The East Lancashire Royal Arch Presentation Team recently visited Imperial George Chapter No 78 at Middleton Masonic Hall to perform “Crafty Companions” for the members of the Chapter, and a group of Master Masons. As one of the principal purposes of the Presentation Team is to encourage Master Masons to consider joining the Royal Arch, they accepted the offer very readily.

The meeting took place on Tuesday, 29th April, which turned out to be a very pleasant spring day. The team congregated at Middleton in time for a practice and to get ready. Because of the nature of the performance, this was one of the occasions when the team stayed out of the meeting, in order to create more of a surprise during the performance itself.

On this occasion the Chapter Meeting itself was quite extensive, as there was a good deal of business to attend to under the guidance of the Chapter’s Three Principals.

However, in due course, the last items were dealt with, the Chapter was closed and the Master Masons were admitted to the Chapter Room, which was now set up for the presentation. EComp Edwin Cheadle, PGStB, who is a Vice President of the Presentation Team, but is also the Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals for the Eastern Area of our Province, was on hand to introduce the team to the waiting Audience. This he did with both alacrity and grace.

The Presentation Team then performed “Crafty Companions”, this piece introduces the audience to many of the characters who inhabit the ritual of both the Craft and the Royal Arch. One by one they strode into the room and introduced themselves and told their stories. I will not go any farther than that, since you already know the piece from having seen it, or if you do not, I shall not spoil the occasion when you do see this excellent piece of work by describing it in detail.

At the end, the Most Excellent First Principal of the Chapter, EComp David Clayton, thanked the members of the team for a first rate experience, commenting that he was sure that all those who had been privileged to see this work would remember it for a long time.