Newsletter Nov 2003, Feb & May 2004 Time flies!  W. Bro. Mark Dalton is three quarters of the way through his year  as Master of this Lodge. He was installed into the Chair last November in an excellent manner by the Installing Master, W. Bro. Kevin Bird, who was assisted at an appropriate time by W. Bro. Vic Dalton and he appointed and invested his Officers in a very competent manner. The Lodge of Instruction held its Annual Dinner in December in its usual venue - The George and Dragon at Mountnessing, although rumour has it that they might well look for a new venue in future. In February, the Worshipful Master vacated the Chair in favour of W. Bro. John Palmer who initiated his nephew, Bro. Darren Robert Bartlett into the Craft, and W. Bro. Simon Higgins rendered the Ancient Charge. W. Bro. Gareth Thomas was appointed to the Provincial Rank of Past Provincial Grand Standard Bearer and was invested by the Provincial Grand Master at the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge held at Freemasons' Hall in March and the Lodge made a contribution towards the cost of his Provincial Clothing. At the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, the Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Bro. Sir Neil Thorne, announced his intention of retiring from Office in September, 2005. He thanked W. Bro. Alan Croucher for many years of devoted service to Essex Masonry as Assistant Provincial Grand Master and appointed W. Bro. Sidney Gane as Assistant Provincial Grand Master in his stead. Sadly, W. Bro. Ken Harvey the Provincial Grand Secretary had died after a brief illness, weeks before the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge and his memorial service, which I attended, was held in Chelmsford Cathedral on the 17th. April, 2004.      W. Bro. Andrew Bishop, the Deputy Provincial Grand Secretary has since been appointed as Provincial Grand Secretary in his stead. The May meeting was sparsely attended. The Senior Warden's Chair was occupied by W. Bro. Simon Higgins; the Office of Senior Deacon was occupied by Bro. Richard Smith and that of Junior Deacon by W. Bro. Dave Innocent. The Worshipful Master opened the Lodge in a confident manner, the Lodge stood to order in memory of Bro. Fred Watkins who had recently died after a long and sad illness and the oration was given by W. Bro. Jim Fretwell. The Worshipful Master vacated the Chair in favour of W. Bro. John Palmer who performed the Ceremony of Passing for Bro. Robert Bartlett, the Candidate. The explanation of the Second Degree Working Tools was extremely well presented by Bro. David Innocent (Junior) and that of the Second Degree Tracing Board by W. Bro. Simon Higgins. Sadly it was reported that three brethren had been excluded for the non-payment of Lodge Dues for the past two years. W. Bro. Cyril Evans brought with him a guest by the name of W. Bro. Tom Kemp, the Immediate Past Master of the Norfolk Farmers Lodge No. 8393 in the Province of Norfolk. Bro. Tom who farms on the outskirts of Swaffham is the great nephew of W. Bro. Eric Kemp, Secretary of this Lodge for many years. He brought with him a very interesting Scrapbook containing photographs of the Kemp family. Apparently the Kemps came from farming stock and migrated to London from Lincolnshire. Being the only visitor he had no option but to reply on his own behalf which he did with a great deal of wit and mirth in his broad Norfolk accent much to the delight of the Brethren, for Bro. Tom is a well-known and endearing character in Norfolk Masonry.   W. Bro. Cyril Evans, PGStdB, PPJGW Chaplain.