St Augustine Royal Arch Chapter History
A Masonic Royal Arch Chapter of Freemasons founded by a warrant from The Supreme Grand Chapter of England in 1927
During the year 1926 several brethren of St Augustine’s Lodge No. 3713 and Fraternity Lodge No. 4032 conceived the idea of forming a Royal Arch Chapter. Preliminary meetings were held, from which it was apparent that such a project would be popular and successful.
A considerable measure of support was promised by Companions of the Royal Arch in both Lodges, and the prospective exaltees were sufficient in number to indicate that the formation of such a Chapter was desirable.
By a unanimous vote the name of the Chapter decided upon was St Augustine’s Lodge 3713.
Accordingly, a petition was submitted to Supreme Grand Chapter, signed by 18 companions of the order, 15 of which were members of Fraternity Lodge and nine members of Concord Chapter and on February 3rd 1927 the Grand Scribe Ezra, Sir P Coleville Smith, signified that the petition had been acceded to and a charter was granted during the same month. The charter was dated February 2nd 1927.
On August 17th 1927 Supreme Grand Chapter approved the design for a founders jewel which also constituted the badge of the Chapter.
During the preliminary meetings the selection of the founding principals was decided.
These were :
MEZ: The Rev Canon C. W. Barnard, The Grand Superintendent in and over the Province of Warwickshire.
Haggai: F.J. Taylor
Joshua: W.D. Hiorns
IPZ: J.K. Cutriss
The Chapter was consecrated on Monday October 31st 1927 at the Masonic Temple, Broad Street, Birmingham, being the first Chapter to be consecrated in the new Masonic temple. In the presence of a distinguished gathering of Royal Arch companions with all of the founders attending.
The Chapter was consecrated on Monday October 31st 1927 at the Masonic Temple, Broad Street, Birmingham, being the first Chapter to be consecrated in the new Masonic Temple. In the presence of a distinguished gathering of Royal Arch Companions with all of the founders attending.
The ceremony was presided over by:
- Comp. Sir P. Coleville Smith, GSE
Assisted by:-
- Comp. Col. W.F. Wyley, PGSoj, as Haggai
- Comp. Rev. W.P. Besley, PGSN, as Joshua
- Comp. J.A. Tawney, PAGSoj, as Scribe Nehemia
- Comp. C.R.I. Nichols, GDC, as Director of Ceremonies.
All of the above were elected as honorary members of the Chapter.
The Primus MEZ, E Comp Rev Canon C W Barnard, Most Excellent Grand Superintendent in and over Warwickshire, commented on the fact that this was the first time the Province of Warwickshire had been honoured with the presence of Grand Chapter since he was installed as Grand Superintendent in 1918.
During the risings the Scribe E submitted a list of 10 potential exaltees and 1 joining member.
The charity box contained the sum of £4.0s.0d, the equivalent of £314.92 today
Over the course of the next three convocations all ten of the proposed exaltees were exalted into the Chapter, by means of double or double-double ceremonies. These ceremonies included all three of the lectures and were normally concluded in two hours. Unfortunately, The Most Excellent Companion The Rev. Canon C.W. Barnard, Grand Superintendent Warks, MEZ, was taken ill shortly after the consecration and was unable to attend any of these convocations. The role of MEZ of the Chapter was taken on by E Comp E.A. Smith, Prov GScribe E,
At the first regular convocation of the Chapter, held on Thursday December 22nd, W Bro Thomas E. Lomas and Bro Frederick R. Simmonds, both of St Augustine’s Lodge, had the joint honour of being the first Exaltees in the Chapter and Comp R. A. Clarke became a joining member. E Comp F.J. Taylor – H offered, on behalf of all the Companions, the very deep gratitude of the Chapter to E Comp Smith for so readily taking the chair of Z. E Comp Smith replied stating that he felt it a privilege to assist the Chapter at its first meeting and generously promised to always place his services at the disposal of the Chapter in these trying times.
The charity box contained £1.10s.0d
The jewel was inscribed:
“Presented by the members of St Augustine’s Chapter No. 3713
To The Most Ex: Grand Superintendent Canon C W Barnard M.A. P.G.S.N. Eng.
First M.E.Z. as a token of esteem & affection. October 25th 1928”
Sadly, Canon Barnard did not recover from his illness and passed to the Grand Chapter above on August 18th 1928. At the installation convocation in October 1928, E Comp E. A. Smith was invested as IPZ. During his investiture the Past First Principals jewel, which had been purchased for presentation to the first MEZ of the Chapter, was affixed to the IPZ’s collar of office as a perpetual commemoration of the late M E Comp Rev. Canon C. W. Barnard’s association as the first MEZ of the Chapter. This tradition is still practised at every Installation convocation.
