ill.Bro. Richard Skym 30º. The Centenary Warrant was then presented by the Grand Chamberlain to the MWS, Ill.Bro. Tim Shepherd 30º who responded with thanks.
After the meeting, the Princes retired to an excellent Festive Board and a most pleasant occasion was enjoyed by all. We send all the members of the Chapter our heartiest congratulations and we send them our best wishes for the future.
Nov 2023 – Congratulations to both the Installing Sovereign, Ill. Bro. John Marriott (second left) and to his successor E&P Bro. Stephen Tunney (second right) on a superb Enthronement meeting at Robert De Turnham Chapter No. 917 on Friday, 10 November 2023 in Bletchley.....
...an excellent ceremony was witnessed by the Inspector General, V. Ill. Bro. Peter Harborne (far left) and the Past Inspector General, V. Ill. Bro. David Sawyer (far right) and a multitude of members and guests which included our District Recorder, Ill. Bro. Peter Moody and the District Recorder for Oxfordshire, Ill. Bro. Graham Anker.
We send our congratulations to the MWS and his team and our best wishes for a happy and successful year ahead.
Nov 2023 – The photograph shows our Inspector General, V. Ill. Bro. Peter Harborne congratulating our District Recorder, Ill. Bro. Peter Moody on the occasion of him receiving the 32nd Degree......
...Peter has been our District Recorder for over five years (since the summer of 2018) and is a member of Merlaue Chapter No. 1145 and Buckinghamshire Chapter No. 1176.
The ceremony was conducted by the Supreme Council 33º in a superb manner at the Grand East on 13 November 2023 and was followed by an excellent dinner at Mark Masons Hall. We all wish him our heartiest congratulations on his preferment.
Christmas 2023 – Christmas Message from The Inspector General...........
Another year nearly over then and the usual pause in masonic meetings during what is referred to by many commentators as “the festive season”. To us, the celebration of our Saviour’s birth is much more meaningful than just another holiday break but in the light of the recent directive from Supreme Council, my Christmas missive this year will obviously now be the last in which I, as the Inspector General, can refer officially to Jesus as our Great Redeemer. Many of the other more meaningful phrases in our ritual are apparently to be altered and we await the publication of the new ritual.
I realise that many of our members will be disappointed to lose some of what has previously been a very satisfying correlation between the Rose Croix ceremony and our personal religious avocations. However, even though that close association is to be diluted somewhat, the central story will be unchanged and in 40+ years as a freemason, I have yet to find a better and more sustaining degree. We should now look forward to sharing the fundamental Christian virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity with future new members and let us hope that they will enjoy our meetings as much as we do and appreciate the tolerance and love for one another which our ceremonies will continue to encourage.
Despite the disappointing announcement from Supreme Council last month, 2023 has been a year of consolidation in Buckinghamshire. The chapters’ annual reports to Headquarters in July showed that we had lost a number of members in the previous 12 months but since then many of our chapters have welcomed new members and even those few meetings without candidates have been most enjoyable both for District Recorder Peter Moody and for me.
Sally joins me in sending our very best wishes to you all for your various Christmas celebrations and let us hope that our activities throughout 2024 will be as agreeable and successful as we would all wish.
Happy Christmas
Peter and Sally Harborne
