On Saturday 22nd June the members of the Division and many guests from other Divisions attended the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Annual Divisional Conclave meeting at Botley, Southampton.
Prior to the opening of Divisional Conclave, the Intendants General from other Divisions, of which there were 11, processed into the meeting. Then the Knights Commander of Constantine , R.Ill.Kt Roger Bricknell KCC, Past Intendant General of this Division and R.Ill.Kt. Matthew Burt KCC, Past Intendant General of Dorset and Wiltshire, were conducted into the meeting by the Divisional Marshal. Finally, the Intendant General and his Divisional Officers processed into the meeting.
The Intendant General, R.Ill.Kt.Steven Groeger welcomed everyone and then opened the Divisional Conclave meeting.
A wonderful Service of rededication was given by the Divisional High Prelate, P.Kt. Tony Richards with the readings being given by the Deputy Intendant General, V.Ill.Kt. Kevin Todd MBE.
The Intendant General then welcomed all our guests from other Divisions (11 Intendant’s General, 9 Deputy Intendant’s General, 5 Divisional Recorders and 5 other guests) and the Heads of the companion orders within the Division/Province (10 companion orders were represented).
The general items of business were continued with which included a requiem for those knights of the Division that had passed away over the last year.
It was then time for the Intendant General to appoint and invest his officers for 2024-25.
This started with him reappointing V.Ill.Kt Kevin Todd MBE as his Deputy Intendant General, thanking him for all the support and guidance which he had received during the last year.
He then appointed Ill.Kt. Mark Denton as the Divisional Eusebius.
Before investing him, Ill.Kt. Tony Bargrove, the existing Divisional Eusebius was presented to the Intendant General who thanked him for all the support he had given in the previous three years.
The Intendant General then invested Ill.Kt. Mark with his regalia which included a very ill fitting Mitre (see photo).
He thanked Mark for everything he had done as Divisional Recorder over the previous five years.
The remainder of the Divisional officers including the Divisional Sepulchre guard were then presented and appointed.
The Intendant General then gave his address to Divisional Conclave in which he congratulated all those that had received appointment to Grand rank and to Divisional rank. He looks forward to working with them at the Official visits over the coming year.
He also mentioned attendance, or lack of attendance, at Conclave meetings and the difficulties this gave to conclave when performing ceremonies. He informed everyone that to assist conclaves the Appendant Orders ceremony will be hosted at 2 Conclaves in 2024-25 (St Peter and St Paul Conclave and King Aethelwulf Conclave) rather than each individual conclave. Conclaves should support these meetings with their members volunteering to perform parts of the ceremony as well as providing their candidates for the ceremony.
He informed the attendees of the Christian principles that we should all be adhering to which included Charity. He then informed the attendees that a donation of £1000 was to be made to the Grand Sovereigns Care for Children fund. He then requested that the Provincial Grand Master of the Craft, R.W.Bro Jon Whitaker, and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark, W.Bro Tony Green, to be presented to him. The Craft and Mark Provinces are both currently in festival and the Intendant General presented each of these with a cheque of £750 towards their respective festivals.
Following his address he introduced those W.Kt’s that had been admitted into the Order over the last year. These W.Kt’s were presented to him and he welcomed them personally and presented each of them with a Red Cross of Constantine lapel pin. He then asked the knights of the Division to welcome them whenever they see them and to give them any help and guidance etc, informing them that these knights were the future of their conclaves and also the Division so they need to be looked after.
Divisional Conclave was then closed and everyone adjourned to drinks at the bar before a wonderful after proceedings.
At the after proceeding the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark presented the Intendant General with a cheque for £500 which would be donated to the Vestry fund at the Church of St Cross, following the wonderful Christian Order Church Service that was held there recently.
The Intendant General thanked him and the Brethren of the Mark for this wonderful and generous donation.
The after proceeding culminated in the toasts which included a very unique toast to the Intendant General by the Deputy Intendant General which included participation of all the Knights in attendance.
All left having had a wonderful day and hopefully a safe journey home.
We look forward to seeing everyone during the year and at the Annual Divisional conclave meeting in June 2025.
PS. Unfortunately there were no photographs taken prior to the after proceedings as we don’t have an official Divisional photographer. If any member of the Division wishes to act as Divisional photographer, please inform the Intendant General or Divisional Recorder.