The month of April is unusual in that there is only one Rose Croix Chapter meeting in the District of North East Lancashire, so it seemed only sensible to accept invitations to visit Chapters in neighbouring districts to ‘fly the flag’ as it were, for our own district.

Byker Masonic Hall, Newcastle
And so it was that on Wednesday 13th April, I paid a visit to St. Blasius Chapter in Skipton, along with Peppe Cavaleri, the current MWS of Colne St. Bartholomew Chapter, and on Saturday 16th April, Jack Aston and I made the long trek north on the A1 to Byker to attend the Annual Meeting of the Northumberland District, hosted by St. Gabriel Chapter. Our Past Inspector General, V. Ill. Bro David Hawkins, was on holiday in the area and joined us at Byker.
Both visits were most enjoyable – we witnessed an excellent Enthronement ceremony at St. Blasius Chapter and a Perfection ceremony at St. Gabriel Chapter – as is usual for a District Meeting, the ceremony was conducted by Sovereigns of several Chapters. These meetings also give us the opportunity to meet up with Inspectors General and District Recorders from other Districts and exchange ideas, opinions and generally put the world to rights!
The welcome we received in both districts was wonderful and the standards of catering at both Skipton and Byker Masonic Halls were of the usual high standards we are accustomed to enjoying in our Order.