The Annual Meeting of Surrey Knights Templar was held at the Croydon and District Masonic Hall on Saturday, 14th July 2012. The Knights of the Province, having assembled in the Wheeler Temple at the Croydon Masonic Centre, the Provincial Almoner and Prelate, preceded by the Provincial Cross, entered the Temple under an Arch of Steel formed by the Provincial Prior’s Bodyguard. This first procession was followed by a deputation of Knights of Malta, who were followed by a procession of the Distinguished Guests from other Provinces in and around the country. Finally, at precisely 11am, the Provincial Prior accompanied by the Provincial Officers of the year entered under the Arch of Steel and took their respective places within the meeting.

The meeting was duly opened by the Provincial Prior who was proclaimed and saluted.

A Requiem was then held for the eight Knights who had passed to the Holy City during the preceding twelve months.
The Provincial Prior greeted visiting distinguished Knights from neighbouring and distant Provinces throughout England including Hampshire and IOW, Sussex, Somerset, Essex, Leicestershire and Rutland, Derbyshire, Durham, Middlesex, Oxon, Berks and Bucks and Kent. He also welcomed representatives of the heads of the other Masonic Orders within the Province of Surrey.
Moving on to the business part of the meeting, the Minutes of the previous year’s meeting were confirmed, the Provincial Vice-Chancellor’s report was submitted and the Provincial Treasurer’s accounts and report for the year ended 31st August 2011 approved.

The Provincial Treasurer confirmed that the annual dues would remain the same for the ensuing year and Knights were elected for the Provincial Committee and to act as Accounts examiners. A donation of £2000.00 was then approved to the Order’s principal charity, the Jerusalem Eye Hospital.

Before appointing and investing the Provincial Officers of the year, a list of whom can be found elsewhere on the web site, the Provincial Prior said how grateful he had again been for the support he had received from his Sub-Prior and re-appointed V.E.Kt. Pat Crossan for a further year. The Sub-Prior was then proclaimed and saluted.

The Provincial Prior then addressed those present as follows:

"Brother Knights, sitting down in front of the computer to prepare this address I found myself without very much to comment on but I’m sure we’ll put that right before I come to the end.

I suppose the highlight of the year for the Province was the centenary of the Preceptory of Croydon. It was consecrated on 11th May 1912 and the nearest current meeting date to that was 11th June this year. This is only the second centenary in this Province and it will be another 11 years before Kyngstun Preceptory reaches that landmark. To mark the occasion, we had an official visit which included all the Provincial Officers and Bodyguard, or as many as could attend. There was an excellent talk on the derivation and heraldic aspect of their Banner by Dan Turner. Copies of this were available at the entrance hall sales table. The Banner was then re-dedicated for the next 100 years. This was followed by a talk by R.E.Kt. Bryan Page, KCT, in which he outlined some of the early history of the Preceptory, with a particular emphasis on the Christian basis of the Order itself. The Preceptory had obtained a magnificent centenary warrant which I had the pleasure of presenting to them. To mark the occasion they had also organised centenary jewels for the members and lapel badges and cuff links for all those attending. It all combined to make a very special and memorable occasion.

On this very day, 50 years ago, the Preceptory of St John at Stoneleigh was Consecrated. Their next meeting will be in October and to celebrate this anniversary the first of the Full Team Official visits will be to that meeting. Whilst on the subject, the other two will be to Stephen Langton for their ‘Celebration of Christmas’ meeting just before Christmas and to Pride of Surrey in February next year. I do hope that as many of the active Provincial Officers and members of the Bodyguard as possible will attend all of these meetings.

We’ve had all our regular social events during the year, starting off in May with a coach trip to Greenwich. Knights and their friends and families were collected by coach from both Surbiton and Croydon Masonic centres and taken to Kt. Eddie Ertan’s wonderful Turkish restaurant where he and his family entertained us, entirely at his own expense, to a most enjoyable Turkish meal washed down with a choice of very acceptable wine. Eddie, if you are present, the success of this event, both from an enjoyment point of view and from the money raised for charity, is entirely down to your generosity. Following the meal we were free to visit any of the famous historical sites which abound in and around the town including the newly restored Cutty Sark. The afternoon ended with the coaches returning us to whence we started, after a final cup of tea at Eddie’s restaurant.

Then there was our garden party. The first two or three years we held this we had lovely weather. Last year it rained more than it was dry. This year, most of the rain was before the start and we were able to enjoy a comparatively dry, if rather chilly, afternoon. As usual my thanks go out to Garry Lewis who did so much of the hard work, organisation and buying of most the food, to James Terry Court for lending us the gazebos, tables and chairs, to Croydon Masonic Halls for lending us all the crockery, to Jim Smith for cooking all the meat on the BBQ and to Carole and Michelle Lewis for looking after all the rest of the food other than the meat, and for doing most of the washing up. I must also mention the Bodyguard who helped out in so many different ways – in fact in whatever they were asked and sometimes not asked to do. I haven’t got the final figures yet but we will have raised a significant sum for the Eye Hospital.

