Red Cross of Constantine

V. Ill. Kt. David Parkes Bowen receives a 50 year certificate and commemorative jewel

On 4 th October 2018, at a meeting of Byzantine Conclave, No. 44, V. Ill. Kt. M. David M. Parkes Bowen, Past Grand Junior General, was presented with a certificate and jewel to mark his 50 years of membership of the Order. The presentation was made by R. Ill. Kt. S. John Manby, Intendant General for the East Midlands Division and a member of Byzantine Conclave.

V. Ill. Kt. David was installed into Byzantine Conclave on 3 rd October 1968 when V. Ill. Kt. S. F. Herbert PGHAlm was Sovereign. He became a founder member of the Isle of Patmos Conclave, No. 277 (meeting at Loughborough) when Alan G Davies was the first Sovereign.

In 1993 David received a first appointment in Grand Imperial Conclave to the rank of Past Grand Chamberlain and in 1998 was promoted Past Grand High Almoner. Having served as Divisional Recorder for many years, R. Ill. Kt. Michael H. Roalfe, the then Intendant General for the East Midlands Division promoted him to Divisional Viceroy in 2000. In the same year David was promoted by the then Grand Sovereign, M. Ill. Kt. Commander Ronald Champion to the very high active rank of Grand Junior General.

In 2002, David was a founder member of the Recorders' Conclave, No. 471 (whose membership is composed entirely of present and past Divisional Recorders) and in 2005 he was also a founder member of the Crux Rubra Conclave, No. 481, an East Midlands Conclave, meeting at Peterborough. In 2009 he became a founder member under M. Ill. Kt. Richard Wallis of the Grand Sovereign's Conclave, No. 500 (of which he is still a member).

In Byzantine Conclave, David was the Orator for many years until relatively recently and he now attends the Conclave on a regular basis and enjoys the proceedings from the ‘back benches'.

V. Ill. Kt. David has had a very full career in the Order: The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of St. John the Evangelist and has been known by many generations of Worthy Knights, both within the East Midlands Division and nationally. The Intendant General, R. Ill. Kt. John Manby wished him well and expressed a wish that he would be receiving his 60 year jewel and certificate in due time!

Photographs show L to R:

V. Ill. Kt. Michael A. Robinson, P.G.H.Alm., Deputy Intendant General, East Midlands Division

R. Ill. Kt. S. John Manby, Intendant General, East Midlands Division

V. Ill. Kt. M. David M. Parkes Bowen, P.G.J.General

M. P. Kt. Michael England, Sovereign, Byzantine Conclave, No. 44

E. Kt. Anthony R. Sibson, Viceroy, Byzantine Conclave, No. 44

50 year commemorative jewel

50 year certificate