Illumination across the board at Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter

At the meeting of the Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter on July 26, those lucky enough to be attendance, along with most of the Provincial Executive

by members of the Metropolitan Grand Stewards Demonstration team. 

The lecture, in four parts, was informative and interesting, covering the origin of the use of the tracing boards and of course the symbolic meaning of the all-too recognisable images on the superb banners depicting them.

The demonstration was only the second the Metropolitan Stewards had performed in Essex, following an evening at True Friendship Chapter 160. It had originally been presented at Clapton Chapter in 2019, where the late Prov Grand Superintendent Rodney Bass was MEZ.

The demonstration team later presented the Chapter with the script of the lecture along with the two tracing board banners, so the Essex Provincial Grand Stewards Demonstration Team,  headed by Martin Cook APGP and run by Andy Fusher, could carry out the demo at other Chapters in the county.

A donation of £250 presented to the Metropolitan team will be handed on to the RMBI, in memory of John Morris, whose tracing board designs were used.

During the meeting, the current Principals, E Comps Colin J Innes, David J Spring  and John R Crudgington, First, Second and Third respectively, were proclaimed for 2021-22, and E Comps David E Atterbury, John A Hoeffler and Christopher Hicks were declared as First, Second and Third Principals respectively for the ensuing year of 2022‐23.

Nine joining members were welcomed to the Chapter.

Charity Steward, Ex Comp John Mansfield gave notice of motion of a donation of a further £1,000 to the Festival 2022, bringing the Chapter’s total contribution to £25,000.

After the meeting more than 50 companions dined in harmony in the refurbished masonic hall at Braintree.