Page 24 - EssexMason (Issue 89)online_version

Holy Royal Arch

Provincial Grand Chapter of Essex

any of you will have been looking forward to Thursday 17th September 2020 which would
Mhave been the scheduled date of the annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter at
Freemasons’ Hall. However, in view of ongoing social distancing measures and the restriction of
numbers at meetings, it has sadly not been possible to hold the Annual Investiture.
The past several months have been extremely challenging for us all due to Coronavirus but recent events
within the Province have of course been overshadowed by the sad loss of our Most Excellent Grand
Superintendent Rodney Lister Bass, OBE following a brave and determined battle against cancer. His
passing has been devastating for his family, friends and the Province of Essex. He was held in extremely
high regard in Freemasonry in general and within the community that he served for a large part of his life.
E.Comp. Rodney was an extremely popular Most Excellent Grand Superintendent who contributed much
to the development of the Holy Royal Arch in Essex and he will be deeply and sorely missed. Under his
leadership, he consistently and enthusiastically highlighted the indissoluble link between the Craft and
the Royal Arch and was responsible for driving significant progress toward achieving the target of 45% of Craft Masons in Essex being
subscribing members of the Royal Arch by 2021.
He had a great love of the Royal Arch and was proud to have been MEZ of the two flagship Chapters in Essex namely Essex First
Principals Chapter No 3256 during 2018/19 and Essex Provincial Grand Stewards’ Chapter No 8665 during 2019/20.
Whilst we continue to lament the passing of our Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, we also mourn all other Companions who have
lost their lives during the past year including those who have so cruelly been struck down by Coronavirus. Although we will not have
had the opportunity to remember them at the Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter, many of you will have participated
in the nine o’clock toast to ‘Absent Companions and Departed Merit’ which was conducted via Zoom meetings across the Province
on the date of the funeral of our Most Excellent Grand Superintendent on Wednesday 29th July. Due to the current restrictions,
attendance at the funeral was restricted to family members and close friends but it is anticipated that a Remembrance service will be
held within the Province later in the year at which Brethren and Companions will be able to show their respect in traditional Masonic
fashion.

Looking back over the past 12 months
Despite the unprecedented events and difficulties encountered during the second half of the year,
there have been many highlights of note. The year started in the presence of the M.E. Pro First Grand
Principal, Peter Geoffrey Lowndes at the Annual Convocation in September 2019 and our late MEGS
was proud and honoured to welcome him on what was the first occasion that the Pro First Grand
Principal had ever attended a regular Essex Provincial Convocation.
The Annual Convocation also saw the retirement of E.Comp. Cliff Thoms after having served the
Province with distinction both in the Craft and Royal Arch over a period of many years to be succeeded
by the appointment of myself as Deputy Grand Superintendent. E.Comp’s. Phil Campbell and Elliott
Chevin were also appointed as Second and Third Provincial Grand Principals respectively. We also
welcomed E.Comp’s. David Wilson and Martin Cook to the Royal Arch Executive as Assistants to
the Provincial Grand Principals as well as E.Comp. Joe Shearer as Provincial Grand Director of
Ceremonies.

At that convocation, the Grand Superintendent stressed the importance of enjoying our Freemasonry and of learning our ritual so as
to deliver a special ceremony to all those in attendance, but most importantly, for the benefit of the candidate.
Whilst the suspension of Masonic activity in March resulted in so many meetings and events not taking place, the members of
the Royal Arch Executive were nonetheless able to attend numerous Convocations of Chapters across the Province prior to the
suspension. This included Combined Convocations held at Chingford at Upminster as well as conducting a Banner Dedication for
Abbeygate Chapter No. 4219 at Colchester.
In November 2019, I and other members of the Royal Arch Executive attended the Chapter
of True Friendship No. 160 at Rochford where some ninety Companions were in attendance
to witness a demonstration by the Metropolitan Grand Stewards Demonstration Team of the
Royal Arch Tracing Boards. The inaugural performance of the newly researched Royal Arch
Tracing Boards had been hosted by Clapton Chapter No 1365 where the MEZ had been
none other than our own MEGS and the demonstration at Rochford was the first to be given
outside of the Metropolitan Grand Chapter District. The Essex Provincial Grand Stewards
Chapter No 8665 look forward to hosting the Metropolitan Grand Stewards for a further demonstration at a future convocation.
The Royal Arch Executive extend their congratulations to St John’s Chapter No 1343 who celebrated their Centenary at the Crossed Keys
Masonic Centre, Undine Chapter No 3394 who celebrated their Centenary at Loughton and the Chapter of Friendship No. 5587 who
celebrated their 75th Anniversary at Upminster. We look forward to rescheduling visits to those Chapters whose anniversary celebrations
were prevented by the suspension, including Thames Estuary Chapter No 4043 whose 75th Anniversary would have celebrated at Southend,
United Chapter No 697 who would have celebrated their Centenary as well as a Banner Dedication at Colchester and Ixion Chapter No. 2501
who would have celebrated their 125th anniversary at Harlow. The members of the Royal Arch Executive would also like to congratulate the
many Companions who have achieved 50 or 60 years in the Royal Arch and look forward to presenting certificates to those whose celebrations
have similarly been curtailed by the suspension.
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