Saturday, 30th November 2002 was a cold day, and certainly not the perfect day to hold an admission ceremony in an unheated church, but this did not dampen the spirits of the participants. We had a gathering of 15 members and friends.
The meeting, at the Private Chapel of the Virgin Mary at High Legh, Cheshire, was opened at 3.00pm by the Commander Chevalier Barry Uttley, assisted by the Chaplain, Rt. Rev’d Norman Dutton. In the opening ceremony, Chevalier Rev’d David Hallam performed the duties of both Marshal and Chancellor.
There then followed an admission ceremony in which Dianne Uttley, David Pestell, Alan Blackstone, Julie Woolley, David Haywood, Maurice Mehers, Arnold Baker and Ted Woolley were formally received into the Order.
All the aspirants recited the Vow of Loyalty to the Grand Master and Lord Abbot, M.E. Chevalier Howard Doe, Baron St. Francis, and the Commander welcomed the new members and invested each with a simple wooden cross as worn by the Order of Teutonic Knights of old.
Holy Communion followed the admission ceremony. We are grateful to Mr Brian Tipler, who attended the meeting and played the church organ for us.
The majority of the members then retired to the Kilton Inn, Mere, for a splendid meal in a very friendly atmosphere, further cementing friendships and ending a day which can only be described as enjoyable and successful.