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The Lord Mayor Takes the Chair!

Kent Museum of Freemasonry

 

 

Picture of Richard Dixy, a visiting volunteer standing next to the MCF banner

The 90th Anniversary of the Museum

Viewing the ancient Egyptian Maul 4,000 years old

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VISIT BY THE LORD MAYOR OF CANTERBURY

Vɪsɪᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ Lᴏʀᴅ Mᴀʏᴏʀ ᴏꜰ Cᴀɴᴛᴇʀʙᴜʀʏ ᴏɴ 27 Mᴀʀᴄʜ 2023
This year the Kent Masonic Museum and Library Trust, more commonly known as the Kent Museum of Freemasonry, is celebrating its 90th anniversary. It was opened on 19th April 1933 by the then Provincial Grand Master for Kent, RW Bro. the Rt Hon. the Lord Cornwallis. While the Province of Kent was subsequently split into East Kent and West Kent, the Musuem and Library remains as such for the whole of Kent.
A warm welcome to the museum by the Provincial Grand Master of East Kent, Neil Hamilton Johnstone, with the Lord Mayor and her consort.

A warm welcome

In recognition of its 90th birthday the Trustees invited the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Anne Dekker, and her Consort, her husband Mr. Ken Dekker, to visit the Museum and Library. Many thanks must go here to Peter Hazlewood, one of our Trustees, who was instrumental in organising the visit.

The Lord Mayor was pleased to accept our invitation, and toured the Museum and Library on Monday 27th March, accompanied by her Consort. She was received by W. Bro. Richard Wingett, Chairman of the Trustees, who introduced her to Neil Hamilton, Provincial Grand Master for East Kent, and Ian Gallehawk, Deputy Provincial Grand Master of West Kent.

After her initial welcome, she was taken on a tour of first the museum and then the library by Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins.
In the museum, the Lord Mayor was shown in particular our collection of historic books: a 1723 Anderson Book of Constitutions, a 1588 Geneva Bible and a 1613 King James Bible.
In the Library, the Lord Mayor was shown several ancient books of interest, and also shown our oldest exhibit: an ancient Egyptian Maul believed to be up to 4,000 years old.
(The authenticity of the maul has been verified by the British Museum).
At the conclusion of the tour, on behalf of the Museum and of both Provinces, the RW Provincial Grand Master presented the Lord Mayor with a donation to the Lord Mayor’s Charity and a small masonic trowel as a memento of the visit. The Lord Mayor spoke, thanking all for a very interesting tour of the Museum and Library, and remarking up on the connection Kent Freemasonry has had with the local community.
The Lord Mayor and her consort being shown round the museum.
A picture of the King James Bible along with some other exhibits on a table ion the museum to view.
Afterwards the Lord Mayor and her Consort were shown around the main Lodge Room in the adjacent Canterbury Masonic Hall, where she was invited to sit in the Master’s Chair. She was joined by her Consort, and both the Provincial Grand Master and Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
The visit was concluded with a small buffet in the centre with a good amount of convivial conversation, before the Lord Mayor’s party departed.

 

A picture of the Lord Mayor centre, sitting in the Masters Chair in the Canterbury lodge room.
A picture of the heavy maul

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THE ASSOCIATION OF PATRONS

The purpose of our Association of Patrons is to support the Kent Masonic Museum & Library Trust financially in any way that it can and to consistently help to raise its profile, both internally with Freemasons and externally across all sections of society in Kent and beyond.

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