Name | Chapter | P.S. | J. | H. | M.E.Z | |
1 | W.M.H. Butcher | Chigwell 453 | 1927 | 1927 | ||
2 | E.H. Beresford | Savage Club 2190 | 1926 | |||
3 | G.H. Bamford | St. Marylebone 1305 | 1932 | 1933 | ||
4 | A.E. Fowler | St. Marylebone 1305 | 1932 | 1930 | 1931 | |
5 | E.A. Hyett | Liberty of Havering 1437 | 1928 | |||
6 | W.A. Hoskin | Queen's Westminster 2021 | 1932 | 1930 | 1931 | |
7 | P.E.K. Hole | West Smithfield 1623 | 1932 | 1932 | ||
8 | J.C. Jones | Strand 1987 | 1930 | 1929 | ||
9 | R.H. Lambert | Upton 1227 | 1928 | 1929 | 1928 | |
10 | L.P.D. More | In Arduis Fidelis 3432 | 1924 | 1923 | 1923 | |
11 | T.R. Parker | Thomas Ralling 2508 | 1926 | |||
12 | C.G. Richards | Hardware 3365 | 1926 | |||
13 | J.G. Sneath | West Kent 1297 | 1923 | 1923 | ||
14 | R.G. Strachan | St. Marylebone 1305 | 1933 | 1931 | ||
15 | H.A. Shillitoe | United Empire 753 | 1933 | 1930 | 1931 | |
16 | A. Dulieu | Faith 141 | 1933 | 1934 | 1934 | |
17 | A. Wolfson | Jerusalem 185 | 1933 | |||
18 | A.G. Moore | Columbia 2397 | 1935 | |||
19 | A.G. Philips | Moira 92 | 1935 | 1935 | 1938 | |
20 | S.W. Turner | Mornington 1672 | 1935 | |||
21 | A.G.G. Read | Upton Cross 4454 | 1935 | 1935 | 1935 | |
22 | G.M. Clark | Arcadian 2696 | 1936 | 1935 | 1936 | |
23 | W.H. Halls | Bon Accord 3750 | 1936 | 1936 | ||
24 | G.W. McArthur | Arcadian 2696 | 1936 | 1938 | 1937 | |
25 | B.T. Woolfe | St. Albans 29 | 1937 | 1937 | 1938 | |
26 | F.E. Wilson | Addiscombe 1556 | 1938 | |||
27 | H.W. Goldfinch | Valentine's Park 4412 | 1938 | 1938 | ||
28 | E. Steele | In Arduis Fidelis 3432 | 1938 | 1939 | ||
29 | F.J. Drayton | Macdonald 1216 | 1938 | 1938 | 1938 | |
30 | O.C. Klagge | St. Marys 63 | 1938 | |||
31 | A.M. Hicks | Earl of Carnarvon 1642 | 1938 | |||
32 | H. Lewis | Capper 1076 | 1939 | 1939 | ||
34 | R.A.F. Clarke | Beach 2622 | 1939 | |||
35 | A.W. Piper | Precision 3842 | 1939 | |||
36 | A.J. Smith | Cator 2266 | 1943 | |||
37 | S.W. Freeborn | Cator 2266 | 1943 | |||
38 | P.H. Merchant | Mozart 1929 | 1945 | 1944 | 1945 | |
39 | A.R.C. Winn | Brooke 2005 | 1946 | |||
40 | T.H. Gladstone | Bushey Park 2381 | 1946 | |||
41 | W. Woollen | Mozart 1929 | 1948 | 1948 | ||
42 | J.D. Morris | Bee Hive 2809 | 1949 | 1950 | ||
43 | C.S. Lawrence | Saye and Sele 1973 | 1949 | |||
44 | W.H. Stokes | Westminster Bank 3647 | 1951 | 1950 | 1950 | |
45 | G.A. Read | Over Seas 4030 | 1950 | |||
46 | H.J. Cavell | Perserverance 1743 | 1950 | 1950 | 1952 | |
47 | C.H.D. Phillips | Bee Hive 2809 | 1952 | 1953 | 1952 | |
48 | R.J. Power Berrey | Kingsland 1693 | 1954 | 1955 | 1955 | |
49 | H.T. Hodge | Semper Vigilans 3040 | 1954 | 1960 | ||
