To the strains of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, the Consecration of the St John of Cardiff Preceptory got underway on the 4th April in Cardiff.
The choice of music, impressively played on the organ by VEKt Naunton Liles, was a fitting reminder to all present of the historic nature of the event that was about to take place for it was in 1812 that Knight Templar Masonry first came to Wales.
Underlining still further the historic nature of the event, the Provincial Prior, REKt Dr Paul Richard Calderwood, pointed out that the last time a Knight Templar Preceptory had been Consecrated to serve Cardiff had been over a hundred years ago. That was in January 1914 when the Consecration took place for Morganwg Preceptory (now based at Penarth).
Thus, the proceedings in April this year attracted a large attendance and took place in The Connaught Temple – the very same room in which Morganwg Preceptory had been Consecrated a few months before the outbreak of the First World War. The Consecrating Officer was the Provincial Prior and the Installing Officer was the Provincial Sub-Prior, EKt David Francis Court. A strong team of Provincial Officers took part in the ceremony under the direction of the Provincial Marshal, EKt Carl Davies and his Deputy, EKt Roger Thompson, together with the Provincial Vice-Chancellor, EKt Nigel E Williams.
The Great Prelate, REKt Revd. Malcolm Lane KCT, said that the name adopted by the new preceptory had been taken in respectful allusion to the ancient church of St John nearby – a building which had inspired the names of several other Masonic units in Cardiff including the Royal Arch and Royal Ark Mariners.
Both the Provincial Prior and the Great Prelate spoke about the strong prospects for growth which lay before the new preceptory - since it would be the only KT Preceptory meeting in the Capital City of Wales, and in a building that hosted the largest number of Royal Arch Chapters in the Principality.
The meeting was supported by a number of Right Eminent Knights including the Provincial Prior for Cheshire and North Wales, REKt Dr Anthony Mathie, the Past Provincial Prior for Northampton, Huntingdon and Bedford, REKt Dr Vivian Thomas and the Great Marshal, REKt Timothy Wheeler KCT.
At the conclusion of the Consecration, EKt Ariel Roque was installed as the first Eminent Preceptor of the St John of Cardiff Preceptory which is number 712 on the roll of The Great Priory of England and Wales and its Provinces Overseas.
As Chaplain, he appointed EKt Michael Hopkins, Grand Superintendent for Wales of the Order of Knight Templar Priests. As Constables he appointed Kt Darren Evans and Kt Andrew Thomas. The full list of Founders included Kt Andrew Newson, EKt Wayne Cowley, EKt James E C Thompson, Kt Chris Mugford, EKt David Yeates PPHerald, Kt Nick Azzopardi, Kt Richard Beecher, Kt Anthony R Davies, Kt James Forbes Keir, EKt Ralph Powell, EKt Ken Bonham, EKt Mike Lewis ProvHerald, Kt Anthony Lewis, Kt Carmichael Reardon-James and Kt James Welsh.
Following the ceremony, the Founders elected as Honorary Members all the members of the Consecration Team together with EKt George Royle who had been such a guiding influence and strong supporter of the new preceptory from its early days.
The Registrar of the Preceptory, EKt Wayne Cowley, announced a significant number of applications for membership and he encouraged members of the Royal Arch who are not already in the United Orders of the Temple to contact him if they would also like to join the Cardiff preceptory. The preceptory email address is [email protected]