Masonic Province of Hertfordshire
Chronicle and Banners
Standards of the Province of Hertfordshire
The "original" standard of the Province is shown to the left, and is currently on display behind glass on a wall in the Masonic Hall at Watford. This is no longer used due to its age, it consists of the old coat of arms of Grand Lodge before 1918, with the name of the Province of Hertfordshire above. The banner shows a quartered shield with the arms of Grand Lodge in two quarters and a Hart (to represent Hertfordshire) in the other two quarters all under the Provincial name.
Under the shield is the motto of Grand Lodge "Audi Vide Tace". The date is unknown but could be the late 1800’s and was used by R.W.Bro Sir Thomas F.Halsey and possibly by R.W.Bro Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey.
The two banners to the right are the personal standards of the Halsey family. The first is ths standard of RW Bro Sir TF Halsey, Deputy Grand Master from 1908 to 1926 and Prov Gd Master 1873-1924, a total of 51 years. The banner to the right is that of RW Bro Sir Lionel Halsey and his brother RW Bro Canon Halsey.
The standard immediately to the right was used by Col Alexander Woods Provincial Grand Master from 1963-1974. This standard is identical both sides and shows the Hart of Hertfordshire and the central part of the arms of Grand Lodge. To the far right is the personal standard of Col. Alexander Woods.
The two standards immediately to the left of this paragraph are those as currently used by the PGM or the DPGM when attending a function in a Lodge within the Province of Hertfordshire, and also at the annual Provincial meeting. These officers will normally attend at a Lodge's Installation meeting, where the current "head of the Lodge", the Worshipful Master, is succeded by a new Worshipful Master although they may attend at other times, such as when a new Banner is to be dedicated or a new Lodge consecrated.
A revised standard on the left above incorporated a new set of armorial bearings of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire and was dedicated on 5th April, 1995. A new double-sided Provincial standard (right above) was commissioned for the installation of the new Provincial Master RW Bro Colin F Harris and first paraded in the Main Temple at Great Queen St on Wednesday 24th September 2003. It was designed to complement the earlier 1995 standard. This standard was designed by W.Bro Colin Childs.