The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner M.W.Bro. His Royal Highness PRINCE MICHAEL OF KENT, GCVO Grand Master M.W.Bro. RAYMOND JOHN SMITH Pro Grand Master R.W.Bro. JOHN HERBERT PRIZEMAN Deputy Grand Master R.W.Bro. STEPHEN DAVISON Assistant Grand Master Mark Masons Hall 86 St James s Street London, SW1A 1PL October 2017 Dear Sir and Brother The Annual Assembly of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner will be held on Tuesday, 12 December 2017, in the Grand Temple at Freemasons Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ at 4.30 p.m. All members of the Degree of Royal Ark Mariner are invited to attend. By Command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master. Yours faithfully and fraternally R.W.Bro. Ryan A. Williams, G.M.R.A.C. Grand Secretary Dress: Short black coat or dark lounge suit. Royal Ark Mariner regalia. Rehearsals will commence at 2.30 p.m. for the Grand Sword Bearer, Grand Standard Bearers, Grand Inner Guard and all Grand Stewards of the year.
AGENDA 1. To open the Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner. 2. In Memoriam. 3. To propose that the Minutes of the Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner held on Tuesday, 13 December 2016, as circulated with the summons for this meeting, be taken as read, approved and adopted. 4. To receive and, if approved, adopt the Report of the Grand Master s Royal Ark Council for the twelve months ended 30 September 2017, as printed in Appendix A. 5. To consider and approve the amendments to the Regulations for the Government of the Degree of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner, as printed in Appendix B. 6. To invest the recipients of Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank. 7. The Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master will address the Annual Assembly. 8. To close the Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner. 2
Appendix A REPORT OF THE GRAND MASTER S ROYAL ARK COUNCIL FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2017 1. Certificates Issued During the twelve months ended 30 September 2017, 857 Certificates of Registration have been issued. The total subscribing membership of the Order as at 30 September 2017 was 24,116. 2. Obituary The Grand Master s Royal Ark Council reports, with deep regret, the death of the following Grand Officers: R.W.Bro. Graham Trevor Herbert, G.M.R.A.C. (H.C.) R.W.Bro. Alasdair Bruce Duthie, P.Dist.G.M. (South Africa Western Division) R.W.Bro. John Escott, P.Prov.G.M. (West Lancashire) R.W.Bro. Justin Gerald Figov, P.Dist.G.M. (South Africa Western Division) R.W.Bro. Nana Dr Fredua Mensah, P.Dist.G.M. (Ghana) R.W.Bro. Colin Woodward, P.Prov.G.M. (Worcestershire) W.Bro. William Kenneth Adrian W.Bro. Robert Aitken, JP W.Bro. Ralph Derek Allard W.Bro. John David Arkwell W.Bro. Derek William Bailey W.Bro. Ignace Desire Laval Bany W.Bro. Jack Barker W.Bro. John Barry W.Bro. Anthony Charles Batcheler W.Bro. Richard Bavin W.Bro. John Francis Beavers W.Bro. John Beddoe W.Bro. Derrick Walter Bellingham W.Bro. Ronald Edward William Bennett W.Bro. William George Bentley W.Bro. Colin Birch W.Bro. Dr Geoffrey Birch W.Bro. Geoffrey Harry Birch W.Bro. Mark Anthony Bird W.Bro. Ronald John Bishop W.Bro. Alfred Sydney Blackbourn W.Bro. David Anthony Blake W.Bro. Michael Laxton Blinkhorn W.Bro. Christopher Frank Bonney W.Bro. Robert William Boots W.Bro. Dennis Boughen W.Bro. Harold Brannick W.Bro. Stephen Charles Briney W.Bro. Roy Vivian Brinton W.Bro. Byron John Brown W.Bro. David James Brown W.Bro. Colin Bryan W.Bro. William James Bryen W.Bro. Julius Axel Burgheim W.Bro. Wilfred Burns W.Bro. Revd Canon Harry Callaghan 3 W.Bro. Dr James Michael Butterfield Carr W.Bro. George Edgar Chambers W.Bro. Sir Jayantilal Keshavji Chande, KBE W.Bro. Anthony Ernest Walter Chapman