Peace and Unity at Christmas

The Lodge Room at the Gillingham Masonic Centre was packed to the gunnels when 139 Brethren attended Peace & Unity Lodge No 4101’s December Christmas Meeting. In addition to their usual festive guests from the Prince George Duke of Kent Court RMBI home at Chislehurst, Peace & Unity also welcomed members of the Show Business Lodge, Chelsea No 3098.

After a short Regular Meeting the Lodge was closed and David Neale and Michael Harridine of the Chelsea Lodge, together with very vocal support from their Road Show colleagues, presented a highly amusing and very informative account of the history of the Lodge, which was consecrated in 1905. Many well known persons from show business, such as Bob Monkhouse, Dick Emery, Arthur English, Alfred Marks, Peter Sellers, Mick McManus, Roger De Courcey, Roger Kitter, Joe Pasquale and keyboard legend Rick Wakeman have been, or are, members of the Lodge.

At the Festive Board a bumper sum of £600 was raised by a raffle for the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity. A further £100 was raised for the Brethren of the Prince George Duke of Kent Court, courtesy of the Chelsea Lodge members who auctioned a signed copy of the autobiography of actor Graham Cole (PC Tony Stamp in TV’s ‘The Bill’ and a member of the Chelsea Lodge). After responding to the toast to the Guests and Visitors, the Road Show entertained everyone with a magnificent cabaret which included Fat Man & The Tenor (Mike Jerome & Paul Kaye-Jones), the ‘comedians’ comedian’ WBro George Saunders, comedian and magician Miki Travis (aka Michael Smith PrGStwd of East Kent) and singer Geoff (Kurly) Howells.

Accolades for the evening subsequently received included ‘Not only did it bring back memories of long ago, but it was a truly magnificent evening’; ‘Highlight of my year’; and ‘I was still high on Sunday……..’ Wow!

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