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Worthy Knights, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here today and to thank you for finding the time to be present and support me. I know that many of you have travelled considerable distances taking your chance on the weekend roads & railways.
I thank all my Divisional officers of the past year for their contribution to this Division and their efforts to support me on my official visits. I particularly wish to mention Ill.Kt. Peter Hill, who has most competently carried out the duties of Deputy Divisional Marshal for the past seven years, and Ill.Kt. Roger Bathurst, for taking the office of Sub-Prelate for the past six years – thank you Peter & Roger.
I congratulate those W.Kts whom I have invested as Divisional Officers today and hope that they will enjoy their respective offices. They have been chosen for the work they have already carried out as well as for that they will be expected to do in future.
My Divisional Sepulchre Guard has continued to give me excellent support during the past year, presenting themselves in considerable numbers on my official visits, at the Appendant Orders ceremonies and, of course, this meeting. I thank those members of the guard who have had to retire due to promotion in their Conclaves. On behalf of the Division I have to thank Terry Deakin for his 13 years of work as Captain of the Divisional Sepulchre Guard. The new Captain of the Guard, Keith Florence, will I know make a very worthy successor even though he is an APGM in London Mark with the work that entails.
My Divisional Marshal, Wes Hollands, has looked after me very carefully on all official visits to the Conclaves of the Division, and has ensured that the annual meeting runs properly & smoothly. I thank him for his tireless support together with his efforts to keep me in line. I have already thanked Peter Hill, for his work as his Deputy.
The new Sovereigns’ Conclave, Peter Lonnon, is now in its second year and I would like to see some of the new Conclave Sovereigns joining as I’m sure that they will find the meetings interesting. It meets in April & November in late morning in this building. If anyone wants further details please contact, Jerry Gangadeen, the Conclave Recorder.
All the Conclaves of the Division have received an official visit from either myself or my Deputy, and normally both of us attend the Appendant Orders meetings worked by La Vallette Conclave in January and by Grand Sepulchre Guard Conclave in September. Both of these meetings were worked to a high standard when many worthy knights received their Appendant Orders, and I congratulate all those officers who took part in the ceremonial.
I was warmly received at all the Conclaves that I have attended and generally found a happy atmosphere prevailing. This was confirmed by my Deputy. The standard of ritual on the whole is good with the majority of Conclave officers thoroughly preparing for their work and not relying on a surreptitious reading of the ritual.
Both my Deputy and I have been extremely well received when visiting other Divisions and we have always enjoyed a friendly reception coupled with splendid hospitality in the Christian fellowship of this Order.
The most memorable & unique event of the past year was for me at the February meeting of Dalison Conclave when 4 candidates: the PPGM of London Mark, Ray Smith and three of the current APGMs of London Mark, Bill Divall, Percy Larner & Vincent Driver were installed into this Order and at the same meeting another APGM Terry Bany, became of joining member. All were proposed by Ill.Bro. David Ashbolt, the current PGM of London Mark, who unfortunately could not be present as he had been suddenly taken into hospital. This not only forges strong ties with London Mark but with a number of other Orders as Percy Larner is the head of the OSM & Scarlet Cord in London and Vincent Driver is shortly to take over as the head of London Royal & Select Masters.
Due to the growing use of email for communication I urge you all to ensure the your Conclave Recorder has your current email address as I know many of us change email addresses and forget to pass on the information.
Grand Imperial Conclave will this year be held at Birmingham on Tuesday 3rd July when no less than 23 Knights Companion of this Division will receive an appointment or promotion, not all through this Division, I hasten to add.
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Re-Appointments
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189
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John
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Brackley
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GRec
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189/506
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Lloyd
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Lloyd
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DepGReg
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235
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Angus
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Hannagan
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AsstGRec
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151
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Jon
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Roberts
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AsstGRec
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Active Ranks
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379
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Laurie
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Young
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GHChanc
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TI / 506
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Robin John
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Cooke *
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GChamb
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3/506
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Peter Ernst
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Ribi
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GOrator
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379
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Eric
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Hampson
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AsstGMars
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TI /379
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Huw Leslie
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Shooter *
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GHerald
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Promotions
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189/506
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Ronald Walter
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Shaw *
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PGHChanc
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122/506
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John Richard
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Keys *
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PGHAlm
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235/506
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Martin Jeffrey
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Sale
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PGHAlm
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235/506
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Roger Barry
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Bathurst
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PGChamb
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235
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Peter Christopher
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Brockbank
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PGChamb
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122
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Allotey
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Brown
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PGChamb
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First Appointments
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TI
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Martin Bradford
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Budds
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PGPref
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386
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Andrew Robert Arthur
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Duncan *
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PGPref
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483
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Edwin Bryant
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Goodwin
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PGPref
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235/506
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Robert
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Helliar
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PGPref
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2/483/506
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Dudley John
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Tucker *
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PGPref
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3/503
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Colin Robert
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Woodcock *
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PGPref
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122
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Trevor Clive
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Gray *
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PGWofR
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151
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John
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Seekings *
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PGVChamb
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I heartily congratulate all these W.Kts Companion on their achievements
I had been expecting to make a formal goodbye to you all this year as my Patent expires in May, however, the M.Ill.G. Sov. has seen fit to grant me an extension for a year or so, therefore you haven’t seen the last of me yet.
It has become my custom that on three of my official visits I have been accompanied by the Divisional Sword & Standard, and other Divisional Officers plus the Captain of the Divisional Sepulchre Guard with members of the guard. These visits have been well received and Divisional officers of the year have been pleased for the opportunity to accompany me on visits. In the coming year I will make these visits to Lily of the Valley on 22 May, Saye & Sele on 15 June and to Plantagenet on 10 October, each Conclave should already have been notified. Any Divisional Officer of the year who like to join one of these delegations please speak to the Divisional Marshal.
The Metropolitan Division website continues to be administered by John Burnapp, who endeavours to keep it up to date so if anyone has a suggestion for additional information to be included please contact myself or the Divisional Recorder.
The website is on www. metropolitan-rcc.org.uk
Finally, I wish to thank all the Kts Companion of this Division for their effort and dedication in promoting and expanding this beautiful Order, and in particular for their good wishes and encouragement to me as their Intendant-General.
God bless you all.
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