PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF
HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT
This declaration still stands at the front of our Book of Constitutions and means there are four parts to a Freemason’s journey. For historical reasons, the first three are governed by UGLE, while the Royal Arch is governed by the Supreme Grand Chapter of England—but in real terms it’s one organisation.
The journey through Pure Antient Masonry and the discoveries each person makes in the Royal Arch are very personal. But you will discover that, even today, these allegories still represent valuable lessons we can all learn from—and enjoy in the process.
Aspire to discover more about Freemasonry, and more about yourself, by continuing your journey from Initiation to Exaltation in the Royal Arch
“I want my team and all of you to enjoy the journey…”
From the following address by Jon Whitaker DL as the new Head at Saturday’s Annual General Meeting of the Provinces’s Royal Arch.
“
Companions, I address you this afternoon at my first Convocation as your Grand Superintendent although I have been attending this Provincial AGM for over many years.
I congratulate all those who have received an appointment, promotion or re-appointment today and I thank you for the work that you have done in your individual Chapters and for those who have worked so hard in the Area and Provincial teams. I also thank those who are supporting this meeting.
Today’s meeting is a celebration of your achievements and a sincere wish that you will continue to support your Chapters in the future.
Companions, if you had told me a year ago that I would be addressing you as Grand Superintendent, I would not have believed you. It has been over 60 years since this Province was ‘double headed’, having the same Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent. We are now one of 37 Provinces out of 47 in the Constitution with the same structure and I am sure more will follow.
At this point, I thank my predecessor, E Comp Stephen Allum, whom I was with last Saturday at the Craft Light Blues Conference at Freemasons Hall, London. I thank him for his stewardship of this Province not only as Grand Superintendent but for many years as a member of the Provincial Executive. He has been and continues to be of assistance to me for which I am most grateful.
My thanks also go to E Comp Jonathan Stainton-Ellis, whom I invested with his Past Deputy’s collarette today and to E Comp David Taylor who retired as 3rd Provincial Principle. Both have served the Province well and I appreciate their support.
To those who have retired from active office today, either as a member of last year’s active Provincial team or a member of the Area teams, I thank you.
To our friends from other Provinces, thank you for making the effort to be with us today especially so soon as having attended the Installation meeting in London in April. Your companionship is important to us all.
My dear colleagues from the Companion Orders are always welcome and our support for one another amongst the Orders has become a hallmark of our Province, after all, we are all in this together.
Companions, I wear with pride the apron of E Comp Roger Jago, one of my predecessors and a distinguished Mason in all senses. I lunched with Roger shortly before he died and we talked about the then ‘newish’ Strategy from UGLE and SGC. He commented to me that he had read the Strategy and understood the Membership challenge for both the Craft and Chapter. He said ‘we have to make this work, the Craft need to bring its members to the Chapter door, and the Chapter has to look after them’.
He is right. We have 84 Chapters with 2500 members. We have 7700 Craft members, yet only one third are members of the RA. So EAs and FCs aside we have 5000 who have not completed their journey in Pure and Ancient Freemasonry, their fourth ceremony and have not therefore received the genuine secrets of a R A Mason. This gives us a great opportunity, and I need your help Companions with that message.
Since the ‘one journey one organisation’ strategy, we have the opportunity at local, area and Provincial level to work more closely together. Share ideas, resources and therefore improve the membership experience. Overall, it has to be enjoyable otherwise there is no point doing it.
Steve Allum and I had started to align some things together: the move to six areas, a joint Craft/Chapter secretariat, joint Almoner and joint Communications Officer plus a combined Grand Officer Mess.
Over the last two months, I have moved to a joint Craft/Chapter monthly executive. Met the new RA Grand Officers, Area Chairs/Vice Chairs, Key Officers and this year’s active Provincial team. This is all part of the planned communication process, so that all are informed and able to support the membership situation. We have a further meeting this month with all the Chapter Visiting Officers and I plan to move to a combined annual Visiting Officer Mess with Craft VO’s.