W.Bro. Walter Leonard Cheshire W.Bro. Glyn Carlyle Chung W.Bro. John Duncan Clarke W.Bro. Brian Clay W.Bro. Raymond George Coldicott W.Bro. Harry Shepherd Cook W.Bro. Gavin Colvin Hugh Cooper W.Bro. John Cooper W.Bro. Peter John Cooper W.Bro. Graham Stanley Davies W.Bro. Allan Deaton W.Bro. Allan Stanley Dixon W.Bro. Revd Canon David Dixon W.Bro. Ernest Peter Donnison W.Bro. Lewis Douglas W.Bro. Robert Alfred Gardner Dunn W.Bro. Peter Robert Edwards W.Bro. Phillip David Watcyn Edwards, JP W.Bro. William Egdell W.Bro. Mario Javier Eguia W.Bro. David Edward Ellis W.Bro. Brian Emmett W.Bro. Michael Arthur Falkner W.Bro. George Leslie Ferris W.Bro. Richard Ferro W.Bro. Richard Berkeley Fields, SC W.Bro. Rex Marchington Ford W.Bro. Bernard Alan Foreman W.Bro. William Giles W.Bro. Maj. Gen. Rudolph George Edward Green, CD, JP W.Bro. Edgar Vincent Griffin W.Bro. John Derek Groom W.Bro. Venning Pearce Grose W.Bro. John Richard Henry Handford W.Bro. Ronald Harris W.Bro. Joseph Raine Harrison W.Bro. Oswald Theodore Harvey W.Bro. John Willis Heal W.Bro. John William Hills W.Bro. Keith Leonard Hoggard W.Bro. Mark Robert Holt W.Bro. Vernon Holtam
W.Bro. Geoffrey Carr Hooker W.Bro. David Victor Hopkin W.Bro. Bryon Stanley Huson W.Bro. Lt Col. Roger John Ellis Jenkins, TD W.Bro. Colin Tresidder Jenner W.Bro. Albert Edward Peter Jones W.Bro. Harold William Jupe W.Bro. Govinda Pillai Kumaran Nair W.Bro. Roy Desmond William Laker W.Bro. Gerhard Michael Landmark, MBE W.Bro. Michael Howard Lawson W.Bro. Charles Dennis Lopez W.Bro. Alec Elliott Lovegrove W.Bro. Richard Leyland Low W.Bro. Sidney Edwin Mace W.Bro. Ronald Mason W.Bro. Frederick Matthews W.Bro. Alan Jack Clarke Metcalfe W.Bro. Bryan Crampton Milner W.Bro. Peter Silvanus Mitchell W.Bro. George Kenneth Molland W.Bro. Eric Frances Monks W.Bro. George William Moore W.Bro. Ernest Frederick Robert Moss W.Bro. David Moy W.Bro. Geoffrey Murdoch W.Bro. Wg Cdr John Hamilton Nicholls, DFC W.Bro. Jack Oliver W.Bro. Lawrence O Sullivan W.Bro. Thomas Joseph Owen W.Bro. Ian Evald Paige W.Bro. Firoj Manecksha Patel W.Bro. Reynold Victor Phillimore W.Bro. Edwin Russell Polkinghorne W.Bro. Colin George Pugh W.Bro. Kenneth Alan Redfern W.Bro. Maurice Llewellyn Thomas Rees W.Bro. George Leslie Richards W.Bro. Timothy Raymond Roper Richards W.Bro. John Richard Struan Robertson, JP W.Bro. Dr Keith Douglas Robinson W.Bro. Jock Halliday Rodger W.Bro. Limbury Michael Poulton Roff W.Bro. His Hon. Giles Hugh Rooke, TD, QC, DL W.Bro. Leslie Vernon Seeley W.Bro. John Richard Selby W.Bro. Frank Reginald Shelley W.Bro. Barry Sherman W.Bro. Cyril William Shickle W.Bro. Leslie George Shugrue W.Bro. Peter Alfred Simkins W.Bro. Walter Ernest Simmons W.Bro. John Somerset Slack W.Bro. Peter John Smith W.Bro. Brian Frederick George Stapley W.Bro. Revd Keith Atkinson Steele W.Bro. Arthur John Thurgood W.Bro. Donald William Trafford W.Bro. James William Turner, ERD W.Bro. Edward Taylor Urwin W.Bro. Helmut Heinrich Sigismund Von Der Heyde W.Bro. Baron John von Hoff, OStJ W.Bro. David Walton W.Bro. Shane Maurice Whelan W.Bro. Bernard Herbert Roy Wigger W.Bro. Nicholas David Williams W.Bro. James Willis W.Bro. Gerald Winfield W.Bro. Victor Alan Wisden W.Bro. Norman Arthur Wood W.Bro. Robert Jesse Woolmer W.Bro. Frank Thomas Workman W.Bro. Dennis Charles Wyatt 3. Warrants of Constitution The Most Worshipful Grand Master has been pleased to grant Warrants of Constitution to the following Royal Ark Mariner Lodges: Luz Y Concordia No. 1879 Bolivia Joey Dunlop No. 1881 Leicestershire and Rutland Jeanne d Arc No. 1900 Belgium Minorica No. 1944 Spain Athanor No. 1945 Italy Harmony No. 1960 Spain Acropolis No. 1969 Italy 4. Centenary Warrants The Most Worshipful Grand Master has been pleased to grant Centenary Warrants to the following Royal Ark Mariner Lodges: St James No. 318 Staffordshire & Shropshire Greenwich No. 332 Kent Stayley No. 597 Cheshire Stradbroke No. 603 East Anglia Wythenshawe No. 922 Cheshire 4
