A History of Royal Arch Chapters in Nelson, Marlborough and Westland – Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand

A History of Royal Arch Chapters in Nelson, Marlborough and Westland

RE Comp Phil Ivamy G Lec

In 1992 the Nelson Marlborough district and the Westland District united to become the Nelson Marlborough Westland District of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand. The proposed name of ‘Tasman District’ was rejected by the members as being unrepresentative of the area.

Initially, 1929 saw the Nelson Marlborough District replace the Wellington District.

Nelson

Trafalgar Royal Arch Chapter #35, Scottish Constitution has an interesting history, even though it was the first Royal Arch chapter in Nelson it took a while to get started – the original petitioning warrant was dated 19th September, 1862 however the Lodge (being a Mark Masters Lodge) was not dedicated until 23rd May, 1873 – the Dedicating Master stating that each time he came to Nelson to dedicate the lodge the brethren were ‘disinclined’ to do so until that date! The lodge was called the Nelson Lodge and was No. 57 EC. However the lodge transformed from this to become the Trafalgar Royal Arch Chapter # 157 on the 8th October, 1874, with 20 brethren being advanced that day and Acknowledged and raised the very next day. The Royal Ark Mariner and Red Cross degrees, and lodges, were first conferred in 1905 and have continued to be worked ever since. The Cryptic degrees being worked from April, 1918 with the formation of the Trafalgar Cryptic Council #157, SC within the auspicious of the chapter. At its centenary held in 1974 it was commented that 432 companions had been registered by that chapter to that date and as at that date the membership was a hearty 75 companions.

The Victory Royal Arch Chapter #12 was consecrated on the 10th November, 1892 by ME L Boor, at the Oddfellows Hall. The very next day they advanced, acknowledged and exalted seven candidates into the chapter. For some unrecorded reason visiting relations between Victory and Trafalgar were not allowed to proceed until 1899, but thankfully, with the exception of the years 1926-30, when there were territorial differences between the constitutions, they have happily continued till this day. For many years it worked both the Red Cross of Babylon and Royal Ark Mariner degrees which it no longer does. Membership peaked at 86 in 1948, currently membership is 42.

Tasman Royal Arch Chapter #84 was consecrated in 1947 and met initially in Takaka and Collingwood until 1972 when the two Golden Bay lodges amalgamated. It then met alternately in Takaka and Motueka until it merged with the Victory Chapter in

November, 1993. Where the 24 members remaining joined with the Victory Chapter to bring Victory’s membership to 64.

The Tasman Cryptic Council #84 also becoming the Victory Cryptic Council at this time, as it’s Royal Arch chapter had ceased independent existence therefore it need to attach to a working Royal Arch chapter. The Tasman Cryptic Council #84 was dedicated on the 18th February, 1978 in Tudor St Motueka with 24 members .

Victory Cryptic Council # 12 is the result of the Tasman Cryptic Council #84 ceasing to operate independently in 1993, therefore the name Victory Cryptic Council dates from 1993. Its current membership is 23, up from a low of 13. The Council works independently of the Chapter to which it is attached, unlike the Scottish system in Nelson.

Marlborough

After earlier attempts in 1880 & 1886 the Marlborough Royal Arch Chapter came into existence on 17th May, 1892 as number 239 SC meeting in Wairau’s lodge rooms in Andrew Street, having 29 members by the end of the first year. The Chapter being dedicated by members of the Trafalgar Royal Arch Chapter They joined the NZC as #14 with effect 23rd June 1897, in order to have a pool of available candidates. An interesting part of their history is that in the 1930’s they had a combined installation meeting with the Marlborough Rose Croix Chapter.

Membership peaked in both 1968 and 1978 at 97 members. Current membership is in the low 40s????

Marlborough Cryptic Council #14. The Council introduced the Most Excellent Master degree into the district after two members (and two Victory members) received the degree at the New Plymouth Convocation in 2005.

