Breaking News

Thursday 12 th February 2026 at Rochford Masonic Centre, Essex.

A Golden Meeting in the K.T. Province of Essex Hugo de Payens Preceptory No. 467 held their 50 th Anniversary meeting on Thursday 12 th February 2026 at Rochford Masonic Centre, Essex. Not only did a very well attended meeting help the Preceptory celebrate this Golden Anniversary but they also enjoyed the excellent installation of the Registrars son, Kt Michael Darby. In the company of the R.E. Provincial Prior of Essex, Roger Langdon Smith, escorted by members of the Provincial team and the Bodyguard, 31 Knights shared in a very memorable occasion. In a fitting celebration, the Preceptory Registrar, E. Kt Trevor Darby took an active role in installing his son into the Order to the delight of those present. The occasion was marked very especially by the Preceptory making the Provincial Prior an Honorary member, much to his surprise and delight In keeping with the anniversary theme and in recognition of the Provinces own Centenary in 2030, the Preceptory presented the Provincial Prior with a very generous cheque for £1000, making them a Bronze Patron of the Provinces Centenary Fund, The Provincial Prior had much pleasure in presenting the Preceptory with a certificate to mark the donation. At the Festive Board, the Knights dined together in peace and harmony and enjoyed a specially made cake – as photographed – presented by E. Kt David Dann It proved to be a very memorable and enjoyable meeting for all those present and a suitable celebration of this important event.

50th Anniversary Cake (Expanded view)		Knights of Hugo de Payen with visiting Knights (Expanded view)

12th January 2026 - An Essex Link to the Past

In 2030 the Province of Essex will be 100 years old and in the run up to that celebration a number of collectable items will be produced. The first of these was a set of Limited edition Cufflinks of which only 100 sets were produced. The profit from the sale of the Cufflinks has gone to the Jerusalem Eye Hospital The cufflinks are a copy of the first Provincial Prior the Rev. Felix E Crate’s Collar Jewel. The original collar jewel is in sterling silver and is hall marked 1930 the year of the consecration of the Knights Templar Province of Essex. At the recent Provincial Priors Conference at MMH in London, the Provincial Prior of Essex R.E.Kt. Roger Smith took the opportunity to present to the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master Paul Clement and to the Great Vice Chancellor Dan Heath a presentation pair of these cufflinks.

Malta Degree Candidates (Expanded view)		Members of the Provincial Bodyguard (Expanded view)

24th October 2025 - The Province of Essex Provincial Malta Ceremony

On the 24th October 2025 the Province of Essex again held its annual Malta ceremony at Saxon Hall, Southend-On-Sea where 10 Candidates took their Degree and were welcomed into the Order.

This continues the long tradition within the Province of holding a well-attended Malta meeting.

This popular annual meeting is the principal event at which Knights are invited to take their Malta Degree although the Province affords Knights many opportunities to go through the Ceremony, including the Combined Malta meeting in June each year and full Malta ceremonies in 4 individual Priories.

As such, the Malta Degree is very well represented and attended within Essex.

The Provincial meeting, presided over by the Sub Prior E Kt Mark Harrison and in the presence of the Provincial Prior, R E Kt Roger Langdon Smith, was a great success and enjoyed by over 100 Knights, including a number of heads of other orders in Essex, lead by the R.W. Provincial Grand Master of the Craft, R.E.Kt. Paul Tarrant KCM.

The Provincial Sub Prior was ably assisted in the ceremony by E Kt Shane Clapham, E Kt Malcolm Peter, E Kt Daniel Moodey and members of the Bodyguard.

The photos below show the Provincial Prior and Sub Prior together with all 10 candidates and with members of the Provincial Bodyguard.

A total of 90 Knights dined together afterwards in peace and harmony.

Malta Degree Candidates (Expanded view)		Members of the Provincial Bodyguard (Expanded view)

(Photographs by the Provincial Photographer Kt. Robert Brettell)

21st September 2025 - Annual Essex Knights Templar Family Church Service - "A Colourful Attendance"

At what was another excellent turnout, the Knights of the Province of Essex joined with the regular congregation for the annual Family Church Service at St Peters in the Fields, Bocking, Braintree.

Once again, it was a delight to enjoy the annual Service in the near capacity church which was led for the fourth time by Rev Richard Chand and aided by the Provincial Prelate, V.E. Kt Les Retford.

A congregation in excess of 150 attended a wonderful Service including the Anthems sung by the Choir.

In attendance and reading the Lessons was the Provincial Prior, RE Kt Roger Langdon Smith and the Provincial Sub Prior, E Kt Mark Harrison accompanied by their wives Veronica and Sharon.

During the service the Knights of the Province offer their recommitment to their faith and to the Precepts of the Order. A dedication is given to the 24 Banners of the Preceptories of the Province.

It was also a pleasure to be joined by our Past Provincial Prior, RE Kt Anthony John Helliar.

The Rev Chand and members of the Church Choir joined with the Knights and their families to enjoy Afternoon Tea at the Howard Hall, just a stone's throw from the Church.

