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Banner Dedication of the East Kent Scriveners Lodge No
9622, 28th September 2007.
 The East Kent Scriveners Lodge was Consecrated on 25 November 1996 at the
Westgate Hall in Canterbury. There were 54 Founders. The first Master was W.
Bro. David Mander, who regrettably is no longer in Freemasonry. The four
Brethren who acted together to found the Lodge were: RW Bro Michael Bailey
(who was then a Lodge Secretary himself), W. Bros David Mander, Barry
Devereese and yours truly!!
However MRB and RWO could not become Founders as we were Consecrating
Officers and then to cap it all we were not able to become Hon Members
following the Consecration! It was left to the second meeting of the Lodge
for us to become the first Joining Members. The story then follows that after
becoming a joining member at the second meeting - nine minutes later I was
elected the Lodge's Second Master!!
The Lodge was established for Secretaries and Scribes E. and
their Assistants of Lodges and Chapters in the Province of East Kent - and it
is still a qualification for joining the Lodge. The Lodge meets twice a year
- the Installation being very minimalistic- as the purpose is to provide a
forum to discuss secretarial and administrative matters. A talk or
demonstration is always given at EACH meeting - anything from practical
first-aid to interactive IT.
Once a year the Lodge organises a Secretaries Seminar for all Secretaries and
Scribes E.
We meet regularly with other Secretaries Lodges from Middlesex,
Buckinghamshire, West Kent and Surrey. There is always great camaraderie at
all our meetings as we prove that Freemasonry can be fun - and that it stems
from the Secretaries themselves.
After the Lodge had been in existence for ten years, it was agreed that it
needed a Lodge Banner and thanks to generous donations from the Lodge members
the Banner was commissioned early in 2007.
A local Costume Designer and Seamstress from Appledore, near Ashford (who had
made a new Banner recently for the Stour Lodge No. 2305), Viva Wright, was
approached who designed the banner on the Lodge Badge. She embroidered the
Lodge badge in Blue and Silver onto a pale blue velvet background and
incorporated the Lodge Secretary's quill pens badge, the Rampant Invicta
horses of Kent and the Provincial crest into the design.
 The
Dedication meeting took place at the Franklin Rooms in Gillingham on Friday
28 September 2007 and was attended by over 110 Brethren and their Ladies. The
PGM, the Provincial Craft Executive and the Provincial Wardens were also in
attendance with their wives.
After a very short Lodge meeting, the Ladies were invited to join everyone in
the Lodge Room to witness the Dedication of the Lodge Banner. The Banner was
unveiled by the PGM and the Provincial Grand Chaplain, W Bro Ron Gamble, gave
a wonderful oration on the symbolism of the new Lodge Banner, the design and
the colours on the Banner. The Banner Party consisted of the Past Masters and
the Master Elect of the East Kent Scriveners Lodge and at the end of the
meeting a nervous Banner Bearer, the Provincial Grand Secretary, perambulated
around the Lodge to show everyone present the magnificent Banner.
After the Dedication we all enjoyed a delightful meal together (by which time
the needle worker Viva Wright had been able to join us) and the Ladies left
with a floral gift as a memento of a wonderful evening."
WBro. Roger Odd
Provincial Grand Secretary.
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