On the 28th February the Province of Guyenne in South West France held a «Chapitre Exceptional Provincial» at Alderson House Warwick in the Province of Warwickshire. The host preceptory was Warwickshire Preceptory No.458.

Working with permissions from Paris and London the meeting was held at the kind invitation of the Provincial Prior, Right Eminent Knight David Handley, who was supported by Knights of the province, including members of his Bodyguard.

The main business was to reinstall Ém. CH. Gonzague FAUDEMER, Éminent Précepteur elect, for a further year. Also to install two new Knights into the Order, Compagnon Jean-François LEMIEUX and Compagnon Jean-Pascal Louis CROTTI.

In attendance were representatives from Worcestershire [14], Devon, and Cornwall [3], Cheshire and North Wales [2], Leicestershire and Rutland [3].

There were 15 Knights from Bordeaux and Biarritz together with 4 partners.

The meeting was further honoured by the presence of R.E.Kt. David Bull, Provincial Prior of of Leicestershire and Rutland together with the Past Provincial Prior of Worcesterceshire.

This was the second occasion that the preceptory had visited Warwick, the last being in 2009.

St Front le Vaillant No 15 is the senior preceptory in the Province of Guyenne, which was consecrated in 2004 at Château Duras – Château des Ducs, Pays de Bergerac. To maintain that link, there were two Knights present who were at the original Consecration (R.E.Kt Graham Perkins KCT and B.Ém.Ch. Mark Cooper).

Ém.Ch Stephen Wall was honoured with a field promotion to Premier Héraut Provincial for his contribution in organising the meeting.

To add to the occasion three Knights present were informed of preferrment in our Great Priory.

The meeting concluded with a White Table Festive Board at which a Perigord banquet was held to great acclaim.

Credits
Photographs: Martin Grahame-Dunn & Mark Cooper

Text: Mark Cooper