Meeting Place
Masonic Hall
Shrubbery Road
Downend,
Bristol
BS16 5TB
Meeting on:
2nd Thursday in January, April and October, 4th Thursday in May
On the 15th of August 1954, Knights assembled at the Masonic Hall Downend to discuss forming a Preceptory within the Province of Bristol and Gloucestershire. These Knights represented Preceptories in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. The name “King Richard I Preceptory” was agreed upon.
On the 5th of September 1954 a meeting was held and it was announced that a Petition had been signed and that the Consecration of “King Richard I Preceptory” would take place on Saturday 23rd of October 1954.
Accordingly, the Knights assembled at the Masonic Hall Brunswick Square, Bristol. The Consecration took place under the Banner of the Province of Bristol and Gloucestershire by the V.E.Kt. G. N. Pike KCT. Prov. Prior and E.Kt. P. H. Creese, Prov. Sub-Prior both of the Province of Bristol and Gloucestershire. The V.E. Prov. Prior addressed the assembly.
“Today, we meet for the first time in our history, as a Province a period of nearly one hundred years – to consecrate a new sister Preceptory that of King Richard I Preceptory.” The Prov. Prior stressed that great care should be taken only to accept candidates of proven merit worthy in every way of admission to this great order. He concluded by saying “May we go forward together into the future – happily united in the Bonds of Chivalry and true Brotherhood”.
On dedicating the Preceptory the V.E. Prior said: “To God and His service I dedicate this Preceptory and Consecrate it to the memory of the fellow soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Jerusalem”.
The first meeting of the Preceptory took place at the Masonic Hall, Avonmouth on 30th October 1954 where it continued until October 1957 when it transferred to Downend.
According to the Minutes of 25th of October 1960, the Province of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire was formed and “King Richard I” came under the new Province. The Prov. Prior was V.E.Kt. P. H. Creese. Our 50th Anniversary was celebrated on the 14th of October 2004.
