Saint Alfege Lodge

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On the 8th October 2025, St Michael’s Chapter No 221 held another exceptional and auspicious convocation at the South East London Masonic Centre, SE20 when Royal Arch Masonry returned to the Centre with a high-quality meeting. It featured an excellent double Exaltation ceremony – for the second meeting running – and a streamlined, but impressive, Installation of 2 Principals, both conducted using Matrix Ritual.  

London boasts many wonderful Masonic halls, centres and meeting places in the centre of the capital, but it likewise possesses many valuable and similar resources outside of TfL zones 1-3, and these gathering places such as the Halls and Centres at Chingford, Southgate, Croydon, Harrow and Ealing enable many Brethren and Companions the opportunity of enjoying their Masonry closer to home.

All of these Halls and Centres have a thriving Craft and Royal Arch presence, but in late 2023, Alan Taunton a MAGI Craft (RA) within the Simon Bennett Inspectorate learned that there was no longer a RA presence at the South East London Centre. He established a ‘steering group’ of experienced Royal Arch Masons to change this. Both Kent and London Craft Lodges meeting there were approached; and over 20 companions indicated that they would be interested in joining a centre-wide Chapter.

Aware that St Michael’s Chapter No 211 was actively exploring a strategy for its future, conversations were had and a plan hatched and agreed; and the ‘steering group’ became Joining Members, with the future of the Chapter secured and Royal Arch Masonry returning to London SE20 in February 2025 with ‘fervency and zeal’, thanks to the dedication of just a handful of passionate Companions.

Nestling in the residential communities of Crystal Palace, Anerley, Penge and Beckenham, the SE London Masonic Centre is easily accessible from central London via many different train stations close by. The use of Matrix ritual by St Michael’s Chapter No 221 at the October meeting enabled the Chapter to install two new Principals with a streamlined installation ceremony, leaving plenty of time to exalt two new Companions too, with a Matrix ceremony that added theatre, enhanced the Exaltee experience and involved many of those present.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 59 – Christmas 2025.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 59 here.

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