The relatively small meeting of 16 attendees went well with a demonstration/rehearsal of the ceremony of Elevation. John Kirkpatrick, the Senior Deacon, could not make it having called me the day before explaining a crisis at his place of work (one of the partners of his firm had suddenly resigned, I think, causing three peoples work to be handled by two).
Fortunately, the McMafia Squad from Wallingford – Frank Hames, Ted Lewis and Clive Blackburn – had booked themselves in for the meeting. Happily, Frank acted as Senior Deacon and Ted Lewis pretended to be a candidate. Frank did an excellent job and Ted behaved himself as best he could. Other commendable performances were carried out by Colin Wills (Worshipful Commander) and Alan Raffaelli as Senior Warden who was deservedly elected as Worshipful Commander for the ensuing year. John Halliday heckled the Lodge’s ‘brilliant and charismatic’ (surely not!) Scribe in his usual manner but nothing less was expected from this Grand Officer.
Everyone seemed happy and that was the main thing.
David Medley
Scribe
Linden Acre Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No. 1568
