I can now relax!

Today was the Province of Western Counties and North Wales’ Provincial Convocation. This is our annual meeting where we all gather together, see how all the colleges in the Province are doing, what is new, and Invest the Provincial officers for the next year. We also announce the winner of the best paper in the province, and listen to it.

It is a big event in the year, and this year for the first time ever, I was the one organising it all because I am the new Provincial Secretary.

So for the last few weeks i have been dealing with organising the officers, the bookings, the colleges for their reports, the Director of Studies for his report and the winning paper, trying to sort out the provincial jewels, and 101 other things. All for the first time.

To make it all easier, a bunch of VIPs decided they wanted to attend, you know just the Senior Substitute Magus, the junior Substitute Magus (England & Wales), Members of High Council, etc. I can tell you, the whiskey I poured myself when I got home was well earned. 

Overall it was a very enjoyable day, and next year will be even better since I now have an idea of what to do.

Junior Substitute Magus – Suffragan – Chief Adept – Senior Substitute Magus

Provincial Officers for 2026
(Or those that stayed for the photo)

Today was my first Christmas Dinner of the year!

It was an odd occasion since I was the one who picked the meals. But Checking my calendar for December, I noticed this year I would only be having the one Christmas Dinner. Now while I am ok with that, I figured after the last few years of multiple dinners, to the point of keeping track I really should have more than one.

So for Bishop Wilkins meeting, I picked Christmas Dinner. I did add to the summons that if anyone objected we could change it. I am not evil. Ok I am not totally evil!.

The meeting itself went great, we had a ceremony, and then an Installation. And it was a rare installation since the Frater going into the chair had never been in any chair of any order before. So we got to see him mind blown. 

This evening was the meeting of Bishop Wilkins College.

I am the Secretary (and Director of Studies)  of Bishop Wilkins, and due to the Celebrant not being able to make the meeting I also stood in for him.  This did lead to some comedy gold where I (wearing Celebrants hat) would ask me (wearing Secretary’s hat) things such as minutes, etc.

Being in this strange double roll did have one unexpected treat. We had a load of certificates to hand out, so I requested the Chief Adept to present them, and I read out their names so they could go and receive their certificates. After the last one was being taken back to his seat, I sat down and the Chief Adept sat down. I then acted surprised, and stood back up “ooops. Sorry I missed one!” I then looked at the DC and asked could he collect…. And I named the Chief Adept. Who on hearing his own name looked extremely shocked and confused. 

I then had the pleasure of presenting the Chief Adepts Certificate to the Chief Adept at his mother college.

Pictured below is the Chief Adept along with members of the Third Order who were present at the meeting.

We also had an enjoyable rest of the meeting with a Grade IVº ceremony, and the candidate afterwards presented his first paper which was interesting and led to many questions.

I will not mention that the top table got extra pie’s with their meals due to a couple of no shows. So overall it was a great evening.

This evening was the start of the new Masonic Year.

So for the first time in a while, I suited up and headed off to the coast, well sunny Mostyn for the meeting of Clwyd College SRIA.

It was a very enjoyable evening, the new officers did a great job doing both a Grade IIIº, and a Grade IVº. We did have a couple of missing members so I stood in as 4th Ancient. (Yes the mad fools trusted me with fire.)

As usual with the Mostyn Hall, the food was amazing. So overall it was a great start to the new season, Good meeting, Good food, Good Beer, and Great company.

Well!

Not everything was great. Traveling home I fond that not only were the slip-roads onto the A55 closed, but the A55 itself was closed. So while I traveled along old streets to get home, the massive amounts of traffic redirected off the main East-West road that were trying to use backroads did make the whole thing “Interesting”

I was shocked that it only added 20 minutes to my journey, it felt like a lot longer.

Today was the Vault of the Adepts (Second Order) meeting for the Province of Western Counties and North Wales.

We have one Second Order meeting a year, normally in Macclesfield Masonic Hall, but due to several reasons we were unable to hold the event there this year, and so we held it at Cheshire View. Which in my opinion was a much better choice, especially since the weather for the Summer Solstice was Sunny and 1 gazillion degrees centigrade! (or 29ºC in real figures) and at least Cheshire View had air conditioning.

As well as being held in a different location, today was also special because I had NOTHING to do, I got to sit back, watch and enjoy the day.

The first time I attended a Vault of the Adepts meeting was to get my Grade Vº, the following year I got my VIº (And got to watch a Vº which up until today was the only one I ever saw), the following year I got my Grade VIIº and then acted as Conductor for grades VIº & Vº. And every year since then I have been the Provincial Conductor and conducted the ceremonies, until today!

Now some people assumed I was busy as the Provincial Secretary organising the day, and booking things, sorting people out, doing minutes and the other endless paperwork. But NO! In the Province of Western Counties and North Wales, the Second Order meeting is organised and run in full by the Assistant Secretary. So I had absolutely nothing to do.

I really enjoyed being able to sit back and watch, but maybe next year I will volunteer to do one of the volunteer roles for the meeting to feel more useful.

Grade VIº

All in all  it was a great way to kickoff the summer solstice.

Four people down for each grade (although one of the Vº’s could not make it on the day), followed by a lovely festive board, with great food and ever greater company.