Westland

The West Coast has a long and busy history of Royal Arch chapters and workings, following on the fluctuations of the blue lodges. A large amount of Chapters in their history dwindling down to a single entity on the West Coast today…

The earliest entity has an interesting history is attached – the Lewis Mark Lodge #49 EC which was consecrated on the 28th March, 1860 in Kingston Jamaica; which then made it’s way to Greymouth via Melbourne. Its Greymouth rooms being destroyed by fire in 1887. The lodge was dormant between 1889 and 25th July, 1909. The charter was transferred to Auckland in 2002.

Westland Pacific Royal Arch Chapter # 1229 EC, is the first recorded Royal Arch Chapter on the West Coast, being consecrated on the 26th June, 1871 by ME John Lazar, in Hokitika. However by the turn of the century numbers in attendance dropped below 10 and the chapter was finally erased from the register of the Grand Chapter of England in 1940.

The second chapter to be consecrated on the West Coast was an English Mark Lodge called the Hiram Mark Lodge #153 EC chartered in Reefton on the 16th May 1872, ceasing operations in 1881.

The Greymouth Royal Arch Chapter #141 SC whose charter is dated 18th December, 1872 also has a very short life making no returns after 1879 and being removed on 4th March 1885, exalting only 7 candidates in its short life.

There must be a story of inter constitutional rivalry with the next chapter to be consecrated on the Coast as it is also named the Greymouth Royal Arch Chapter this time it is #1233 on the English Constitution, being consecrated less than two months later on the 3rd February, 1873. Although it managed a century of existence it ceased operations in 2002 – a sad situation for EC Royal Arch masonry in the South Island.

The Westland Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter #147 SC, was consecrated on the 18th June, 1873 but had a short and patchy history, becoming inactive in 1878, reactivated in 1885 and disappears from the list in 1892

Little is recorded about the Reefton Royal Arch Chapter #1453 EC which was chartered in 1875, making few annual returns and disappearing from the year books in 1892.

The Lazar Mark Lodge was consecrated in Hokitika on 12th March, 1877 but ceased operation before 1892.

It is recorded that the Royal Ark Mariner Lodge Lebanon #49 was consecrated in Greymouth in April, 1878 – little else is recorded of it’s existence.

The 18th June, 1901 saw the constitution of the Inangahua Royal Arch Chapter #18, NZC with 23 candidates being advanced, acknowledged and exalted. Membership peaked at 49 in 1957 and closing in November 1985.

The Kawatiri Royal Arch Chapter #21, NZC was consecrated on the 13th October, 1904 with 22 members. Membership peaked at 116 in 1924, was down to 19 in 1990 and it

contemplated handing in its charter in 2008; however the influx of ex members of the Whanake Chapter and others has ensured it’s continued existence.

A second Royal Arch chapter with the name of Westland Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter was consecrated as #29 on the NZC register on 26th July, 1907 also in Hokitika with 20 members and had fluctuating fortunes. However, when its main source of members, Lodge Westland Kilwinning #88 became dormant in 1990 the writing was on the wall, after it briefly moved to Greymouth it closed soon after.

The Whanake Royal Arch Chapter #70 was consecrated on the 6th October, 1928 in Brunnerton, moving to Greymouth on 24th February, 1932. The membership topped at 63 in 1963, numbers halving to 34 in 1990. It made a final move to Shantytown in 2004 where it went into dormancy in 2007, with three of its members transferring to Kawatiri Royal Arch Chapter in Westport in 2008

At the time of writing the extent of the Royal Arch in the district consists of the Trafalgar Royal Arch Chapter flying the flag for the Scottish; the Marlborough Royal Arch Chapter and Cryptic Council in Marlborough; the Victory Royal Arch Chapter and Cryptic Council in Nelson and the rejuvenated Whanake Royal Arch Chapter on the Coast. With the Marlborough and Trafalgar Chapters offering the Red Cross of Babylon and Royal Ark Mariner degrees workings annually or biannually. This makes, for the NZ Constitution 3 chapters (plus one dormant) and two councils which compares with the rest of the South Island as follows: Nelson/Marlborough/Westland – 3 Chapters, 2 Councils Canterbury – 7 Chapters, 2 Councils Otago – 5 Chapters, 4 Councils Southland – 2 Chapters, 1 Council

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