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A Trip to Grand Conclave for West Lancashire Brethren |
| Attending the Annual Investiture of the Grand Conclave of the Order of the Secret Monitor is an experience unlike any other and is one that should be embraced by every member of the order when circumstances permit. |
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| On Thursday 14th November a sizeable number of members from the Provincial Grand Conclave of West Lancashire joined their Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler R. Wy Bro. John Charles Bicknell and his Deputy Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler Wy Bro Frank Hatton on the train journey down to London for this special occasion. |
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| On arrival in London the first duty of the day was to embark on a the time-honoured tradition of a “Wetherspoons” breakfast which also served as a meeting point for catching up with brethren from other provinces |
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| Suitably “fed & watered” it was time to enter Grand Conclave where the air was thick with tradition, reverence and an unspoken solemnity as brethren prepared themselves for the investiture ceremony. |
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| For one brother in particular this first visit to Grand Conclave carried a profound significance as Wy Bro Bob Williams of Warrington Conclave No119 was to be invested with the high honour of a serving Grand Steward. |
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| As attendees from far and wide gathered in the Grand Temple the Most Worthy Grand Supreme Ruler opened the conclave and there followed the annual investiture which stands as a hallmark of tradition, as its members gathered to reaffirm their commitments to its enduring principles while welcoming those entrusted with new responsibilities. |
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| The installation of new officers marks a transition of leadership whilst the promotion of brethren ensures that they will continue to guide the Order with discretion, humility and a deep sense of duty. The Provincial Grand Conclave of West Lancashire was honoured that the following brethren had been selected to receive promotions to Grand Rank a worthy reward for their work in the order: |
| Wy Bro David Smith – Past Grand Sword Bearer Wy Bro Peter Whittaker – |
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| As the investiture drew to a close, the sense of a shared purpose was palpable; the grandeur of the afternoon was not merely in the ritual or the honours bestowed it was undoubtably in the Order of the Secret Monitors reputation as being one of the “friendliest of masonic orders”. |
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| This was exemplified fully at the festive board which is more than a concluding element of any meeting; it’s the heart and soul of the fraternal experience as brethren from different provinces and conclaves mingled freely, their conversation flowing from light-hearted banter to meaningful discussions about the values that bind our order together; though sometimes it just revolves around the quality of the festive board! |
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When the West meets the East |
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| Bob Williams Grand Steward Warrington Conclave No119 |