There was even a conversation about the Coronatio Quadrans magazine, and the Secretary of Coronation Lodge informed me that I had won this quarters competition.

I have just got back from the 2-day High Council Meeting of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (or SRIA).

Day 1 (Friday):

So I had to wake up at silly-o’clock to head off into England and to sunny Lamington Spa, and the fantastic conference centre Woodland Grange. Arriving early so that I could get the lay of the land, I wandered over the the SRIA registration table, where I discovered my nametag had not been printed, so I therefore got to write my own.

For the weekend I shall be “Lord Fauntleroy De Richleau the Third“, I then collected my welcome bag of mints, pen, notebook, bookmarks, and other goodies and entered looking for coffee. You will see that a big part of this weekend will involve coffee. But I must insist I am not an addict!

There was free coffee, everywhere had free coffee machines, it was HEAVEN!

After catching up with many people, and drinking even more coffee the High Council started at 1pm. We had a Requiem for those who passed, and then reappointed, and appointed those in office, including our own new Chief Adept for the Province of Western Counties and North Wales Dr. Steven Markham.

Out with the old and in with the new.
Our old Chief Adept hands over the baton to the new Chief Adept

We then had the first talk of the weekend, the CCR winning paper on “Allegories of Internal Alchemy in the Fama Frateritas Rosae Crucis” before breaking for coffee.

Everyone then split up either to hear the second talk of the event, or go for the rituals of grades 9 and 8. I was honoured to join the Third Order and go for my grade 8. It was a fantastic ceremony, and it will take me a few days to read the ritual and understand all that was involved.

Coffee break! then Dr A. Fear gave a talk on “Journey into the body: Know yourself” we then broke for a meal at 5:30pm.

Afterwards I booked into my room, grabbed a change of clothes to relax, and off to the final talk of the day which was “a demonstration of Esoteric Music Through the Ages” which involved singers, music, talks.

It was then time to go sit and chat in the bar until the wee hours of Saturday morning….

What a Day 1.

Day 2 (Saturday):

I was up and on my second coffee of the day by 7am. Then when breakfast started serving it was time for a full English, before dropping my bags off in the car, and signing out of my room before the day started at 9am.

Well most people’s day started at a more reasonable 10am, but I attended the Director of Studies meeting at 9am. Where we heard about the new diploma scheme and how to volunteer to be part of setting it all up. It was an interesting meeting and worth skipping that 4th coffee to go to.

It was then time for the 3rd or 4th talk of the weekend (I have lost count) which was “CRC’s Journey“. I say it was a talk, but it was a performance. A video played of the Metatron giving CRC permission to return to earth for a one night only special. And the speaker came in wearing a monks robe and bald cap, and without breaking character (or voice) gave an account of CRC’s journey as if from CRC himself. Best performance of the weekend!

Then it was time for a quick coffee break, before the next talk “Enoch – Who walked with God – The lost patriarch of Englsh Freemasonry” which was another very interesting talk.

We then did the High Council work of appointing officers for the year, hearing and voting on the reports, an address by the Supreme Magus. Then High Council was closed, and we all left for food. lots and lots of food.

After lunch there was a chance to re-hear some of the previous talks if you had missed them, a group of us decided to play pool, then have a cold drink outside in the sun before heading in for the last talk of the weekend. “The Camino de Santiago – A Masonic and Rosicrucian initiation into The Self“

What a weekend!

The Supreme Magus of the SRIA along with the heads of our sister organisations

Today was the Annual General Meeting of the Province of Western Counties and North Wales SRIA. Members from all over our large Province braved Storm Darragh to head to Cheshire View for the meeting.

Unfortunately, the road I live on was blocked in one direction by three large trees across the road,  and the other direction had a tree and live power lines blocking the way. Add to that a massive flood, and I was trapped and unable to attend. I was later trapped, and without power but that is another story.

It was a shame I was not there to support the two colleges I am a member of. It was also a shame to miss my last outing before I stood down as the Provincial Conductor, a role I have held for the last 6 years (I will miss taking the candidates around in the Vault of Adepts). I am sure my replacement will be excited to take over, just as I am excited to take over my new role. I am now the Provincial Secretary, a role I hope I can do to the same standard as the previous two Secretaries.

Last night while out at the Bishop Wilkins College SRIA meeting, during the festive board I had an interesting Deja Vu moment.

Tuesday 17th September 2024

• Rosicrucian Based Order.
• Stood up as Past Celebrant to toast current Celebrant.
• Current Celebrant was in last meeting in the role.
• Current Celebrant Did two years due to circumstances.
• Previously I did 4 years as Celebrant.
• I followed M. Steggles into the chair.

Some say that life is random and just barely contained chaos. But I think this shows that there is some order in the chaos, if you are willing to look for it.

Lockdown still has all Masonic units closed.

Since I am in the chair of Bishop Wilkins College I decided to have a zoom meeting instead of a physical meeting. And I decided we would have a paper given by myself, followed by a discussion.

The paper was “he Fifth Ancient“.

In the SRIA, when you go into the chair it is expected for you to present a paper. This evening it was my time to give my Celebrants paper.

The paper was “Contemplating Negative Existence“.