Beales in the Chairs
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Ernie Beale is the current Master of Rose of Hampshire Lodge, No 8463 – unsurprisingly, in Hampshire. Not a Metropolitan story, surely?
His brother is the current Master of the Royal Thames Lodge, No 2966 in Slough. Closer (according to our well-thumbed A-Z atlas from 1983), but still not Met.
But on 28th February, both brothers came together to help install their third “brother-Brother” as the Master of Kayhough Lodge No 3576, here in London.
W Bro Edgar Beale says, “It was incredible to be installed in the chair of Kayhough Lodge No 3576. The Brother who seconded me into Masonry, W Bro Mike Rapley, conducted the ceremony after the minutes were read out, and my elder brother W Bro Erle Beale took over for the Board of Installed Masters and put me in the chair. For the closing in the 3rd, Erle and my younger brother W Bro Ernie Beale (D of C) conducted the substituted secrets. Not only that, Ernie performed the Address to the Master and Erle to the Wardens.”
Thus, three real brothers are in the chair of different Lodges at the same time!
This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
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 60 here.
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