On Thursday 10th November our Provincial Grand Charity Steward, W.Bro. Phil Clare, was Installed into the Chair of Bromley’s Mandalay Lodge of Mark Master Masons No.1886 in the presence of his good friend W.Bro. David Stiff, Assistant Provincial Grand Master.
Nothing too unusual there you might say, except this is the thirty-sixth time that Phil has sat in one of myriad Masonic “Chairs”.
Phil was a Founder of Mandalay Lodge and has for many years taken various offices, but this was his chance to sit in the Chair of Adoniram. The Ceremony was performed in an exemplary manner by W.Bro. John Woodley who also finished the evening with a very moving version of The Tyler’s Toast which many had not heard before.
W.Bro. David was accompanied by a good number of active Provincial Officers including one who drove all the way from Ramsgate to experience the evening. Although with the Secretary travelling down from Shropshire and the Director of Ceremonies driving up from Chichester he missed out on the longest journey prize.
For those of you that are interested in Phil’s 36 “Chairs”, many of which are administered from Mark Masons’ Hall, the details are below:
6 Craft – He is currently Worshipful Master of his School Lodge, Old Olavians’ No.5758
2 Royal Arch
6 Mark
6 Royal Ark Mariner
1 Red Cross of Constantine
1 Allied Masonic Degrees
6 Order of the Secret Monitor
2 Scarlet Cord – Where he is also Provincial Grand Summus For The Province Of Kent
3 Royal & Select Masters
1 Rose Croix
1 Knights Templar
1 Knight Templar Priest
Where will number 37 be we wonder?