50 | W. Ansley-Young | Klanf 3369 E.A. | 1954 | |||
51 | J.H. Heywood | Savage Club 2190 | 1955 | 1954 | ||
52 | H.G. Davis | Greenwood 1982 | 1955 | |||
53 | E.N. Davis | Gallery 1928 | 1961 | 1955 | 1961 | |
54 | E.W. Haley | Perserverance 1743 | 1965 | 1956 | 1962 | |
55 | E.W. Harding | White Rose of York 2840 | 1956 | 1956 | ||
56 | M.H. Davies | Cator 2266 | 1957 | 1957 | 1960 | |
57 | A.J. Cooke | George Price 2096 | 1959 | 1959 | ||
58 | R.B. Stokes | St. Marks College 2157 | 1959 | |||
59 | G.G. Swan | Brooke 2005 | 1960 | 1960 | 1961 | |
60 | A.F. Walton | 1960 | ||||
61 | F. Graham | Bon Accord 3750 | 1960 | 1960 | 1961 | |
62 | T.L. Foy | Sir Walter St. John 2513 | 1961 | |||
63 | A.S. Hasler | Athlone 4674 | 1962 | 1961 | ||
64 | W. Brentnall | Manor of Bexley 5977 | 1962 | 1962 | ||
65 | F. Bellis | Thames Estuary 4043 | 1962 | |||
66 | C.L. Owers | Lily Chapter of Richmond 820 | 1969 | 1965 | 1967 | |
67 | L. Long | In Arduis Fidelis 3432 | 1965 | |||
68 | R.M. Wren | In Arduis Fidelis 3432 | 1967 | 1966 | ||
69 | H.C. Corbett | Fellowship 2535 | 1966 | |||
70 | R.N. Flack | Light from the East 4186 | 1967 | 1967 | 1967 | |
71 | F.K.W. Denton | Fellowship 2535 | 1967 | 1969 | ||
72 | F. Meeks | Victoria 1056 | 1968 | 1968 | ||
73 | W.H. Coring | Telephone 3301 | 1969 | |||
74 | C.F. Johnson | Chaucer 1540 | 1970 | |||
75 | G.D. Perkins | Sir Thomas White 1820 | 1971 | |||
76 | H. Dawson | Portal 3237 | 1976 | 1975 | 1975 | |
78 | K. Mason | Widmore 7207 | 1974 | 1979 | ||
79 | G. Swindlehurst | Cheerybles 2466 | 1981 | 1977 | 1979 | |
80 | W. Fall | 1981 | ||||
81 | P. Brown | Empire 2108 | 1990 | |||
82 | N.G. Welch | London West Africa 5485 | 1991 | 1992 | 1994 | |
83 | R.W.H. Dawes | Blake Hall 4245 | 1994 | 2003 | ||
84 | G.M.W. Beckwith | Enoch 11 | 2001 | 2004 | ||
85 | H.L. Shooter | Stanhope 1269 | 2001 | 2010 | ||
86 | E. Allotey | London West Africa 5485 | 2002 | |||
87 | R. Wood | Wantage Chapter 3178 | 2005 | 2006 | 2016 | |
88 | A. Wilson | Campbell 1415 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | |
89 | J. Brinkler | St. Helens & St. Giles 733 | 2007 | 2012 | ||
90 | A. Lea | Aldersgate Chapter 1657 | 2013 | |||
91 | D.J. Bowyer | Wantage Chapter 3178 | 2014 | |||
92 | A. Ajose | 2015 | ||||
93 | P.H. Thistlethwaite | Fortitude No. 229 | 2016 | 2018 | ||
94 | Alan Richards | Henry Muggeridge Chapter 1679 | 2018 | |||
95 | Alan Wynn | Paddington Chapter 3267 | 2019 | 2020 | ||
96 | Forbes Cutler | Connaught Army & Navy Chapter 4323 | 2021 |
Name | Chapter | Year | |||
1 | Lear | G.A. | Mhow 1994 | 1922 | |
2 | Botting | F. | Sterndale Bennett 2182 | 1923 | |
3 | Reynolds | F.P. | Arcadian 2696 | 1924 | Yes |
