Bromsgrove Conclave No. 224, meeting in Kidderminster, opened at 17:59 on Tuesday, 03 June for an evening that was always going to be a little special with both an induction and installation taking place. With the conclave open there was an alarm at the door. The provincial DC, Wy.Bro. Mark Wainwright, announced that our Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler and Deputy Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler were without and demanding admission. And so they were admitted under the Arch of Steel. With barely time to make ourselves comfortable, a further alarm revealed the presence of the Grand D.C., R.Wy.Bro. Ray Ellis and Grand Supreme Ruler, M.Wy.Bro. Andrew Sweeney, who were without and demanding admission which again spurred the Arch of Steel into action. The reason for such illustrious presence? The induction of one Brother Kerry Parkes who is well known and respected and holds grand rank in various orders. Indeed the Grand Supreme Ruler has been trying to entice him into our wonderful order for some twenty years now.
And so the ceremony of induction took place, expertly lead by Supreme Ruler Wy.Bro. Ian Calvert and supported by an excellent team of Officers and visitors.
With little time to catch his breath, the S.R. then proceeded to Install R.Wy.Bro. Peter Roberson, erstwhile long-term Secretary of the Conclave, as S.R., some 37 years since he was last in that Chair. Having been expertly Installed, our new S.R. took charge of his Conclave and appointed and invested his team of Officers, including Wy.Bro. Richard Nokes as the new Secretary. He will have a tough act to follow, but we also know he will do his very best. But that wasn’t all! Our Dep.Prov.G.S.R., Wy.Bro. Dr. Howard Carlton presented a Grand Conclave certificate to one of our newer brethren, and then the surprise of the evening: the Conclave’s DC, V.Wy.Bro. Charles Dodge was brought before our Prov.G.S.R., R.Wy.Bro. Bob Vaughan, to be presented with a certificate marking forty years of dedication to the order. He was then immediately promoted to the rank of Past Grand Guide by the G.S.R. in a “field promotion.” What superb rewards for 40 years of dedicated service to his conclaves, the province and the order. An induction, an installation, a grand lodge certification presentation, a forty year certificate and high-rank grand promotion. Evenings don’t come much more special than that! W.Bro. Ian Calvert will sleep well tonight, after an exceptional evening’s work.