Keith Funeral

We have obtained a dispensation from the Provincial Office for us to wear regalia in public which will be appended to the minutes of our next Regular Meeting as required by UGLE.

We are permitted to wear collars, gloves and breast jewels only.    No aprons – these are not authorised to be worn in public.

Keiths funeral will be held at Thames View Crematorium, Gravesend – DA12 3JH for your SatNav.   The crematorium has 100 spaces (that includes the overflow spaces) so there should be sufficient room – but there are a substantial number of masons expected so please try to car-share where possible just to relieve pressure on the system on the day.

The service will begin at 10am.   Keith will be arriving at approximately 9.50am so we need to be in position in good time.   I suggest gathering around 9.30am to get ourselves organised in regular fashion.   Steve Burgess (copied in to this email) is the funeral director and brethren from Monckton Lodge (another of Keiths lodges) will be walking with the funeral cortege.    We have all been requested to line the access road to the crematorium as a guard of honour for Keith.    Depending on numbers on the day we may be on both sides of the road, or just the north (right hand) side.   We will work that out on the morning when we can assess final numbers.  Steve has given me a map for where we are to stand (below my signature) so if you arrive before me you can make a start organising yourselves…..

The cortege will be led by a piper, and as the hearse passes by each of us, please bow your head in respect, but remain in position until the family have disembarked from the limousine.   Once the family are in place, we can move to the Chapel or are free to leave – the service may be quite full(!) as Keith was a member of several lodges and if anyone is not able to stay for the full proceedings that is fine – but I shouldn’t imagine too many of us will be leaving…..

The wake will be held at the Fruiterers Arms in Rodmersham  ME9 0PP for your SatNav – which is roughly 40 minutes from the Crematorium (according to Google, but I don’t think they fully understand all the roadworks in the Stockbury Valley!).