Whilst on the subject of the Eye Hospital, last year I launched a new appeal to support a junior nurse at the hospital by the regular monthly giving of £2 or £5. Unfortunately, despite the Eye Hospital representative’s presentation at the festive board this time last year, this has not been a success with a very small take up. I know these are difficult times and we are continuing to give generously through our charity collections and other social events, but I did think that just £2 per month, £24 per year was within most of our capabilities. If I’ve given you cause for thought, there will be leaflets again at your table settings. Please brother Knights, do seriously consider joining the scheme.

Later in the year, on Sunday 23rd September, we have our Biennial Church Service. This year we are returning to St Mary’s Church in Thorpe where we had such a wonderful service and address by the Minister four years ago. St Mary’s is a lovely old church which has been completely renovated. The oldest parts date back to about 600 AD and beneath its floor is a temple of Mithras. It is reputed to have the oldest Norman Arch in England. R.E.Kt. John Railton, the Provincial Prior of Dorset and Wiltshire, has agreed to give the Address and the Service will be led by our Provincial Prelate, V.E.Kt. David Allonby.

I think most in the Province know that we are trying to form a new Preceptory specifically for the not inconsiderable number of Knights and Companions in Surrey who are either from or have an interest in West Africa. Kts. Neil Bonter and Eddie Stokes are organising this and have put together a website with all the necessary information. This can be found at www.newpreceptory.org.uk and there is a link on the front page of the Provincial website at www.surreyknights.org. The suggested name for the Preceptory is the Aiyetoro Preceptory and I know Neil and Eddie are hopeful that they will be able to get it off the ground within the coming Masonic year.

Whilst on the subject of websites, our Provincial website has now been completely revamped and has been very well received by all those who have visited it. There are reports and photos of all the Provincial events, with older records being archived so that they can still be visited. We are successfully, at the moment, keeping the site right up to date so that it can be used not only to see what has gone on in the past but what is going to happen in the future. If your Preceptory is planning an event or has had one recently, please send to the Provincial Vice-Chancellor a report and any photos you have. The more we use it the better it will become.

I think the best thing that has happened within the Province this year has to be that the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master made R.E.Kt Bryan Page a Knight Commander of the Temple at the meeting of Great Priory in May. I am sure you will all want to add your congratulations to those he has already received on this long overdue award.

Also honoured at Great Priory in May were Glyn Harvey, our organist, who was appointed Deputy Great Organist, Roy Leavers promoted to Past Great Registrar, so he is now a V.E.Kt. David De Ville, our very attentive Provincial Almoner promoted to Past Great Standard Bearer (B), our Provincial Registrar, Peter Brown, appointed Past Great Aide-de-Camp and the Registrar of Whyte Stone Preceptory, Jonathan Murdock, appointed Past Great Warden of Regalia. Together with those who have been appointed and promoted in Provincial Priory today, we send them all our congratulations. You have all earned your preferment.

Well Brother Knights, as I wish you another successful and, most of all, enjoyable year in Surrey KT, let me urge you once again, not only to support your own Preceptory and Province but also your Craft Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter. These are the life blood of Freemasonry and if we don’t support them and find good candidates for them, we will not have a future ourselves. Craft and Chapter are declining and that can only have one result for KT. Our Lodges and Chapters need our support. Let’s not be slow in giving it.

Thank you Brother Knights and have a happy year".

The Provincial Prior thanked the members of Chertsey Preceptory for all their hard work and support in assisting in staging the meeting and accepted the offer from Kyngstun Preceptory that they would carry out the duties of Banner Preceptory at next year’s meeting on Saturday 13th July 2013.

The Vice-Chancellor outlined the apologies that he had received and thanked those who had particularly helped him in the preparation and staging of the meeting.

Alms were collected and raised £574.20. all of which would be donated to the Jerusalem Eye Hospital.

Having received an assurance that there was no further business to be brought before the meeting the Provincial Prior closed the meeting.

After pre-lunch cocktails, the Knights enjoyed a most pleasant meal of flat mushroom filled with Bacon and Cheese sauce, Roast Beef Salad and to end Profiteroles, Cheese and Biscuits and Coffee.

The Sub-Prior proposed the health of the Provincial Prior in a most irreverent manner, to which the Prior did his best to respond in similar vein, closing with a toast to the Visitors to thank them for their attendance and to wish them a safe journey home.