4 | Shepherd-Jones | G.S. | Sterndale Bennett 2182 | 1924 | |
5 | Derrick | G. | Arcadian 2696 | 1924 | Yes |
6 | Sharp | A. | Royal York 7 | 1925 | Yes |
7 | Jackson | W.J. | Bisley 2317 | 1926 | |
8 | Hillman | J. | Cecil 449 | 1926 | |
9 | Jones | E.B. | Aesculapius 2410 | 1926 | |
10 | Paxon | G. | Britannic 33 | 1928 | Yes |
11 | Neal | J.H. | Great City 1426 | 1929 | |
12 | Attwooll | H. | Saye and Sele 1973 | 1929 | |
13 | Foulger | R.E.F. | Black Horse of Lombard Street 4155 | 1929 | |
14 | Page | H. | Sterndale Bennett 2182 | 1930 | |
15 | Batcheldor | T.U. | Chertsey Abbey 2120 | 1931 | Yes |
16 | Riley | A.D. | Great City 1426 | 1931 | |
17 | Lloyd Davies | A. | Bisley 2317 | 1931 | |
18 | Powell | A.W. | Arcadian 2696 | 1931 | Yes |
19 | Smith | R.H. | Craye Valley 2147 | 1931 | Yes |
20 | Wilson | E.B. | Telephone 3301 | 1932 | |
21 | Sullivan | J.H. | Montague Guest 1900 | 1932 | |
22 | Lock | W.J. | Arcadian 2696 | 1932 | |
23 | Carter | T.H. | Old Kings Arms | 1932 | |
24 | Crawford | E.A. | Stanhope 1269 | 1933 | |
25 | Inman | H.F. | Horus 3155 | 1933 | Yes |
26 | Watson | C.H. | Queens Westminster 2021 | 1933 | |
27 | Fereday | A.C. | Earls Court 2765 | 1933 | |
28 | Pursey | G. | In Arduis Fidelis 3432 | 1936 | |
29 | Creese | C.E. | Saye and Sele 1973 | 1937 | |
30 | Trippe | C.F. | Telephone 3301 | 1937 | |
31 | Edwards | F.L. | Aldwych 3096 | 1937 | |
32 | Oliver | G. | Aretas 4268 | 1937 | |
33 | Peace | A.C. | Bee Hive 2809 | 1943 | |
34 | Livingstone | R. | Mount Edgecombe 1446 | 1945 | |
35 | Linde | H.V. | United Empire 753 | 1946 | |
36 | Crawford | H.J. | Stanhope 1269 | 1947 | Yes |
37 | Clutten | E.A. | Fellowship 2535 | 1947 | Yes |
38 | Gardner | E.J. | Marcians 2648 | 1947 | |
39 | Diamond | W.J. | Wanderers 1604 | 1948 | |
40 | Corbett | C.S. | Saye and Sele 1973 | 1949 | |
41 | Moffatt | M. | Cator 2266 | 1949 | |
42 | Willis | N.J.S. | Stanhope 1269 | 1951 | |
43 | Creese | E. | Saye and Sele 1973 | 1951 | |
44 | Oppenheimer | M. | United Empire 753 | 1952 | |
45 | Service | W.L.H. | Bee Hive 2809 | 1952 | |
46 | Wild | S.T. | Earl of Clarendon 1984 | 1952 | |
47 | Cooper | M.P. | Sterndale Bennett 2182 | 1953 | |
48 | Tucker | W.J. | Stockwell 1339 | 1953 | |
49 | Gandy | E.S. | Trafalgar 1593 | 1954 | |
50 | Bassett | K. | Bee Hive 2809 | 1955 | |
51 | Jones | F. | Manor of Bexley 5977 | 1956 | Yes |
52 | Martin | E.B. | Parthenon 1826 | 1956 | |
53 | Cox | A.G. | Parthenon 1826 | 1956 | |
54 | Moore | A.C.T. | Black Horse of Lombard Street 4155 | 1956 | |
55 | Rothwell | M.S. | Athlon 4674 | 1957 | Yes |
56 | Danin | A. | Aesculapius 2410 | 1958 | |
57 | Markham | W. | Open Road 5983 | 1958 | |
