Page 46 - Essex Mason (Issue 91)

Illumination across the board at

Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter

At the meeting of the Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter on July 26,those lucky enough to be in attendance,
along with most of the Provincial Executive, watched and heard a rare explanation of the Royal Arch Tracing
Boards, by members of the Metropolitan Grand Stewards Demonstration team.

The lecture, in four parts, was informative and interesting, covering the origin of the use of the tracing boards and
of course the symbolic meaning of the all-too recognisable images on the superb banners depicting them.
The demonstration was only the second the Metropolitan Stewards had performed in Essex, following an evening
at True Friendship Chapter 160. It had originally been presented at Clapton Chapter in 2019, where the late Prov
Grand Superintendent Rodney Bass was MEZ.

The demonstration team later presented the Chapter with the script of the lecture along with the two tracing board
banners, so the Essex Provincial Grand Stewards Demonstration Team, headed by Martin Cook APGP and run by
Andy Fusher, could carry out the demo at other Chapters in the county.

A donation of £250 presented to the Metropolitan team will be handed on to the RMBI, in memory of John Morris,
whose tracing board designs were used.

During the meeting, the current Principals, E Comps Colin J Innes, David J Spring and John R Crudgington, First,
Second and Third respectively, were proclaimed for 2021-22, and E Comps David E Atterbury, John A Hoeffl er and
Christopher Hicks were declared as First, Second and Third Principals respectively for the ensuing year of 2022-23.

Nine joining members were welcomed to the Chapter.

Charity Steward, Ex Comp John Mansfi eld gave notice of motion of a donation of a further £1,000 to the Festival
2022, bringing the Chapter’s total contribution to £25,000.

After the meeting more than 50 companions dined in harmony in the refurbished Masonic Hall at Braintree.