5. Amalgamation of Lodges The Most Worshipful Grand Master has been pleased to grant a Warrant of Amalgamation to the following Royal Ark Mariner Lodges: Central Keystone No. 744 amalgamated with Yenton No. 719 to be known as Yenton and Central Keystone No. 719 Warwickshire 6. Lodge Name Changes The Grand Master s Royal Ark Council note that the following Royal Ark Mariner Lodges have resolved to change their name and number: Guernsey No. 1614 to be renamed and renumbered Channel Islands Installed Commanders No. 1788 Channel Islands Benoni No. 720 to be renamed and renumbered Springs No. 707 The Transvaal 7. Warrants in Abeyance The Grand Master s Royal Ark Council approved requests for the following Royal Ark Mariner Lodges to be placed in abeyance for a period of not more than three years: George Parker No. 1316 (Middlesex) from 6 October 2016 Fillebrook No. 944 (Essex) 30 November 2016 Woodstock No. 1569 (Surrey) 6 April 2017 Mizpah No. 551 (South Africa Western Division) from 6 July 2017 8. Grand Honours The Most Worshipful Grand Master has determined that 27 July is the latest date by which annual recommendations for Grand Honours can be received by the Grand Secretary. 9. Fees and Annual Dues In accordance with the Constitutions and Regulations it has been agreed that standard rate of registration and other fees payable to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons for the financial year 1 September 2017 to 31 August 2018 shall be as set out below: WARRANTS For a new Warrant... at cost For a Warrant of Confirmation... at cost For a Celebration Warrant... at cost PATENTS For a Provincial/District Grand Master... at cost For a Patent of Confirmation... at cost REGISTRATION Annual Dues... 31.00 Installed Commanders Lodges... 15.50 Registration of a Brother on Elevation or a Joining Brother not previously registered... 30.00 A Joining Brother already registered... 23.00 Registration of a founding member of a new Lodge being a Brother already registered... 8.00 Duplicate, replacement or amended Grand Lodge Certificate... 30.00 YEARBOOKS Mark... 13.00 All other Orders... 12.00 5
DISPENSATIONS Lodge or Commander Elect... 30.00 Dispensation (Nunc Pro Tunc)... 58.00 Any request for a Dispensation received less than 21 days before it is required will be treated as a Nunc Pro Tunc Dispensation and charged accordingly. All Fees shown are inclusive of Value Added Tax at the current rate of 20% payable by Lodges and Brethren in the United Kingdom and the European Union. 10. Administration The Registrations department should be informed of deaths, resignations or changes of address of Grand Officers as soon as they occur. Provincial and District Grand Secretaries and Secretaries of Unattached Lodges are requested to address communications either to the Grand Secretary or the most appropriate member of MMH staff by name, depending on the nature of the communication. Communications should only be marked Private & Confidential by exception. All such communications should be sent to: G.L.M.M.M. Mark Masons Hall 86 St James s Street London SW1A 1PL 30 September 2017 R.W.Bro. P. Hawken, MBE, P.Prov.G.M., G.M.R.A.C., Chairman R.W.Bro. R. A. Williams, G.M.R.A.C., Grand Secretary Appendix B PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DEGREE OF THE ANCIENT AND HONOURABLE FRATERNITY OF ROYAL ARK MARINER Delete as follows: REGALIA, JEWELS, AND INSIGNIA 25. (ii) The metal work of the jewel worn by a member of the Grand Master s Royal Ark Council, or by a holder of Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank, or by a Royal Ark Mariner, who was a Commander or Past Commander and also a Present or Past Officer in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, shall