58 | Browne | R.H.T. | Studholme Brownrigg 2421 | 1959 | |
59 | Medwell | P.R. | Verity 2739 | 1960 | |
60 | Linggood | F.V. | Bon Accord 3750 | 1960 | |
61 | Oades | C.E. | Reading Old Boys 3545 | 1961 | |
62 | Plummer | F.D. | Waddon 4162 | 1963 | |
63 | Chattaway | A.H. | Haven 2022 | 1963 | |
64 | Gibbs | E.G. | Charles Nicholl 7318 | 1965 | |
65 | Chappell | A.A. | Parthenon 1826 | 1967 | |
66 | Steene | A.S.H. | Clapham Park 5446 | 1973 | |
67 | Lucie | F.J.F. | Sudan 2954 | 1973 | |
68 | Kempton | F.W. | Sphinx 1329 | 1976 | |
69 | Jones | S.H.M. | London West Africa 5485 | 1977 | |
70 | Cramp | F.A.E. | Aldwych 3096 | 1978 | |
71 | Thompson | H.A. | Esher 5391 | 1978 | |
72 | Hepworth | W.A. | Sterndale Bennett 2182 | 1984 | |
73 | Tallon | K. | Enoch 11 | 1987 | |
74 | Allum | W.J. | Open Road 5983 | 1993 | |
75 | White | W. | Old Dundee 18 | 1994 | |
76 | Trew | G.A. | Second Middx. Artillery 2484 | 1997 | |
77 | Renner | C.A. | Wantage 1997 | 1997 | |
78 | Smith | G.W. | Evening Star 1719 | 1998 | |
79 | Ntiamoah-Mensah | C. | Wantage 1997 | 2006 | |
80 | Norman | A.J. | Enoch 11 | 2009 | |
81 | Jones | J.M. | Sure and Stedfast 8991 | 2015 |
Opening Date: Thursday 5th September 2024
All meetings are at 7pm at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ
Meetings will be held on the following dates:-
SEPTEMBER 2024 | Thursdays | 5 | 12 | 19† | 26* | |
OCTOBER 2024 | Thursdays | 3 | 10 | 17† | 24† |
31* |
NOVEMBER 2024 | Thursdays | 7 | 14 | 21† | 28* | |
DECEMBER 2024 | Thursdays | 5 | 12* |
JANUARY 2025 | Thursdays | 9 | 16 | 23† | 30* | |
FEBRUARY 2025 | Thursdays | 6 | 13 | 20† | 27* | |
MARCH 2025 | Thursdays | 6 | 13 | 20† | 27* | |
APRIL 2025 | Thursdays | 3 | 10 |
24* | ||
MAY 2025 | Thursdays | 1 | 8* |
No meetings on 19th and 26th December, 2024, 2nd January and 17th April 2025.
More informal instruction evenings are on the first Thursday of each month, except September. The traditional ceremony is usually demonstrated. The permitted variations are demonstrated on evenings marked †.
The Installation ceremonies are demonstrated on the last meeting of each month, marked *.
Annual Supper: 15th May, 2025
Meetings will NOT be held on the following dates:
21st & 28th December, 2024, and 2nd January 2025 (Christmas Break)
17th April 2025 (Maundy Thursday)
SUMMER PERIOD - June - August
Informal instruction evenings are also held during the summer months. Any companion interested should contact E. Comp Andy Wilson on 07956 922299 or
Below you will find a link to a (scanned) PDF version of the "HISTORY of ALDERSGATE CHAPTER of IMPROVEMENT No. 1657".
To view this file you will need the Adobe Acrobat reader.
