I have been attending the Annual Festival for many years now and have always found it a worthwhile experience, particularly as my wife also enjoys the day. This year, however turned out to be more special than usual.

At the end of the excellent 2025 Festival meeting at Dover Grammar School for Boys I introduced myself to W Bro Paul Morgan of the Old Palmerians Lodge as an Old Boy of Palmers who had never managed to attend the Lodge. W Bro Paul instantly invited me to be his guest at the November Installation meeting. We exchanged contact details and over the ensuing couple of months details were firmed up and a hotel booked.

Come the 1st of November I travelled from Weston super Mare, with my wife, to Thurrock and checked in at the hotel. It being a small world I was in the check in queue next to a gentleman in a Berkshire Provincial tie who it turned out was also visiting Old Palmerians that evening!

An hour later I was at the Cross Keys Masonic Centre where I could not have been made more welcome.

There followed a thoroughly enjoyable Installation meeting conducted with sincerity but still ‘friendly’ in a delightful lodge room. We then adjourned downstairs and after a pleasant interlude at the bar, with some reminiscing of past times at the school and particularly some of the staff, we sat down for an excellent meal and friendly conversation on a wide range of topics, both masonic and otherwise. Sadly, my number never came up in the raffle but a goodly sum was raised and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, even my response to the Visitors toast appeared to be well received but that could just have been Masonic politeness.

Finally, we said our goodbyes and everyone went their own way. Maybe one day I will make it back to Grays but in the meantime firm friendship has been formed and I hope W Bro Paul will make a return visit to Robert Thorne in Bristol when the opportunity arises.

Of course, if it hadn’t been for the FSL and its Festival I wouldn’t have made the initial contact and hence been invited to the meeting. It just goes to show that the FSL doesn’t just facilitate Lodges making fraternal visits which we do with our closest lodges in Monmouthshire and South Wales but also at an individual level. Long may it continue and if you are reading this please encourage support for the Annual Festival and any other events that may be organised for OUR benefit.

W Bro Keith Hollands PPrGChap (Bristol)

Robert Thorne Lodge No. 3663