Annual Investiture 2014 – Peterborough
This year’s meeting took place on 10th May, after the decision made at last year’s AGM to move the annual investiture to the second Saturday in May.
There was just one postulant this year – Dame Penny Bell-Wright, but we were delighted to also welcome two junior members – Melanie and Ross McLellan. For many of the members present this was our first experience of the Ritual for junior members, and it was a unique and interesting experience.
The Grand Master then had great pleasure in promoting Dame Margaret Gunnell to the rank of Dame Grand Cross in acknowledgement of her continuing hard work as Custodian of Insignia.
Finally, the Consecration of the new Conclave of St Thomas Becket – Martyr took place, and the Grand Master presented the Conclave’s new Commander – Chevalier Norman Offield – with the Patent.
Following the service, the usual convivial meal took place, and after an enlightning talk by Jessica Hiscocks, the new Regional Fundraiser, the Grand Master took great delight in presenting a cheque for £350 to Whizz-Kidz.
The Grand Council meeting took place after lunch, and items discussed were as follows:
• Some difficulties had been experienced over the past year and the Grand Master has appointed David Starritt as Grand Treasurer. The GM reported that we currently had £1256 in current account and £1000 on deposit.
• Charitable donations – no new beneficiaries were put forward, but we have today given £350 to Whizz-Kidz.
• The Custodian of Insignia reported that Light and Boston have gone into liquidation and their assets purchased by Toye Kenning Spencer. There is currently an ongoing discussion with them to try and get the dyes back. The meeting also confirmed that Juniors will now officially have the Miniature medal as their jewel.
• There was only one promotion today, and Commanders and Vice Chancellors are encouraged to put names forward from their Conclaves for promotions and awards in the future.
• The GM confirmed that he has put the St William of Rochester Conclave into suspense for another year, and no meetings are to take place without his express permission. The Conclave will be made defunct in one year’s time if no meetings are held. The GM also expressed his delight at the recent Consecration of the Lion Rampant Conclave in Scotland and hoped it would go from strength to strength.
• The GM thanked David Haywood for the new website, and Margaret Gunnell for the re-written Consecration Ritual. The main Ritual service still contains some minor errors and DH offered to reproduce this. Any suggested amendments should be sent to DH by the end of July.
• The Grand Council instructed the new Grand Treasurer that a revised membership list be produced in conjunction with the Grand Registrar to ensure that only those paid to date should remain on the list.
• It was agreed that all Grand Officers must try to attend the annual Investiture, and if they did not attend for two consecutive years they would lose their post.