We will be reviewing the UGLE/SGC toolkit called ‘Building Together’ which replaces the Members Pathway and Archway. We will be introducing the use of ‘short narratives’ to be read at the end of the Craft ceremonies to reinforce the RA in the candidate’s mind. That is There are four ceremonies……
SGC are making life easier with the registration fee already combined and only one sponsor being required for joining the RA.
From September we will have one short bulletin sent each month individually to all members with key Craft/Chapter updates.
We have plenty to do Companions, plenty of opportunities and with your help we will succeed.
My sincere thanks to all of my team who work very hard, on a daily basis. Today’s Annual meeting so closely following the Installation, has added particular pressure to the Provincial Scribe E and his team. E Comp David and all – thank you. Also, to the Prov DC, E Comp Mike and his team – thank you.
To my Provincial Grand Janitor, Dining Stewards, Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter and all the ‘backstage boys’ – thank you.
Companions, I end with the promise I made two months ago, that I will do my very best, work my hardest for this R A Province. I intend to enjoy the journey, I want my team and all of you to enjoy the journey, as challenging as it may be at times.
It is a privilege to serve as your Grand Superintendent. I wish you a continued happy day and may the True and Living God Most High keep you safe in the year ahead.
”
“I would strongly encourage all Master Masons to experience the Royal Arch”
Jonathan Spence
Pro Grand Master & Pro First Grand Principal
The Ceremony of Exaltation sees members follow the clues from the Third Degree to complete their journey in Pure Antient Masonry, in a spectacular and unforgettable ceremony. Through ongoing participation, members will work together with old friends and new Companions to build on the principles of the Craft, and unlock fresh perspectives on the meaning and value of Freemasonry.
The prime qualification for admission into the Royal Arch is to be a Master Mason, of at least four weeks standing, in a Lodge under the United Grand Lodge of England, or a Lodge under a Grand Lodge recognised by it.
Email Membership@hantsandiowroyalarch.com or speak to your Lodge Royal Arch representative.
The Premier Grand Lodge was formed in London in 1717. Prior to that time only two degrees were practised in England – the Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft. Thereafter a third – the Hiramic degree – began to be worked in Lodges to distinguish Master Masons from Fellow Crafts.
However, the third degree is disappointing and anti-climactic in that the genuine secrets are lost, and it was inevitable that a further ceremony would be introduced to rectify this deficiency. While the third degree deals with the building of the first Temple at Jerusalem by King Solomon, it was a logical step that the events surrounding its rebuilding, after the return of the Jews from their exile in Babylon, should be adopted to form the background for the rediscovery of the lost secrets. This story gradually developed into the Royal Arch. At first, this additional ceremony was used to distinguish men, who had presided as Master of their Lodge. However, with time this requirement was eased and reduced to “…having passed the chair” and resulted in the Royal Arch becoming increasingly popular in the 1750’s.
In 1756 a group claiming to adhere to the ancient principles of the Craft broke away from the Premier Grand Lodge and formed what became known as the Grand Lodge of the Antients. Consequently, the original Grand Lodge was paradoxically labelled as the Moderns. There were many reasons for this schism, but over time the focus became their disagreements over the status of the Royal Arch. In essence, the Antients were enthusiastic supporters of Royal Arch Masonry, which they worked as a fourth degree in their Craft Lodges. The Moderns took the opposite line and officially refused to acknowledge it. However, they had no objection to Brethren joining it as a separately organised Society, which many of their senior members duly did.
On 22nd July 1766 the Grand Master of the Moderns, Lord Blayney, concerned that many of his Lodges were following the lead of the Antients and working this “fourth” degree under the authority of their Craft warrants, decided to regularise the situation by setting up a Body with authority to regulate the Royal Arch. He entered into a Charter of Compact, which laid down that: “None but discreet and experienced Master Masons shall receive exaltation to this sublime Degree”. A Grand Chapter was constituted and called the Grand and Royal Chapter of the Royal Arch of Jerusalem, from which the current Supreme Grand Chapter of England is directly descended. One of the other signatories to this document was Thomas Dunckerley, who later served as Grand Superintendent of Hampshire from 1778 until 1882 and of the then separate Province of Isle of Wight from 1778 until 1795. In time, Royal Arch ceremonies were progressively worked in separate Chapters and “Masters” became known as “Principals”.