The Provincial Prior presented Rev Chand with a donation of £1000 towards Church funds and an additional donation to the Church Choir, which were both gratefully received.

The planning for next year's Church Service is already under way and the date will be confirmed in due course.

Congregation (Expanded view)		Presentation of the Banners (Expanded view)

Members of the Choir (Expanded view)		Provincial Prior and Rev Chand (Expanded view)

Rev Richard Chand (Expanded view)		Some Knights of the Province (Expanded view)

Prov Prior Enters (Expanded view)		Prov Prior Sub Prior (Expanded view)

Prior Sub Prior Prelate With The Rev Richard Chard (Expanded view)		Prov Prior Sub Prior (Expanded view)

Malta Delegation (Expanded view)		Prior RetiresUnderAnArchOfSteel (Expanded view)

Choir Members (Expanded view)

First Individual Centenary Fund Patron.

At the recent annual Heads of Orders Luncheon the Provincial Prior R. E. Kt. Roger Smith was delighted to present a collarette and lapel badge to the first Individual recipient of Patron of the Centenary Fund, R.E.Kt. John Helliar KCT.

Since then another 50 Knights have joined him as Patrons. A superb start to the new Individual Patrons of the Centenary Fund, which will continue over the next 5 years until the Centenary in 2030..

First Individual Centenary Fund Patron. (Expanded view)

Provincial Meeting of the Province of Essex 2025.

On the 8th May 2025 the Province of Essex once again held its annual Knights Templar meeting at Saxon Hall Southend.

The meeting was a great success with 180 knights attending the meeting, with guests joining the Knights of Essex from Yorkshire, Devon & Cornwall, East Anglia, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Worcester, Surrey, Lincolnshire and London.

The Essex P.Prior and other visiting P.Priors. (Expanded view)

The Provincial Prior R. E. Kt. Roger Smith appointed his active officers for the year along with those Knights receiving their
first honours and promotions. He reminded the Knights that the honours they were receiving were not for just what they had done, but for what they should continue to do in the future.

Amongst the new promotions were 6 new knights joining the Provincial Priors Bodyguard. The Provincial Bodyguard gave an excellent rendition and display of the ’Silent Drill’ which was warmly received by all those attending.

The Essex P.Prior and his Bodyguard. (Expanded view)

With the start of the new Provincial ’Centenary Fund’ the Prior took the opportunity of presenting ’Patron Certificates’ to those Preceptories that had achieved Patron status, which has raised to date, the magnificent sum of £10,000. The new 1930 first Provincial Prior Collar Jewel cufflinks were available for collection at the meeting and this has raised a further £1,000 for the ’Centenary Fund.’

Collar Jewel Cufflinks. (Expanded view)

During the Provincial Priors address he informed the Knights of the great success the Province has had over the last year and of the enthusiasm shown by the Knights when attending Preceptory visits, visits to other Provinces and the attendance at the Provincial Preceptory of Improvement. He told the Knights that they should be proud of the enthusiasm, drive, passion and dedication that they show to the order in Essex, as he indeed is proud of them. He announced that there would be details available in the near future for the ’Individual Patron scheme’ for the Centenary Fund, which he hoped would raise further substantial funds for the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.

Comander and P.Prior (Expanded view)		Parade Out (Expanded view)		Prior's Bodyguard (Expanded view)		Parade Out (Expanded view)

Bodyguard Comander (Expanded view)		Parade Out (Expanded view)		Prior's Bodyguard (Expanded view)		The Provincial Prior (Expanded view)

Following the recession from the meeting, the Knights of the Province along with the guests enjoyed drinks followed by luncheon

Festive Board (Expanded view)		Festive Board (Expanded view)

(Photographs by the Provincial Photographer Kt. Robert Brettell)

Essex Race into 2025.

The Knights of the Province of Essex have certainly raced into the 2025 New Year at some speed and with great enthusiasm.

The Provincial Prior and his Team of Provincial officers have had visits to St. Katharine’s Preceptory, Essex Jubilee Preceptory, Plantagenet Preceptory, Maplestead Preceptory, Frederick C. Hughes and visits by the Provincial Sub Prior to St Chads Preceptory and Waltham Holy Cross Preceptory. All of the visits were extremely well attended by the Knights of the Province.

The Preceptory of Improvement for the first two months of the year were exceptionally well attended by the Knights of the Province who showed no lack of drive in getting straight back into their stride after the holiday with 38 attending in January and 51 in February a new attendance record for the POI.

The Centenary Fund has started at pace and a number of Preceptories have made donations to the fund to become Patrons and some Bronze Patrons of the Fund.

Chelmersforde, St. Katharine’s, Essex Jubilee, St. Thomas a Becket, Frederick C Hughes and the Preceptory of Improvement have all become Centenary Patrons and Sir Peter de Tany, Plantagenet, Maplestead, Sir William St. Clair, Arthur Dentith and St. Chads have become Bronze Centenary Patrons.

