I will be very busy for the next two days. On Wednesday I will be attending the Hertfordshire Provincial Grand Lodge meeting at Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London. It takes place towards the end of September every year, and is when anyone who is receiving their first Masonic appointment or a promotion is personally greeted and given their symbols of rank and office by the Provincial Grand Master. This takes place in front of Masons from every Lodge in the Province as well as leading representatives of neighbouring provinces.
The meeting is followed by a formal dinner in the Connaught Rooms, which is next door to Freemasons Hall. The quality of the food and service can vary from reasonable to downright awful, and in the past several of us have 'opted out' and eaten in a nearby restaurant. As a number of us are getting appointments or promotions to 'active' offices this year, we are sort of expected to eat at the Connaught Rooms.
On Thursday I have to attend another event at Freemasons Hall, but this will be a much smaller affair as it is a meeting of my Holy Royal Arch Chapter. On this occasion we do not have a specific ritual to perform, and as a result I will be delivering a lecture about Sir Charles Warren. This meeting will also be followed by a meal ... but as it will be in the Trattoria Verdi, Bloomsbury, I know that it will be excellent.
So I'm going to be quite busy for the next two days ... but hopefully I'll be well fed as well.
The meeting is followed by a formal dinner in the Connaught Rooms, which is next door to Freemasons Hall. The quality of the food and service can vary from reasonable to downright awful, and in the past several of us have 'opted out' and eaten in a nearby restaurant. As a number of us are getting appointments or promotions to 'active' offices this year, we are sort of expected to eat at the Connaught Rooms.
On Thursday I have to attend another event at Freemasons Hall, but this will be a much smaller affair as it is a meeting of my Holy Royal Arch Chapter. On this occasion we do not have a specific ritual to perform, and as a result I will be delivering a lecture about Sir Charles Warren. This meeting will also be followed by a meal ... but as it will be in the Trattoria Verdi, Bloomsbury, I know that it will be excellent.
So I'm going to be quite busy for the next two days ... but hopefully I'll be well fed as well.
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Know Verdi's very well, Bob - its opposite my old firm, Spink, and we used it a lot for lunching. Hope the Connaught Rooms has one of its better days then !
ReplyDeleteStephen Dix,
DeleteThe Trattoria Verdi is gaining in popularity with Freemasons who meet at Great Queen Street, especially as the quality of food served by the Connaught Rooms cannot be relied upon and the Kingsway Hall Hotel (which is located just a little further up the street towards Holborn Tube Station and also used by a considerable number of Lodges and Chapters) has changed hands, and I am informed is about to shut for refurbishment.
As far as the Connaught Rooms are concerned, I go hoping for the best ... and expecting to be disappointed.
All the best,
Bob