By the start of the year 1930 a further 6 exaltations had been carried out, this was counteracted by the loss of 5 members through death or resignation.
The Chapter continued to thrive with a steady flow of Exaltees and joining members although the number of resignations was also quite high but the membership remained relatively stable at around 30. In November 1932 the decision to allow candidates from other than St Augustine’s or Fraternity Lodges was taken, but it was not until December 1935 that the first Exaltee, Bro Frank Geoffrey Dams of St Mary’s Lodge No 3879, from outside these two lodges was admitted. It also became a regular custom to hold an informal Ladies Evening after the February convocations. These proved very successful with musical entertainment provided by E Comp F R Simmonds Prov. G Organist.
1936 saw the death of King George V, the succession and abdication of Edward VIII, replaced by George VI, and the resignation of the Grand Superintendent E Comp Charles Rainsford due to ill health, who had been a regular visitor to the Chapter and presided at the majority of Installation meetings along with the 2nd and 3rd Provincial Principals. 1938 saw the first of the exaltees into the Chapter to be Installed as First Principal, E Comp F R Mitchel
During this time a dispensation was granted to move the meetings from The Masonic Temple, Broad Street to the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms, Hagley Road. The 1939 Installation Convocation was consequently held on Monday 4th December at the Edgbaston assembly rooms with proceedings to terminate at 8:45pm to comply with the Emergency regulations. From April 1940 the decision was taken to move all future meetings to Saturdays until further notice with earlier start times, typically early afternoon. Attendances at meeting during the war years were slightly down from previous meetings, the main reason being those Companions living some distance away were unable to travel due to restrictions and petrol rationing. The Festive boards were also affected by food rationing.
In 1942 the decision was made to reduce the size of the summons to a single A5 sheet as an economy measure with the items of labour replacing the list of Officers. August of that year saw the passing of the Most Excellent The First Grand Principal, M E Comp HRH The Duke of Kent and a 6 month period of mourning was ordered by Supreme Grand Chapter. At the normal installation meeting in October no new Principals were installed with the three existing incumbent Principals remaining in office for a second year, E Comps F R Simmonds as MEZ, B F Butterworth as H and F G Dams as J, the first time this had happened, due to there being no qualified Companions available to take the Office of Joshua. It was during those dark days that the Chapter owes an eternal debt of gratitude to E Comps F R Simmonds & B F Butterworth who held the Chapter together as they did on at least three other occasions.
Throughout the war years the Chapter continued to flourish with 15 Exaltations being carried out
At the end of the Second world war the move to the Edgbaston Assembly rooms was made permanent and the Summons reverted to its previous format. With Great Britan virtually bankrupt the period of austerity actually worsened after VE Day, with further rationing introduced, sugar rationing continuing into the fifties. December 1946 saw the first recorded occasion of a member of the Chapter being appointed to an Acting rank in the Provincial Grand Chapter of Warwickshire with E Comp B F Butterworth attaining the rank of Provincial Grand Registrar just 2 years after vacating the MEZ chair.
April 1949 saw a sudden influx of potential candidates for exaltation with 7 names being put forward. With membership already at 40 it was emphasised that caution be observed in future recommendations for membership so that the numerical strength of the Chapter should not be allowed to become unwieldy but that the maintenance of the spirit of true friendship among its members was the most important factor. Due to the inevitable delay two of the potential candidates later decided to seek alternative memberships elsewhere.
During the sixties the Chapter was honoured by visits from ME Supreme Grand King of Ireland E Comp Sydney Hanna, and ME PGSupt of Essex Ontario.
The Chapter continued to meet at the Edgbaston Assembly rooms until the completion of the new Warwickshire Masonic Temple, Clarendon Road, Edgbaston, in 1971 and the Chapter moved its meeting place there and held their regular meeting there until again relocating to the Masonic Hall in Redditch in 2014. The Chapter membership has remained fairly constant during the following years and 2022 saw the appointment of its first acting Provincial officer for many years E Comp Paul Buck to Provincial Grand Sojourner, 2 further Acting ranks were bestowed on E Comp Buck, culminating in the rank of Provincial Scribe Nehemiah, and 2 other companions also receiving Acting ranks as Stewards in the subsequent years.