Message From The Grand Superintendent
2011 - 2012 Berkshire Masonic Year Book
| At the RMBI Festival Ball held at Ascot Racecourse in June, it was announced that Berkshire Provincial Grand Lodge raised the grand total of £2,276,000.50p and the contribution from the Royal Arch, consisting of thirty eight Chapters with a membership of just over one thousand Companions, was £118,962.94p. |
| Bearing in mind that the majority of Royal Arch members will have contributed through their Craft Lodges, this is a magnificent achievement, of which we should all be justly proud. I take this opportunity to thank Companions for their support. |
| The Bicentenary of the Royal Arch takes place in 2013 and marks the official recognition of the Royal Arch as "the completion of pure and Antient Freemasonry", at the union of the two great English Grand Lodges in 1813, which also created the United Grand Lodge of England. We therefore celebrate our official birthday, or to put it another way, the full emergence of the Royal Arch as we know it, two hundred years ago. |
| At Supreme Grand Chapter in November 2010 the Acting First Grand Principal, E Comp George Francis, informed Companions that in order to provide a permanent reminder of our celebrations, a Research Fund will be created for the benefit of the Royal College of Surgeons, which is a registered charity and receives no direct funding from the NHS; it relies heavily on voluntary contributions. |
| At Provincial Grand Chapter in June, I announced that I wished the Province to support this worthy cause until October 2013, when a special convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter will be held. I have not set any target because I realise that we are in the grip of a recession and everyone's finances are stretched; but I feel sure that, as always, Companions will do their best and in two years' time I am confident that we will send a substantial cheque to Supreme Grand Chapter. |
| By the time you read this message, a new Provincial Grand Master will have been installed. I congratulate Right Worshipful Brother Martin Peters and wish him health and happiness during his tenure of office. I look forward to working with him for the good of both the Craft and the Royal Arch in the Province of Berkshire. |
| Companions, I do hope you derive enjoyment from your Royal Arch Masonry and look forward to visiting your Chapters and seeing you during the course of the year. |
| Kenneth Benford |
