On Friday 4th September 20126, a Confraternity of Knights marched on Perranporth for the annual Enthronement meeting of Joseph of Arimathea Conclave No.253. And the local presentation of a 40 year Certificate to R.Ill.& Ven.Kt. Dr. Peter Blackwell-Smyth G.C.C. Past Grand Eusebius.
Leading was the Intendant General Right Illustrious Knight Nicholas St. John, Middleton, White accompanied by the Deputy Intendant General Illustrious Knight John Redman.
On this occasion he was also in the company of R.Ill.& Em.Kt Kt. Peter Hawken MBE G.C.C. Past Deputy Grand Sovereign, along with members of the Divisional Team P.Kt. Robin Clowes, Senior General, P.Kt. Mick Carter Divisional Recorder, Ill.Kt. Peter Durrant, Captain of the Sepulchre Guard, P.Kt. Rob Rew, Divisional Chamberlain, and P.Kt. Jim Davis, Divisional Prefect.
The conclave was opened by the MPS Ill. Kt. Graham Hooper, P.G.Prefect, Deputy Divisional Marshal.
Following early agenda items, the Puissant Sovereign then carried out the ceremony of Proclamation for the Viceroy, Ill.Kt. Peter Johns P.G.WofR, in a superb manner. After which officers of the conclave were appointed.
Unfortunately, the Sovereign Elect was unavailable.
Our Intendant General then took the floor and carried out an interview with R. Ill. & Ven. Kt. Dr.Peter Blackwell-Smyth G.C.C, Past Grand Eusebius, which was an informal question and answer event.
Peter informed us that he was initiated into his University Lodge No 357 in 1974.
When he moved to Cornwall, he joined Roseland Lodge No 8734 in the EC and is now the oldest member!
He was exalted into the Royal Cornubian Chapter No 331 on December 6th 1976.When he moved to St Austell, he joined Mt Edgecumbe Chapter and later became a Founder member of Tewington Chapter where he was MEZ in 1996. And promoted PGStdB in 2016.
He came to know about the Red Cross of Constantine quite early in his Masonic life and realised even then that, being a Christian Order, it would become a major part of the Freemasonry he wished to practise. Nevertheless, he decided to leave it till he had more time to devote to it.
However, that plan was not known to the late Rt Ill Kt Nicholas Barrington, whom he known from his school days in Ireland!
Rt. Ill. Kt. Barrington decided there was no better time for Peter to join the Order than when he was the Most Puissant Sovereign of Joseph of Arimathea! Needless to say, he gave in and was installed as a Knight of the Order on 6th June 1986. Peter was soon appointed Gran High Priest of the Conclave and even today hold that Office!! He was MPS in 1997.
Later, he became Divisional Sub Prelate and then High Prelate of this Division of Devon and Cornwall.
At this point Peter called a stop to the interview to pay tribute to the late Rt Ill Kt. Keith Barry Jackson, who was Grand Historiographer of our Order and our Divisional IG from 1990-2004. He was a great loss to our Order when he died in 2022.
Peter felt, particularly when he was asked to become Grand Sub Prelate and then Grand High Prelate, that our Rt Ill Brother was keeping his eye on me and ‘promoting my prospects in the Grand Imperial Conclave’ I think he even saw that I might rise to the dizzying height of Grand Eusebius in 2011!! Thank you, Keith!
You may be surprised to know that the Office of Grand Eusebius is relatively new and did not come into being until 2003.
When his appointment came, he was totally overwhelmed. Imagine my name appearing on every summons in the RCC worldwide!
He was appointed, obligated, consecrated, installed, and proclaimed by M.Ill. Kt Richard Victor Wallis at the Annual Assembly of the GIC meeting in Edgbaston on 5th July 2011, in a most impressive ceremony. And you will be pleased to know that the first installation he attended was here in my mother conclave in Perranporth on July 8th.
The main duty of the Grand Eusebius in our Order is to assist the Grand Sovereign in the Constitution, Dedication, and Consecration of new Conclaves of the Order. As any of you who have attended such a ceremony will know, the Consecrating Eusebius plays a major role in this ceremony, including an oration.
During my tenure in office, I was involved in 12 Consecrations. The most unusual of these was in Sofia in Bulgaria where we were ferried about in darkened Mercedes by drivers with bulky armpits!
Another Overseas Division he came to know well was that of Benelux, which is made up mainly by citizens of Belgium and the Netherlands. Peter attended many enjoyable meetings there, including the Consecration of a new Conclave and the Installation of a new IG.
An early connection was to preside at a Carol Service in Utrecht in December 2011.
Although there are no “speaking parts” for a Grand Eusebius in the Installation ceremony for a new IG he did attend several of these, including, of course, that of Richard Alan Lucas in 2013.
Also, during his years of Office he decided, perhaps without enough discussion, to visit several of the Divisions and managed about 23 out of 29.
As well as his ‘ex officio’ involvement with the Ceremonies of our Order, many other related invitations came my way!
Becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order, being invited to join St.Andrew’s Conclave which is the personal Conclave of the Sovereign and the Grand Sovereign’s Council No 500.
Taking part in the Sesquicentennial Service of the Order in Lincoln Cathedral 2016.
I was also asked to preach at the Centennial Service, the Knights Templar. This was because our Grand Sovereign was Grand Commander at the time.
Another significant part of his life as Grand Eusebius was the appointment of Rt Ill and Em. Kt Peter Hawken MBE as Deputy GS on 02/07/13. It made my life easier to have such a good friend in this position, although it may have made the life of the I G Of Devon and Cornwall more difficult!
Although he could not recall the date one of the last things I did as Grand Eusebius was, with Richard Lucas, to present a cheque to Little Harbour Hospice in St Austell.
In conclusion, Peter received sustained applause and the Intendant General thanked Peter for his service to the Order and to the Division.
Following a wonderful meeting and interview we retired to the Refectory to enjoy our Festive Board of Salad and Cheese with one or two more stories!