On Monday June the 3rd, the Intendant – General, R Ill Kt Colin Young, assisted by the Deputy Intendant – General, Ill Kt Ian Thorpe, were invited by the Craft Province of Shropshire to participate in an exhibition of the additional degrees, entitled “ Beyond the Craft” at the Masonic Hall, Shrewsbury. The presentation was opened by the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Peter Taylor, and almost all of the inner Orders of Freemasonry were represented. A great deal of interest was expressed by the visitors in our Order, and the whole event assisted in raising the level of awareness among Shropshire masons about the Christian Orders. Our Intendant – General declared the event very worthwhile.
Consecration of Richard Wallis Conclave No 520 at Rugby
The Consecration of the Richard Wallis Conclave No 520 took place a Rugby on Tuesday January 14th 2014.
The Grand Sovereign Richard Wallis Officiated assisted by the Right Illustrious and Venerable Kt Reverend Charles Peter Blackwell Smyth, Grand Eusabius and in the presence of The Deputy Grand Sovereign R. Ill & Em Kt Peter Hawken GCC, R. Ill Kt Michael Herbert GCC and R. Ill Kt John Manby the East Midlands Intendent-General.
The Installing Officers were R. Ill Kt Colin Verdun Young The West Midlands Intendent-General who installed the Sovereign, V. Ill. Kt Michael Adams and Ill Kt Charles Gwynn the Deputy Intendent-General who installed the Viceroy P. Kt Thomas Gray.
The Conclave will meet at Atherstone in Warwickshire and has a special significance for the Grand Sovereign as his ancestors lived in the area some 500 years ago. Now the Wallis name has again returned to the area.
Some 80 Worthy Knights attended the ceremony with 65 staying to dine.
After the ceremony and before sitting down to dine the Grand Sovereign indulged in Sabre D’Or opening the Champagne, provided by the Conclave Sovereign, with a sword to great acclaim.
The Gala Dinner in aid of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, held at Kings Heath on 30th September was a tremendous success. 92 Knights of the Order, a number of Brethren, plus a sprinkling of non-masons were welcomed with a glass of Buck’s Fizz, then sat down to an excellent meal, at a splendid table laden with mess silver provided by Richard Gale.
During the meal the Intendant-General, R. Ill. Knight Colin Young, in an ebullient mood, took wine with members of the armed services, past and present. Spontaneous singing broke out in true barrack room style, which caused much hilarity and which set the mood for the occasion.
The highlight came when the Guest speaker, Colonel Kevin Beaton OBE, the Officer in Charge of the medical facility rose to speak. He began by remarking how much he had enjoyed sitting next to the Deputy Intendant-General, our very own Colonel Dr Charles Gwynn, who was of course, himself highly experienced in battlefield medicine, and listening to his reminiscences of his adventures where he and Kevin had both looked after the health of the “ladies” in the same brothel in Belize City, at different times during our postings there!
His presentation then turned to the work of the Centre, which had, for some years, been centred at Selly Oak, and which had just transferred to the newly built facility at the Queen Elizabeth hospital which was now the largest intensive care facility in the whole of Europe. He spoke movingly and with considerable eloquence about the tremendous courage shown by the wounded, many of whom had lost two or three limbs and suffered other terrible injuries, and the dedication and resolve of those who ministered to them.
When he had concluded those present rose in acclamation, emotionally to express their admiration for all that he represented.
The Intendant-General proposed a vote of thanks. His well chosen words perfectly captured the mood of the evening. The raffle was then drawn, and a magnificent gallon bottle of whisky was won by the Divisional Junior General, Steven Turner, who, after consulting his conscience, presented it to Colonel Beaton.
Worthy Knight Ian Fothergill then proceeded to auction a very special bottle of Irish whiskey which had been donated by Lodge Glittering Star, which is, of course, a military travelling Lodge and which had expressed the wish to be associated with the event. It raised the incredible sum of £714, which enabled the Intendant-General to present a cheque for £2,500 to Colonel Beaton, to augment the sum of over £5,000 which we had donated previously.
In concluding the evening, the Intendant-General promised the continuing support if the West Midlands Division to this most valuable cause, and the assembled company dispersed, expressing the view that they had found the event both thoroughly enjoyable and humbling.