Happily, in 1813 the Antients and Moderns were able to reconcile their differences and join together, under MW Bro HRH the Duke of Sussex as Grand Master, to form what we now know as the United Grand Lodge of England. In its Book of Constitutions, a copy of which is presented to every Brother on his Initiation, the General Laws and Regulations for the Government of the Craft have since 1853 been preceded by the following Preliminary Declaration: –
“By the solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of Freemasons of England in December 1813, it was declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz. those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch”.
This statement was in essence the compromise that enabled the unification to take place. Over time the Royal Arch has come to be seen as an essential and natural progression after the Craft and the integral final step in Pure Antient Freemasonry.
The Royal Arch exaltation ceremony story takes place some 500 years after the dedication of Solomon’s Temple. King Solomon has long since died. Jerusalem has since been attacked by the Babylonians, the city and its once magnificent temple have been destroyed and its inhabitants taken into captivity into Babylon, where they have remained for 70 years.
We have arrived at that period in history where the Babylonian Empire itself has been attacked and defeated by Cyrus the King of Persia. Cyrus has recently issued a decree allowing the descendants of the Hebrew exiles to return to their native land.
At the start of your exaltation, you will enter the Chapter blindfolded and represent one of those exiles returning to Jerusalem seeking to participate in the light of our mysteries with his colleagues as Sojourners, or Journeyman builders.
The Chapter room and the carpet represent a building site in the ruined city, where Solomon’s temple formerly stood. You will symbolically traverse across the ruins to arrive at the crown of a vaulted chamber, where the first change in the scene occurs.
The carpet and equipment on the floor of the Chapter now represent an underground vaulted chamber and its contents, and amongst those contents you will make a most important discovery!
Email Membership@hantsandiowroyalarch.com or speak to your lodge Royal Arch representative.
(left to right) Mike Ingram, Ron Baxter and Steve Allum
On 20th September 2023, 96 years old Ron Baxter was presented with a long service certificate and received a lapel badge recognising his 60 years in the Royal Arch. Steve Allum head of the Order for Hampshire and IoW made the presentation at Ron’s home and gave him a field appointment to Past Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
The original plan was for Ron to receive a surprise visit at Oakley Chapter’s meeting on that day. This plan had to be changed as unfortunately a few days before the Chapter’s meeting Ron was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. Though Ron had been discharged by the day of the meeting, he was under strict instructions to remain at home while he completed his course of antibiotics.
The Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mike Ingram, was accompanying Steve on that evening and they decided to present the certificate at Ron’s house. Afterwards they continued with an unannounced visit to the Chapter where the Companions were updated on Ron’s achievement, for which he received resounding applause.
Steve Allum informed those at the meeting that when Ron was Exalted in 1963, the Beatles were at No.1 in the charts with their hit “From Me to You”. Apparently, Ron was first Exalted in the Eastern Archipelago and later joined Oakley Chapter in their centenary year, 1977.
Past Grand Superintendent Alan Berman receives the certificate recognising his 50 years in Freemasonry from Jon Whitaker. Jon is head of Craft Freemasonry in Hampshire and Isle of Wight and made the unusual visit to present Alan with his certificate during a Royal Arch Chapter meeting.
Alan a member of Old Portmuthian Chapter was delighted to share what he called an unforgettable occasion with his old friend and one-time colleague Lawrence Guyer who, as his proposer, introduced him to Freemasonry and the Old Portuthian Lodge in 1973. The late Provincial Grand Master, Brian Bellinger was Alan’s seconder.
Photo (I to r) Lawrence Guyer, Alan Berman, Jon Whitaker and Steve Allum, who as Grand Superintendent is Alan’s successor as the head of Royal Arch in the Province.
