White Rose - Masonic Province of Yorkshire, West Riding

SADNESS AFTER TWO KNIGHTS
REWARDED WITH CERTIFICATES
LONG SERVICE
ACHIEVEMENT
Maxwell J Armitage received a 40-year
certifi cate from the Provincial Prior, R E Kt
Paul Grafton, at a meeting of the Fearnley
Preceptory No 39, Dewsbury.
He had been Eminent Preceptor in 1990
and went on to receive Provincial Rank as Past
Registrar. Maxwell also holds Provincial Rank
in Craft and the Holy Royal Arch as a member
of the Three Grand Principles No 208.
Maxwell and R E Knight Grafton enjoyed a
discussion as to how the Order has changed
over 40 years and also the “characters” which
he had met as a Knight Templar.
John (Jack) Binks MBE, who sadly
died in March this year, was earlier in
the month presented with a 50-year
certifi cate to mark his devotion to the
Integrity Preceptory No 205 of Knights
Templar, during which time he attained
Great Priory Rank of PGtA-deC.
Over 60 Knights were at Thornfi eld
House, Morley when the Provincial
Sub Prior, E Kt Hearl Lenton,
presented Jack with his certifi cate
and revealed that this was the fi rst
such 50-year award.
CASTLE GROVE HOSTS SPECIAL EVENT
A very special, if not unique, event in Yorkshire
freemasonry, occurred in February when a body of a
foreign jurisdiction of Freemasonry was allowed to hold
a meeting hosted by an English Order.
In February, at the invitation of the Prior, Rt. E. Kt. Paul
C. Grafton, the Province of West Yorkshire was visited
by the Preceptory of St. Front le Vaillant No. 15 of the
Province of Guyenne, of the Great Priory of France.
This Preceptory was consecrated on the 30th of
October 2004 and is in the fortunate position of being
able to hold one of its meetings each year in England.
The meeting selected is the most important, the
installation meeting. This is because the consecration
of the preceptory was very much an English affair with
considerable support from English founders and the
English Province of Worcester. The founders wanted to
ensure that the preceptory always kept its English roots
alive, therefore, the principle is enshrined in its bylaws.
Knights and their Ladies from all over England and
France began to converge on Leeds on Friday and an
informal supper, hosted by Knights of Fidelity Preceptory,
was arranged on their behalf at Castle Grove MH.
David Child was Installed a Knight
Templar in St Laurence Preceptory
No 298 by his father in 1970 and
on his 40th anniversary he was
promoted to Past First Constable
by the Provincial Sub Prior, VE Kt W
G B McGolpin.
Subsequently, in February this
year, E Kt Lenton was pleased to
present a 40-year certifi cate to
David which added to the 50-year
Craft certifi cate he had received in
the Craft as a member of Lodge of
Friendship No 750.
On the following day, the installation meeting took
place. The “Gothic” setting of the large temple provided
a perfect setting for the glittering spectacle of the regalia
and banners of the 140+ Knights, amongst whom were
the Past Grand Master of the Great Priory of Spain, the
Most Eminent and Supreme Kt William G B McGolpin.
The ceremony, which was conducted entirely in French,
commenced with the installation by the Preceptor, Em
Ch Eric Chanteau, of his successor, Em Ch Yves Sere,
for the ensuing year. The ceremony was followed by
a magnifi cent seven course banquet, comprising the
best of French cuisine, a high proportion of the food and
all the wine being imported by the preceptory.
30 White Rose Masonic News Spring 2013