It was a cool, April evening when a smattering of members of our charming little club descended in full force on the leafy little hamlet of St Albans. “Who are these dapper lads?” everyone asked, but sadly due to the time of day they were unable to discover for the want of light. We entered into a very grandiose provincial temple and, after some assorted skullduggery with the Wardens columns, we were well immersed in a Hertfordshire installation of a fresh faced Master-to-be. Highlights included one club members phone going off several times (sorry!), an almost Shakespearean performance by the newly installed master, and a scholastic presentation of a certificate (which was later aptly described pointedly as “extremely comprehensive”).
Needless to say it was a fantastic meeting with a truly impressive level of ritual. The splendour only increased from that point with a riotous festive board where all of our assorted brethren claimed raffle supremacy (winning an assortment of wine and industrial size boxes of Twinnings). The evening was rounded off with a wonderful toast to our hosts which was given by W.Bro Muirhead (a man who added his own unique and audible twist to the ‘SILENT’ fire). After a great night we said our goodbyes in true brotherly fashion and convoyed back off into the oily blackness of the provincial night trying our best to fend off the onset of a hefty food coma until we arrived home.
