John Ray writes:

“If you’re going to give a talk, always add a bit of magic”, as my English teacher might have said. If you know a bit about magic, are in the East Kent Province’s Communications Team, and need to sell a splendid new concept that you have developed, you must be Sam Watson. More anon.

On a glorious spring day, Thursday 20th March 2025, 125 Masons and Companions assembled at the Maidstone Masonic Centre for their twice-yearly get-together, the Provincial Officers’ Mess.

All who hold a Provincial Grand Rank in East Kent are eligible to join. For a modest annual subscription, you can attend the lunches (for which you pay) and listen to a talk by a Guest Speaker. Dress Code is jacket and tie.

At 1300 hrs precisely – they are good at this! – Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Graham Cuthbert called us all to order. Grace was led by 2nd Provincial Grand Principal Ian White. We all sat down for a splendid meal of Leek and Potato Soup, Beef in Red Wine, Fruit Meringues and Cheese and Biscuits, or a vegetarian alternative. I glanced over to the Top Table to see who was there. I spotted among them our Provincial Grand Master himself, Neil Hamilton Johnstone, in his role as Mess President, his Vice-President, Phil South, Mess Secretary David Graeme (in a striking outfit as usual!), and Geoffrey Gordon Dearing, a former PGM and former President of the Board of General Purposes at Grand Lodge. And there was one other chap, much younger than the others and sporting a full set of whiskers… Hmm!

If you read my notes on the October 2024 Mess meeting, you might recall that my dining companion Peter Funnell vowed to challenge the Dress Code by wearing shorts. I reminded him of this, but he apologised for forgetting. I suggested he roll up his trouser legs instead, which he did, revealing a pair of black socks with a robin embroidered on them. “Lovely,” I commented, “but your name isn’t Robin” – to which re retorted, “These aren’t my socks!” After that, I changed the subject, he adjusted his dress, and we got on with our meal.

At 1436 hrs Ian White led the Closing Grace. The Mess President led Toasts to “the King, the Craft and Royal Arch Masonry” and to “the Grand Master, His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent”. Having welcomed us warmly, the President asked the Mess Secretary if there were any Apologies. David Graeme read out a list, among whom was Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Rhodes. Peter then stood up, showing that he was there in the flesh as well as in spirit, to general mirth all around!

Andrew Berry, Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary, presented the Mess Accounts on behalf of Mess Treasurer William Daniels, who was unable to attend. The Accounts showed the Mess to be in good financial order. Provincial Senior Grand Warden Chris Metherell proposed, with Provincial Junior Grand Warden Roy Brooks seconding, that the Accounts be adopted. The Proposal was duly carried. The President paid tribute to the Treasurer for all the hard work he had done over the past eleven years in that capacity.

The President then addressed us all. “There is an awful lot going on in the Province,” he said. On the 11th April we would be holding both Craft and Chapter Annual General Meetings, with a meal sandwiched between [sorry, couldn’t resist that!]. It would be the first time we had held both meetings on the same day, which we were doing for financial and other reasons, and he was keen that we should give the Secretary our feedback on the arrangement.

He congratulated Graham Chisnell on his forthcoming appointment as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master, likewise Wayne Smith whose brief would include Community Engagement.

The Province’s 2025 Festival had only eight more months to go. It was still a challenge for us to meet our objective of raising £3.5 million, and it would need our enthusiasm and commitment to do so. He reminded us of the various ways in which we could help: for example, if everyone pledged to give a fiver a month for the next twelve months, that alone would lead us to exceed our target. All monies raised up to the end of 2026 would be included in the Province’s sum.

The Province was fully committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and was making good progress in fulfilling its aims. He was delighted that Kemsley Whittlesea, an Armed Forces veteran, had won a Gold Medal at the recent Invictus Games in Vancouver. [Applause all round]

More to come about that in the next issue of the Provincial Lite Magazine!

Regarding membership, Royal Arch (Chapter) was now in positive territory, with Craft nearly there. The Pathway and Archway processes were being brought together in May and would be developed further.

With a quick glance at his watch, the President said that it was high time he introduced Sam Watson of the Lodge of Rectitude and Harmony No.9093 and United Industrious Lodge No.31, the Architect of the new Provincial App, who would tell us all about it. He thereupon handed the microphone to our hirsute hero. Members of the Communications Team, including Assistant Provincial Grand Master Trevor Carter and Provincial Grand Communications Officers Paul Gear [there – I’ve got your names in, chaps!] bustled around making sure that cameras were set up correctly and software was duly loaded – and away they went!

Sam in full swing, a remarkable presentation using magic to demonstrate the flexibilty of the App. 

Now, Sam Watson is no ordinary speaker. He positively exuded enthusiasm for his subject – as well he might. He started by imagining a box that would one day contain everything we wanted or needed to know about Freemasonry. He showed us an empty box. With the dexterity of a professional magician, he then pulled out a box from the empty box. “This represents some of the information we hold,” he said. He drew another box out of the empty box. “And here’s some more.”  And, like the rabbits out of the hat, he proceeded to pull several more boxes out, all containing different sets of data. What we needed to do was assemble all those different sets of data into a comprehensive directory, a one-stop shop. “Taking everything we have and putting it all in one place” was his challenge – and the new Provincial App was the result.

At 1518 hrs, to hearty applause, the President thanked Sam for his talk – and for “slaving over a hot computer for more than a year” in developing the App. “This is another example of how the Province of East Kent leads the way on so many issues.”

The President asked the Secretary if there were any questions from the floor. There were none. Was there any other business? No. To warm applause, he thanked David Graeme for his four years as Mess Secretary. The next meeting would be on Thursday 16th October 2025.

“It is,” he added, “an absolute delight to be President of the Mess”.

Provincial Junior Grand Warden Roy Brooks concluded the proceedings by paying tribute to Neil Hamilton Johnstone and his wife Margaret. With that, we all rose as the distinguished Members and Guests retired from the meeting.

It was 1525 hrs. Some of us stayed to chat, while others made their way out into the sunshine, no doubt happy to have met, a little sorry to part, but happy that we’d meet again.

“Thursday 16th October 2025.”

It’s in my diary!

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