At the recent meeting of the Charles Edward Keyser Chapter No 2518, the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, Comp David Hampton was in attendance with the purpose of presenting to E Comp Leslie (Les) Butler a certificate celebrating his 50 years in the Royal Arch.
The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent opened the presentation by alluding to E Comp Les’ upbringing, his family and his business life before proceeding to a detailed account of his masonic career, some of which follows.
E Comp Les was initiated into freemasonry, by his Grandfather, in the Charles Edward Keyser Lodge No 2518 in 1972. He was exalted into the Royal Arch on Tuesday 20 th January 1976, and it was on this date, exactly 50 years later, that the Grand Superintendent presented him with his 50 year certificate for meritorious service to the Royal Arch in general and the Province of Hertfordshire in particular.
In his Royal Arch journey he was the First Principal of Charles Edward Keyser Chapter No 2518 in 1986 & 1991 and in which on Tuesday 19 th May 1987 he had the honour of exalting his Father, Bro Leslie Butler. E Comp Les is currently the Scribe E, Almoner & Hermes Administrator of the Chapter. He was also a Founding member of Wayfarers Chapter No 1926; a joining member of Hertfordshire First Principals No 4090, in which you were its’ Third Principal in 2018; and a joining member of Welwyn Garden City Chapter No 5748.
In the Craft Province of Hertfordshire, he was first appointed to Provincial Grand Standard Bearer in 1990 and promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 1995, Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer in 2002 and Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2010 before being appointed in Grand Rank to Past Grand Standard Bearer in 2014.
In the Royal Arch Province of Hertfordshire, he was first appointed Provincial Grand Standard Bearer in 1990, promoted to Provincial Deputy Grand Sword Bearer in 1996, Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah in 2003 and received the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent’s Certificate of Service to Royal Arch Masonry in 2023.
The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent concluded the presentation by reading the citation on the Certificate before presenting it and congratulating E Comp Les on this milestone occasion. The Companions stood to order with rapturous applause in recognition of this 50 years’ service.
E Comp David J Hampton
Most Excellent Grand Superintendent
