On the 20th May 2024 the newly amalgamated Western Area in the Province of East Lancashire held its first Royal Arch Joint Convocation. The Convocation brought together the Royal Arch Chapters from the four Masonic halls that make up the Western Area. The host Chapter of Unanimity No 42, a chapter of long history and heritage having celebrated its Semi quincentennial anniversary on the 11th November 2019, had a number of personal reasons for hosting the Convocation and is based at Bury Masonic Hall, 25 Parsons Lane, Bury.
The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, Excellent Companion Robert Frankl (Province of East Lancashire) with the First Principal of Chapter of Unanimity No 42.
When looking for a theme for a Joint Convocation a problem surfaced, what could we do, that is different from previous Joint Convocations that would make the evening enjoyable, unique and thought provoking that would make all who attended take away a lasting memory? Contact was made to the Masonic library in Singapore to enquire if there was any Royal Arch activity that took place during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in 1942. This became the starting point that set us on a journey that none of us could have imagined.
The information received from the librarian of Singapore’s Masonic library was on three Royal Arch Chapters that held Convocations during this period whilst incarcerated in the infamous Changi prison. It soon became clear that anything based on these convocations would be more than just a demonstration, it would be a story of courage, defiance, and the resilience of the human spirit. The minutes have survived for only one of these chapters, St George Chapter No 1152, on both a Business meeting held on the 2nd June 1942, and an Installation, held on 8th August 1942 along with evidence that the minutes were not confirmed until 16th July 1946 after Singapore was handed back to the British in September 1945. The decision was made, to base our Joint Convocation on minutes of these two Convocations.
The Convocation took the form of three playlets representing windows into the past on the Business meeting, Installation and confirmation of the minutes set in 1946. Narrators set the scene providing the audience with background information on the fall of Singapore, following the Battle of Singapore in 1942 as well as background to the infamous Changi prison. Information was then provided on the three Royal Arch Chapters known to have held convocations at Changi, these being, St George Chapter No 1152, Salangor Chapter No 2337 and Negri Sambilan Chapter No 3552. The playlets were acted out in accordance with the minutes, provided a powerful story of companionship, brotherhood and unity in the face of adversity with regards to Royal Arch Freemasonry.
Prisoners of War relaxing having been liberated.
The event was well attended with the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent for the Province of East Lancashire Excellent Companion Robert Frankl in attendance, shown in the picture to the right of the chapters First Principal along with the Second Provincial Principal Excellent Companion Anthony Freemont, far right, and the Third Provincial Principal Excellent Companion David Hudson, far left, as well as sixty-five other companions representing the eleven chapters that comprise the Western Area.
The social board was both relaxed and enjoyable
