The Tale of Two Lodges – November 2023 Regular Meeting

The Lodge of Honour and Priory Lodge no 6913 have always had a special relationship. Some of the members of our lodge are also members there and we had regular visitors joining each others meetings.

This relationship was made even more special and meaningful when we received the Somerset Travelling Trowel from them. Brethren from Priory Lodge led by their Worshipful Master presented the travelling trowel to our master at our November meeting. The trowel made its circuit being passed from one lodge to another in the province of Somerset as a way to encourage members to visit each others lodges. The Worshipful Master delivered the trowel into to charge of our master who will then present it to the Royal Sussex lodge No 53 in January next year.

Special Guest

The lodge was also fortunate to receive a prominent member from the Grand Lodge in Ireland, a Provincial Grand Secretary for the Provincial Grand Lodge of Meath. He was welcomed to our lodge meeting and later stayed on for the festive board.

Balloting for a New Member

This is yet another meeting where we balloted for a new member. We will again be balloting for another new member at our December meeting making a total of two new members to join us in the new year. Needless to say the ballot proved in his favour.

The Ceremony of Passing

We also had another ceremony of passing in November, as we just had one in October. This won’t be the last for this year as we will have to squeeze in another in December. Given that we had our live ‘practices’ in October, the passing at our November meeting flowed smoothly and quickly. It is now up to all members involved to break their own record in December as not only will we have a ceremony of passing, we will also have to install a worshipful master, albeit one who has been through the chair twice.

Festive Board

After the ‘compulsory’ photo shoot at the end of our meeting, we adjourned upstairs for the festive board. As usual, the evening was filled with jokes and banters followed by food and drinks amongst brothers. One of our members remarked that this is possibly the best meeting he had been to in ages.

Reserve Whiskey

As our bicentenary celebration is coming up in just over 14 months, one of our Past Masters started an initiative to raise money towards our Bicentenary Warrant. He offered a special bottle of his 12 year old reserve whiskey for an Exclusive Raffle with the aim to raise £200. It proved popular with our members and visitors alike with tickets being snapped up and it raised £135 in just one evening.

Installation Meeting in December

This is possibly and hopefully the last we will see of the Worshipful Master’s signature cheese board. While we enjoyed the savoury course of cheese and crackers accompanied by grapes and celery, after nearly two years of having the same to follow our main course for every meeting, it is time for a change.

That change is coming in December where we install a Past Master to the chair. If you would like to join us for our Installation meeting, this is taking place on Monday 11 December 2023. Do get in touch if you are thinking of visiting us.