Mark Mason Initiated into Gwent Conclave No. 23 in Presence of Senior Masonic Leaders

At the Meeting of the Gwent Conclave No. 23 held on Thursday, 12 June 2025 at the Pontypool Masonic Hall, Companion Hywel Charles Lloyd – a well known and well respected Mark Mason – was initiated into the Order in the presence of R.II.Kt. Nigel Lloyd Angell JP (the Intendant-General of the Division), Ill.Kt. Ben Dykes P.G.Pref. (the Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree in Monmouthshire), P.Kt. Andrew Crump PprGSent (Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree in Monmouthshire) and E.Kt. Philip E. Sefton (Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree in Monmouthshire), and a Number of Grand Officers, Divisional Grand Officers and Members of the Conclave.

The Initiation was expertly and faultlessly carried out by the Sovereign, P.Kt. Craig Allford (who is also the Provincial Director of Ceremonies of the Mark Degree in Monmouthshire), together with the Viceroy, E.Kt. Philip Sefton, and the Orator, Ill.Kt. Bryn Price P.G.V.Chamb. who was praised by the Intendant-General for his delivery of the history of the Order.

In attendance also were P.Kt. Peter Turner, the Divisional Recorder, and P.Kt. Chris Mugford, the Deputy Captain of the Divisional Sepulchre Guard, who also assisted with the Ceremony as the Generals.

The Gwent Conclave No. 23 meets at the Masonic Hall, Trosnant Street, Pontypool NP4 8AT on the First Monday in February, June and November.

Those who are interested in joining the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine should contact the Assistant Divisional Recorder P.Kt. Peter Turner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pilgrims Conclave No 385 – Ascension Day Meeting

The knights of Pilgrims Conclave were joined last week at the Wrotham Masonic Centre, by the Intendant-General for the Division of Kent, R.Ill.Kt. David Green, together with his Deputy and other members of the Division to celebrate a very special day in the Christian calendar being Ascension Day. Once the Conclave had been opened, a special commemoration service was led by the Captain of the Divisional Sepulchre Guard, the Reverend Les Fraser, including readings from both the Intendant-General and the Deputy.

Having undertaken the service, the main work of the evening was to proclaim P.Kt. James Ashmore as Sovereign for a second year, and then to consecrate W.Kt. Anthony Chisholm as Viceroy of the Conclave. The consecration was undertaken by P.Kt. Stewart Bartle in an excellent manner, before the Most Puissant Sovereign invested his officers for the 2025/26 year, and whilst it was announced that there were a possible two Companions seeking to join this wonderful Order, the Sovereign encouraged all of the knights to look out for future candidates for the Conclave.

The acting High Prelate referencing the earlier Ascension day commemoration, reminded the knights of not only the Divisional Church Service in September, but that it was exactly 1,700 years ago that our Royal Founder, Constantine the Great had called for the Council of Nicaea to meet to consider the way forward for the Christian church, and would have been meeting on this day in 325 A.D., and sadly on this exact day in 1453, Constantinople which had been settled on by Constantine the Great, as the site of his Empire in 330 A.D., was sacked by the Ottoman Empire.

Once the Conclave was closed, the knights adjourned to the dining hall downstairs where a superb Festive Board was held and enjoyed by all those present.

 

Milion Conclave No. 447 Dorset and Wiltshire Division Meeting

On Friday, 30 May the Red Cross of Constantine Milion Conclave No. 447 met at Wareham Masonic Hall in Dorset in the presence of the Deputy-Intendant General for Dorset and Wiltshire V.III.Kt. Colin Swain.

The meeting included a double installation of Companions Paul Muir and Kelvin Latham into the Order by MP Kt Stephen Quant as MPS and E.Kt Richard Parkes as Viceroy. A delicious lunch was had afterwards at the hall.

Milion Conclave meets at Wareham Masonic Hall, Wareham, Dorset in the mornings on the last Friday in January , May and October (Enthronement) Any Companion within the Holy Royal Arch is eligible to join this Christian Military Order. If you wish to join this Conclave, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The photographs show all the Knights present and the newly Installed Knights with the Conclaves MPS and DIG (Photographs courteously of Andy Jennings)