be gold or gilt. COLLARS 29. (ii) A Past Commander shall wear a collar similar to that of a Commander from which shall be suspended a Past Commander s jewel bearing the letter N inside a triangle, all of silver or white metal, provided that a member of the Grand Master s Royal Ark Council, or a holder of Grand Rank in the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner, or a Royal Ark Mariner who on the 12th day of March 1968 was a Commander or Past Commander and also a Present or Past Officer in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, shall be entitled to wear a collar and jewel similar to that of a Past Commander but with gold button and braid on the collar and the jewel of gold or gilt. 6
NOTICES 1. DINING Brethren will dine together after the Annual Assembly at approximately 6.30 p.m. in the Grand Connaught Rooms, 61-65 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5DA. Brethren who wish to dine must send a completed reservation form, together with payment of the dining fee of 48.00 (inclusive of wine and VAT), to Masonic Support Services on or before Tuesday, 28 November 2017. Applications received after this date cannot be guaranteed a place. Reservations may be made via email to: m.support@mmh.org.uk provided a completed reservation form is received which includes valid debit/credit card details for payment of the requisite dining fee. Dining fees will be processed within 21 days of receipt. Please note that reservations cannot be made by telephone. Reservations may be cancelled, without incurring a charge, up to 7 days prior to the meeting, after which fees will not be refunded. 2. CHARITIES WEBSITE Information on all the Masonic Charities administered from Mark Masons Hall can be found on the Charities website: www.markbenevolence.org.uk 3. LUNCHTIME FACILITIES AT MARK MASONS HALL The Carvery at 86 St James s Street is available to all Freemasons, their family and friends. The Carvery is open most weekdays from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Advance booking is strongly recommended as the Carvery is very popular and is, on occasions, fully booked by private groups. Mark Masons Hall also offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches at its Bar on weekdays from 12 noon to 4 p.m. The bar opening times are 11.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. Reservations may be by telephone: on 020 7747 1180 or via email: info@86stjames.com 4. PUBLICATIONS AND REGALIA Publications and regalia for all Orders may be purchased from the shop via our website: www.shopat86.co.uk Orders may also be placed by telephone on 020 7747 1191 or by email: regalia@mmh.org.uk The shop opening hours are 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (Monday to Friday). 5. GLMMM WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA To keep up to date with events in all orders administered from Mark Masons Hall go to: www.glmmm.com www.facebook.com/glmmm www.instagram.com/markgrandlodge Twitter: @GLofMMM 7
6. ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE GRAND MASTER S LODGES OF INSTRUCTION FOR MARK MASTER MASONS AND MEMBERS OF THE ANCIENT AND HONOURABLE FRATERNITY OF ROYAL ARK MARINER The Annual Festival will be held on Wednesday, 25 April 2018, at the Sussex Masonic Centre, 25 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3YH, at which there will be a demonstration of the Elevation and Advancement Ceremonies. The meeting will be followed by a Festival Dinner. Festival President: R.W.Bro. CHARLES MARTIN WILSON, Provincial Grand Master for Sussex. Application forms will be available from the Provincial Grand Secretary of Sussex or from the Festival Secretary: W.Bro. M. I. Guile, P.A.G.D.C. 30 Aberavon Road, London, E3 5AR. Email: mig1805@hotmail.com Published by Mark Masons Hall Ltd