In September Romeland Lodge No 7080 hosted the International Gathering of Lodges named for St Alban.This, as it name suggests, is an International event in September or October of each year at various locations throughout the world.
Each year any money raised at the ‘Gathering’ is forwarded to St Albans Abbey to assist in the restoration work being carried out there.
St Albans Lodge No 2786 hosted the event about 10 years ago at The Masonic Girls School at Rickmansworth so this year Davie Horne, Romland secretary, took on the task of organising the event.
The guests stayed in St Albans and a programme of events was organised covering the whole weekend.
There was a Masonic Meeting at Ashwell House on Saturday September 5 which was attended by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master VW Bro Allan Atkinson when a third degree ceremony was conducted. While the men were at the meeting the wives were taken by coach to Waddesdon Manor where they enjoyed a tour of the house and gardens and a buffet lunch.
There was a banquet on the Saturday evening at the hotel and on the Sunday morning over 50 masons and their wives attended a church service at the Abbey attended by the Sub Dean, the Rev Canon Stephen Lake.
The first photograph shows the presentation of a cheque for £800 from RW Bro John Clyburn from New Jersey USA - The International Chairman of the ‘Gathering’ and W Bro Russell Combs from Philadelphia USA handing over a framed photograph of St Alban to Canon Lake.
The second photograph shows guests on the top table at the banquet.They are from left to right, Most Worshipful Bro Allan Petrisor, Past Grand Master of The Province of Ontario Canada and his wife Mary Petrisor, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master VW Bro Allan Atkinson, W Bro Colin Murray Master of Romeland Lodge No 7080 and his wife Stephanie Murray and RW Bro John Clyburn from New Jersey USA - The International Chairman of the ‘Gathering’.
The International Gathering of Lodges Named for St Albans website which can be found at http://www.stalbanslodges.org