The booklet and it's contents are copyright A. Lewis Ltd who have kindly given us permission to re-produce it on www.aldersgateritual.org.
Please click on the above image to download the file.
Aldersgate Chapter of Improvement is like a Lodge of Instruction open to all Companions of the Holy Royal Arch. It has two essential differences however.
The first difference lies in the use of the word "Improvement" in the title rather than Chapter of Instruction.
This indicates its position as a leading teaching authority. It is a Chapter of demonstration which all Royal Arch Companions are able to attend and to see demonstrations of the Exaltation and Installation ceremonies.
At our meetings the Preceptors will correct mistakes so that the ceremony should be a demonstration of a word or letter perfect ceremony.
The second difference lies in our custodianship of the Aldersgate Ritual. The Chapter of Improvement was formed in 1900 and is governed by a Committee. Thus no individual Preceptor can make changes and the Committee does not alter the ritual unless told to do so by Supreme Grand Chapter.
It is this very immutability of the Ritual which is vital.
The basic premise is that the Ritual is fixed and must NOT be altered.
In 1922 the Committee decided to present an Award to those Companions who succeeded in giving a perfect rendering of the ritual, thereby taking a leaf from the book of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement, where the silver matchbox has become world famous.
The award takes the form of a presentation copy of the Aldersgate Ritual, bearing the recipient's name in gold lettering on the cover.
To secure the award a Companion must discharge the duties of Principal Sojourner, Joshua, Haggai, and Zerubbabel without need of prompt or correction by the Preceptors. These need not be achieved in this order. When a Companion completes the office perfectly he is awarded what we call a "scratch" for that office and when he has all four he is awarded the gold blocked ritual book.
You will not be surprised to know that it is usually Z which is completed last! This means performing the ceremony of Exaltation AND the whole of the Mystical Lecture in the same evening. The Award is only in respect of the Exaltation and does not involve the Installation ceremonies.
Once someone has attended a few times and knows how we operate he can take office as PS, J., H., or Z. if he feels he can perform up to the required standard. The other offices can also be filled by any Companions attending as long as they feel able to do the office to an acceptable standard.
For many years now we have had the following By-Law:-
That no Companion shall be eligible to occupy any Office unless he is fully acquainted with the method of working the Office to which he is appointed agreeably to the recognised system of the Chapter.
Our President usually acts as Preceptor although there is a team of Preceptors; all are Record holders.
To use the language of one of my predecessors as Scribe E., there can be criticism of the Aldersgate Award as pot hunting but this is unfounded and mistaken. The award is no mere trophy, but rather the outward token of a Companion's desire to master the beautiful ritual of the Royal Arch as perfectly as possible, because only as a result of such mastery can it be rendered with that reverent and impressive solemnity which it demands.
As for the origins of the Ritual itself, it is suitably shrouded in mystery. The Chapter of Improvement clearly started as a general Chapter of Improvement or Instruction and was not only for members of the Aldersgate Chapter. In 1904 it printed 300 cards setting out the programme. By the 1920's the average attendance was about 25.
The Book of Ritual was first published in 1921, and in 1924 the first demonstration was given to the fraternity at large and 150 companions attended. The President then said that it was the first effort of the Chapter of Improvement to bring itself before the eye of the Royal Arch. They had worked on the ritual for years. They claimed no authority for the Ritual but had endeavoured to establish a ritual as near the original as was in their power, and they would keep it and see that it was not altered. It seems likely that a large number of rituals were then in use and that they were subject to frequent alterations at the whim of an individual Preceptor. So we come back to the need, then as now, for a Ritual which would remain fixed.
It is a fixed Ritual and the Chapter of Improvement is the authority to whom any problems can be referred for a definitive answer. Each year we have an Annual Supper and invite Guest Speakers.
You would all find a warm welcome at our meetings and I venture to hope that you would find attendance both useful and enjoyable. We meet at 7pm every Thursday from September to May at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London, WC2. Details of our current programme showing what is demonstrated each evening is available via the link.
Keith Tallon
Scribe E.