Brethren,
It is a very great privilege to have been appointed Provincial Grand Master for Hertfordshire and to have been so splendidly installed by the MW Pro Grand Master and I thank you, Sir, together with your excellent team from the United Grand Lodge of England, for your attendance here this afternoon,
Today, two very senior and much valued Provincial Officers have retired. Following terms as Deputy Provincial Grand Registrar and Provincial Senior Grand Warden, George Taylor has been out Provincial Grand Almoner since 2006. He has carried out the duties of that office most diligently and with great professionalism whilst at the same time treating those who have sought his assistance with compassion and respect.
John Simons having served as an Assistant and then Deputy Provincial Grand Chaplain, has been our Grand Chaplain since 2008. His carefully researched and thought provoking orations at Consecrations, Amalgamations and Banner Dedications have always well received and much commented upon.
Both of these Brethren have made significant contributions to our Province and in thanking them for their valued services over many years I wish them well in their retirement.
I offer my congratulations to all those Brethren who have today received promotion in, or appointment to, Provincial Grand Rank. The honour that you have earned is a mark of recognition for your work in freemasonry so far and a portent of what greater contribution is now expected of you and I most particularly address those comments to the newly appointed members of my executive team.
Whilst on the subject of Masonic Honours I have to refer to the matter of Grand Rank. Because of the reduction in total membership of the Province the number of recommendations that I am able to make for Brethren to be considered for Grand Rank is reduced. I have therefore to clearly state that what might previously have been regarded as the semi-automatic practice of recommending Past Active Provincial Grand Officers of senior rank for Grand Office, can no longer be sustained.
Early in 2014 I will be launching our Festival in support of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. Dick Knifton has accepted my invitation to Chair the Festival Committee and Chris Noble will be the principal point of contact with the various Masonic Centres and Lodges in the Province. I am certain, Brethren, that you will be hearing an awful lot from them on a regular basis during the life of the Festival.
I thank John Vazquez and his team for their assistance here today, the Provincial Grand Secretary and his staff, the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and his Deputies together with the Board of Provincial Grand Stewards for so efficiently organising and managing today’s meeting and ensuring that everything has gone, so far as I am aware, pretty much to plan.
And finally, Brethren, I thank each and every one of you for your attendance and support here today. It is really quite overwhelming to see the Grand Temple filled to capacity and to experience the brotherly love and goodwill of so many. Enjoy your Freemasonry, take pride in being part of this Ancient and Honourable Fraternity, and, above all, be especially proud to be members of this wonderful Province of “Happy Hertfordshire”.
May God bless you all.