“ I have found Freemasonry has far more to offer than I could ever have imagined; The Royal Arch has only cemented that opinion and taught me additional invaluable lessons.”
MORGAN,
BRAMSTON BEACH CHAPTER, SOUTHAMPTON
Stephen M Allum
Grand Superintendent in & over Hampshire & Isle of Wight
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Royal Arch Masons are proud to announce a donation of £42,000 to Southampton University’s Centre for Cancer Immunology.
The Centre is the first and only facility of its kind in the UK to concentrate experts under one roof, focussed solely on developing immunotherapies. Its work is dramatically reducing the time it takes to get a basic discovery in the laboratory available to patients.
Unlike Craft masonry, where there are Festival appeals, the Royal Arch, chooses a charity on an annual basis which will have a local beneficial impact. Hospices within the Province, Macmillan Cancer Care, Guide Dogs, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance were all previous charities supported in this way.
The chosen charity for 2024/25 will be in support of the Province’s Mark Masons Festival for The Mark Benevolent Fund. Looking forward to the following year it will support of the current Craft MCF Festival as it heads towards its final year.
Receiving the donation on behalf of Southampton University’s Centre for Cancer Immunology, Katherine de Retuerto thanked the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Royal Arch Freemasons for their incredible generosity. Saying; “The University of Southampton has been the grateful recipient of immense generosity from the Freemasons over the years, and we really do appreciate their wonderful support. We will use 100% of the donations directly to develop better, kinder, more effective cancer treatments to enable people to live longer and live better.”
All the monies for the £42,000 donation came from Royal Arch members across the Province. The fundraising was in aid of the organisation’s Grand Superintendent’s Annual Charity Appeal. Commenting on the funds raised by his Appeal, The Grand Superintendent, Steve Allum said; “Our members support towards this vital work will have a significant impact. Adding that one member, Gerry Underwood, has given a magnificent sum which helped the Province’s fund raising efforts for the Centre to get underway.
Katherine de Retuerto, Associate Director of Development at Southampton University’s Centre for Cancer Immunology pictured with Royal Arch Freemasons (l-r) David Taylor, Steve Allum, Jonathan Stainton-Ellis, Chris Davis, Dave Wood and Jon Whitaker.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the air ambulance, one of the largest gifts they have received, Jill McDonagh thanked the Province’s Royal Arch members saying “Your support will make a world of difference. Thank you for being at our side.”
Jill McDonagh from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance pictured with
(l-r) MEGS Steve Allum, 2nd ProvGPrincipal Chris Davis, DepGSupt Jonathan Stainton-Ellis, Jonathan Bell, 3rd ProvGPrincipal last year during the fundraising for the air ambulance and Dave Wood the Province’s Charity Steward.
Two puppies are being trained to be guide dogs thanks to a £28,000 donation from Royal Arch Freemasons in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Labrador puppies Joshua and Benny will become life-lines for two blind people, enabling them to live much more normal lives.
Steve Allum, who heads the province, met the pups to see how they were doing.
He said: “It was a great opportunity to see how Joshua and Benny are progressing. Both puppies were delightful and so well behaved.
“Every year we support a charity where we can make a difference and in 2021 we chose Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
“We were able to fund two dogs and it’s been wonderful to follow their story since they were selected for training, having been judged to have the correct temperament.”
The size of donation meant the Royal Arch Freemasons were able to name two further guide dogs, which they called Lilly and Betsy.
Shona Lawson, Community Fundraising Relationship Manager for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, thanked Steve and all the Royal Arch members.
Every hour, someone in the UK goes blind and 180,000 people with sight loss rarely leave home alone.
Almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss. By 2050, there could be nearly four million people with sight loss in the country.
(l-r) Puppy Raiser Mandy with pup Joshua, Steve Allum and Dave
Wood, the province’s Charity Steward and Puppy Development Advisor Steph with pup Benny.
