Swinton Conclave Team Visit

Swinton Conclave Host First Team Visit

Swinton Conclave No 355 were honoured and pleased to receive the Right Illustrious Knight Graham Edwin Williams along with his Divisional Team on the “first Team Visit” of the year.

The Intendant General was keen to appraise the Worthy Knight present, that it was a conscious decision of his that the Team Visits would not start before the New Year to give time for all the Covid related issues to settle down and all of our Worthy Knights hopefully being “jabbed and boosted” would have some confidence to turn out and visit their Conclaves and attend the Team Visits.

P Kt Ian B Edge, MPS, Rt Ill Kt Graham E Williams
and Ill Kt William J Bruce P G W of Reg, E V
It going to be a busy time for the Team as there is a Team Visit to Agnus Dei Conclave No 220, at Southport, on Wednesday, 16th March 2022, Warrington Conclave No 206, yes at Warrington, on Wednesday, 20th April 2022 and Lancastrian Conclave No 164, at Widnes, on Saturday, 7th May 2022.

Well, back to the Swinton Visit, the Intendant General accompanied by his Team entered the Conclave after the Business part of the Meeting was done.

On being offered the Baton of the Conclave by P Kt Ian B Edge, P Div G Reg, who was standing in for our M P S, P Kt John E Green, Div Swd B, who could not attend being otherwise disposed, Rt Ill Kt Williams accepted the Baton and assumed the Chair. He stated that he was pleased to be back in Swinton Conclave and then proceeded to introduce the Team Members present.

That being done he pasted the Baton back to Ian and the rest of the Business was conducted. The first sad part was the Eulogy to a past member of Swinton Conclave, Ill Kt Delphon Arthur Lusack P G Swd B, who had passed to Higher Service in August 2021. Delphon was the Acting Sword Bearer in Grand Imperial Conclave in 1999. He was also a member of the Ormskirk Conclave No 294.

The assembled Worthy Knights we then to hear a paper entitled “Constantine’s Vision and the Making of the Labarum Standard” able presented by the Marshal, Ill Kt Adrian M Hunter, P G Vice-Chamb.

The MPS thanked Adrian for his lecture to the acclaim of all present.

After the Business of the Conclave all the Worthy Knights retired to the Dining Room for an excellent Meal, provided by Nadeem the chef at Swinton, starting with homemade Cream of Celery Soup, followed by Delicious Baked Ham Various Veg and Potatoes, all finished of with Cherry Crumble and Ice Cream, and to end the Meal Nadeem’s Cheese Board. Washed down with a Glass of Wine.

When Ian Edge Proposed the Toast tour Intendant General, Graham responded by firstly thanking the Conclave for the warm welcome that he and his Team had received, he thank Adrian for the paper he had presented and said what a happy evening he and his Team were having at Swinton.

He said he was pleased to see the last of Swinton Conclaves Founders, yes, he was there on 28th October 1981, Right Illustrious Knight George Brian Fairhurst, GCC, Past Intendant General for the Division of West Lancashire, now a Honoury Member of the Conclave.

Graham told the Members that Brian was due to have a Golden Anniversary in Christian Masonry shortly. He went to say that Brian’s 50th is to be celebrated in his Mother Conclave, the Dr W R Waters Conclave No 269 on Thursday 21st April 2022, at Leigh and urged all the Members, well that can, to Support Brian that evening. Brian was our I G for some 10 years for 1989 to 1999 and whilst I realise some of you may not know him, we have to support him having lead our Division with distinction. He must have got something right as the Deputy Grand Sovereign, Rt Ill & Em Kt Peter Hawken GCC, is coming to the Celebrations all the way from Devon and Cornwall.

He also spoke about other events that are coming up in the Summer and announced that:-
On Saturday, 9th of July 2022 there is to be a Tri partite Meeting to be held at Swinton Masonic Hall.
This is something that we as a Division have been involved with since its inception back in 2018, and should have hosted in July 2020, but of course because of the Masonic Suspension it could not happen.

The Tri Partite Meeting started in Cumberland and Westmorland Division and West Lancashire, and North and East Lancashire Divisions came together to work the KHS Ceremony. Each Divisional Team worked one of the 3 points. It was at Kirby Lonsdale and was a great day out. In 2019 the Meeting again in July was held in the North and East Lancashire Division at Preston and again it was a day to remember.

So, it’s the turn of our Division now, and our Deputy Intendant General, V Ill Kt M Stephen Gregory, P G H Alm, is in charge, he is putting a Team together to do the point we are doing and I have no doubt he will be looking for some Members of the Division to help to form our “Team.” So as “volunteers are better than pressed men” , Stephen the man to speak to if you want to assist by being on the Team.

If you don’t want to be on the team but would like a morning of good ritual and a good feed afterwards, when the Divisional Recorder sends out the details, just book yourself in.

On Saturday 3rd September 2022, it will be the Divisional Meeting.

But, as some you already know Park Hall were we have had the meeting is currently closed and no one is sure whether it will open again as a hotel, as the deal with someone to purchase it for other uses has apparently fallen through.

So, our Divisional Meeting is to be a Swinton Masonic Hall, Hospital Road, Pendlebury M27 4EY. Most of you know where that is but is not bad to find and it has lots of Parking. Lok forward to seeing you there.

As the Conclave Recorder I was just please when the Intendant general said that he had had been a good visit and had enjoyed himself!

Report by Edwin Schofield, Ill Kt P G Pref. Recorder