A very warm welcome to the Order of the Scarlet Cord in the Province of Hampshire, Isle of Wight and The Channel Islands. The Province consists of seven Consistories. They are situated in Alton, Andover, Botley, St. Helier (Jersey), St. Martin’s (Guernsey) and Totton.
Right Distinguished Companion, Richard Charles William Batchelor PGVChan.
Provincial Grand Summus
A Brief History of the Order
The Order was originally founded in 1889 under the title of the Royal Order of the Masonic Knights of the Scarlet Cord to support the benevolent arm of the Order of the Secret Monitor but fell into abeyance in 1929.
The Order was revived in the 1990’s still in support of the OSM Benevolent Fund. This time round it proved so popular that by 2010 it was re-constituted as an independent Sovereign Masonic Order under the title of “The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord”. Consequently, it no longer directly supports the OSM Benevolent Fund.
The inauguration ceremony took place at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London on the 21st July 2010. At that meeting all the Scarlet Cord Conclaves were erased from the register of the Order of the Secret Monitor then constituted, dedicated and consecrated as Consistories of the Order of the Scarlet Cord.
The present Order of the Scarlet Cord is governed by the Grand Senatus headed by the Grand Summus, Most Distinguished Companion Ian Stanley Currans. Individual units are termed “Consistories” and, in addition to the Provinces in England and Wales there are several overseas Districts in Asia, the Caribbean, India and Spain.
The Order remains closely linked to the Order of the Secret Monitor as it is a requirement of admission to the Scarlet Cord that candidates must be subscribing Princes of the Order of the Secret Monitor. There are six “Grades” in the Order, each with its own impressive ceremony and the regalia is fairly simple and therefore relatively inexpensive.
The Province
The Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight was one of the sixteen founding Provinces at the inauguration of the Order in 2010.
At the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Senatus on the 7th March 2020 the Most Distinguished Grand Summus, Ian Stanley Currans, re-constituted the province as The Province of Hampshire, Isle of Wight and The Channel Islands. On that memorable day we were delighted to be joined by our companions from Le Couperon Consistory No. 110, meeting in Jersey, and Guernsey Lilly Consistory No. 125 who meet in Guernsey. The Province currently comprises seven Consistories.
The Ceremonies
Members of the Order are designated ‘Companion’. There are three initial Grades in the Order – equivalent to the three degrees in Craft Masonry – that are worked in each consistory. They are:
1st Grade – Ostiarii, or Doorkeepers.
2nd Grade – Lectores.
3rd Grade – Fellows or Healers & Exorcists.
Further preferment [there are three more Grades within the Order] is only conferred upon candidates at the invitation of the Grand Summus.
As in other Masonic Orders, the ceremonies are based upon Biblical allegory, beginning with the story of Rahab as recorded in the Old Testament.
All the ceremonies involve participation by a relatively large number of Consistory members and, whilst there is every opportunity for keen ritualists to shine, there are also many possibilities for less practised Companions to participate in a rewarding and meaningful manner.
Each Consistory is headed by a President who is elected annually. Uniquely, before he can be installed, the President-Elect has to undergo a ceremony of Preparation whereupon he becomes an Eminent Companion. After his Installation he becomes a Distinguished Companion.
Within the Order there is a vibrant membership which forms strong bonds of friendship. Visiting is also a prominent feature of the Order and visitors are always very warmly welcomed.
The Regalia
Regalia in the Order, like that of the Order of the Secret Monitor, is minimal. The Badge of the Order is a tasselled Scarlet Cord which is worn, together with the appropriate jewel, in a manner dependent upon the Grade conferred. Also, there is a splendid tie available which may be worn after joining the Order.
Our Consistories and points of contact
Bernard Miles Consistory No. 31 TI meeting at Brook House Masonic Centre, Brook Lane, Botley, Hampshire, SO30 2ER on: 4th Monday in January (I) & June
Contact: Companion, Alan J Burton
Email address: alanburton666@hotmail.co.uk
Laffan’s Plain Consistory No. 47 TI meeting Alton Masonic Centre, Market Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1HA on: 1st Tuesday in February & 2nd Tuesday in September (I)
Contact: Distinguished Companion, Victor G Soane
Email address: vg.soane@yahoo.com
Danebury Consistory No. 51 TI meeting at Keystone Hall, East Street, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1EB on 2nd Wednesday in March & September (I)
Contact: Distinguished Companion, Anthony J Green
Email address: green2005@tiscali.co.uk
Eling Quay Consistory No. 104 meeting at The Masonic Hall, Lexby Road, Totton, Hampshire, SO40 9HD on: 3rd Tuesday in July (I) & 3rd Thursday in December
Contact: Companion, Colin R Upton
Email address: colincps@yahoo.co.uk
Le Couperon No. 110 meeting at Masonic Temple, Stopford Road, St. Helier, Jersey, JE2 4LB on Friday preceding 2nd Thursday in March & 4th Thursday in September (I)
Contact: Distinguished Companion, A David J Rosser
Email address: adjr1941@gmail.com
Guernsey Lilly No. 125 meeting at Masonic Centre, St. Martin’s, Guernsey, GY4 6HW on 3rd Monday in May (I) & 2nd Thursday in September.
Contact: Dist.Comp Mike Le Conte
Email address: mikeleconte@outlook.com
Tennyson Down Consistory No. 141 meeting at The Masonic Hall, John Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2PY on 2nd Wednesday in October and 1st Tuesday in May (I)
Contact: Companion Doug Higginson
Email Address: doug.higginson@hotmail.co.uk
The suffix “TI” after a Consistory number refers to “Time Immemorial” and indicates that it was one of the original 62 “Scarlet Cord” Secret Monitor Conclaves which existed prior to the inauguration of 2010. Consistories consecrated after the inauguration are not entitled to bear this suffix.