The donations to the New ’Centenary Fund’ have already reached the magnificent total of £9000 in just the few months that it has been in existence.

Our thanks and Congratulations to all of those Preceptories. Framed Certificates will be presented at the Provincial meeting in May. Their Centenary Fund status can now also be shown with pride on their summons.

The pictures below show some of the Provincial Team visits and also the Preceptory of Improvement.

Essex Jubilee.

The Provincial Prior visited Essex Jubilee Preceptory in January where he was pleased to see the Eminent Preceptor Geoff Waddoups install into the Order the new Knight Antony Milton. He was also pleased to accept a generous cheque for £500 for the new ’Centenary Fund’.

The P.Prior and new E.Preceptor at Essex Jubilee. (Expanded view)

Plantagenet.

The Provincial Prior is seen with the new Eminent Preceptor Colin Rumble, who had just been installed by the outgoing Eminent Preceptor E.Kt. David Chapman. The Preceptory also presented the Provincial Prior with a very generous cheque for £1000 to go to the ’Centenary Fund’.

’

The Prior together with new E.Preceptor. (Expanded view)

St. Chads.

The picture shows the Provincial Sub Prior along with members of St. Chads Preceptory and the newly installed Knight Stephen Hutton who had just been installed. The Sub Prior was also presented with a magnificent Cheque for £1000 to go to the ’Centenary Fund’.

The Sub Prior together with the E.Preceptor and the new candidate. (Expanded view)

Maplestead.

(Maplestead Group Visit)
The Provincial Prior with the Knights of Maplestead Preceptory and Provincial Officers after a very busy meeting in February following the installation of the new candidate Knight Peter Scopes and the Installation of the new Eminent Preceptor E.Kt. Robert Spring.

Candidates and Senior Officers. (Expanded view)

(Maplestead Cheque Presentation)
The Provincial Prior was presented with a magnificent cheque for £1000 by the Treasurer E.Kt. Keith Cook of Maplestead Preceptory for the new ’Centenary Fund’.

Provincial Prior recieving cheque. (Expanded view)

Waltham Holy Cross.

The Sub Prior attend the Waltham Holy Cross Preceptory and is seen with its members and the Eminent Preceptor E.Kt. Steve Martin.

The Sub Prior and E.Preceptor. (Expanded view)

Frederick C Hughes.

The Provincial Prior with the Knights of Frederick C Hughes Preceptory on his team visit to Mark Masons Hall. Where E.Kt. Michael West was Installed into the Eminent Preceptors chair.

The Sub Prior and E.Preceptor. (Expanded view)

P.O.I.

The pictures show some of the Knights of the Province at the Preceptory of Improvement for the January and February meetings. A wonderful attendance by so many enthusiastic Knights. The Preceptory of Improvement also took the opportunity to present to the Provincial Prior a cheque for the generous amount of £500 for the ’Centenary Fund’.

Members of the LOI. (Expanded view)		LOI at work. (Expanded view)

The Province of Essex Continues Its Malta Tradition.

The Province of Essex held its annual Malta ceremony at Saxon Hall, Southend- On-Sea where 11 Candidates took their Degree and were welcomed into the Order.

This means that in the last 3 years, a total of 38 Candidates have taken their Malta Degree at the Essex Provincial Malta Meeting.

This popular annual meeting is the principal event at which Knights are invited to take their Malta Degree although the Province affords Knights many opportunities to go through the Ceremony, including the Combined Malta meeting in June each year and full Malta ceremonies in 4 individual Priories.

As such, the Malta Degree is very well represented and attended within Essex.

The Provincial meeting, presided over by the Sub Prior E.Kt. Mark Harrison and in the presence of the Provincial Prior, R.E.Kt. Roger Langdon Smith, was a great success and enjoyed by nearly 100 Knights, including seven heads of other orders in Essex, lead by the R.W. Provincial Grand Master of the Craft, R.E.Kt. Paul Tarrant KCM.

The Provincial Sub Prior was ably assisted in the ceremony by E.Kt. Shane Clapham, E.Kt. Malcolm Peter and Kt. Daniel Moodey.

The accompanying photos show the Provincial Prior and Sub Prior with the 11 Candidates, the attending Heads of Orders in Essex and a further selection of the Provincial Bodyguard and Knights of the Province.

A total of 77 Knights dined together afterwards in peace and harmony.

(Photographs by the Provincial Photographer Kt. Robert Brettell)

Candidates and Senior Officers. (Expanded view)		P.Prior with Members of his Bodyguard. (Expanded view)

Heads of Orders (Expanded view)		The Provincial Prior and Sub Prior (Expanded view)		Prior's Bodyguard (Expanded view)		Prior's Bodyguard (Expanded view)

Entry under the Arch of Steel (Expanded view)		The Festive Board (Expanded view)		The Festive Board (Expanded view)		The Festive Board (Expanded view)

Festive Board (Expanded view)		Festive Board (Expanded view)		Festive Board (Expanded view)

 

Archived Items

Link to Archived Items     Open Link