END OF ACT II: START OF ACT III
I am pursuing my theme that my ten-year tenure is divided into five acts of two years each. It is a cliché that time flies when you are enjoying yourself; certainly the last four years seem to have flown past with unnerving speed. In that time I have visited 121 Lodges in the Province and can now make the proud claim that, since taking up active office as a Provincial Deputy DC in 1992, I have indeed been to each and every one of our Lodges. Again I thank those who have escorted me, and you, Brethren, for the warmth of your reception. This year I have attended quite a few meetings: of about ten other Provinces, of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys of which I am a Trustee, of our Rulers’ Forum Group (with Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk) of which I am currently chairman, and of the Rulers’ Forum itself in London. For four years I have been a member of the Panel for Clemency but never attended a meeting – I understand that names of those invited to attend are decided by the drawing of lots, a rather biblical process in which I fare as well as I normally do in raffles.
With much help from many Brethren – some of whom have contributed time and effort, others generously donated money – our new HQ is successfully operating. So attractively was it equipped that a couple of burglars smashed their way in on a Sunday evening and liberated three computers and a data projector. Happily the operation was a fairly surgical one: with the alarms ringing, speed was of the essence with no time for other damage. Happily, too, the computers contained no overtly sensitive information. Insurance has covered the damage and the theft but, of course, we have had to invest in better security. It is another cliché, but an accurate one in this case, to say that it could have been worse.
Hertfordshire Masters’ Lodge donated one hundred thousand pounds to the project. This money derives from the bequest of Roger Hodge and the meeting room in Fleet House which is named in his memory is now almost complete. Brian Tierney has found the time in his busy life as the senior APGM to catalogue the books and artefacts there, some of which are on loan from individuals and Lodges. In particular, I want to express my thanks to the Board at Watford for the loan of the jewels of members of the Halsey family who were between them Provincial Grand Masters for over eighty years. Thanks also to John Gandy whose expertise and generosity have been indispensable in this process.
Act III will culminate in our Festival for the Grand Charity. The Festival itself will be celebrated at the Connaught Rooms on Saturday 13 June 2009. We must all now redouble our efforts to make the Festival a success, to which end I am relying on the good work of Lodge Charity Stewards in particular.
Brethren, I am enjoying myself enormously. I wish you all a similar and continuing enjoyment from your Masonry in Happy Hertfordshire.
Colin Harris
R.W. Provincial Grand Master