| High Priest | John Vennevy |
| King | Gerald Thorp PGHP |
| Scribe | Kevin Wightman, PHP |
| Treasurer | Roger Morris, PHP |
| Captain of the Host | N.S. Jack Ruby |
| Principal Sojourner | Emil Abend |
| Royal Arch Captain | John Smith, PHP |
| Chaplain | Eugene Davison |
| Secretary | Eric Read |
| Sentinel | John Champagne |
| Master of the 3rd Veil | |
| Master of the 2rd Veil | |
| Master of the 1rd Veil |
The Royal Arch degree’s verifiable history begins in the mid-18th century, primarily in Ireland and Scotland. The earliest known reference dates to a procession in Youghal, Ireland, in December 1743, where “two excellent Masons” carried the “Royal Arch.” The oldest known Chapter to be actively working the degree is Stirling Rock Royal Arch Chapter No. 2 in Scotland, also tracing its records to 1743. The degree is considered by many to be the completion of the Master Mason degree, focusing on the theme of loss and recovery (specifically the recovery of the Master Mason’s Word) and is founded upon the historical allegory of the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile.
The degree quickly spread to England, becoming a focal point in the rivalry between the two main English Grand Lodges of the time: the “Moderns” (Premier Grand Lodge of England, formed in 1717) and the “Ancients” (Antient Grand Lodge of England, formed in 1751). The Ancients, championed by figures like Laurence Dermott, strongly advocated for the Royal Arch, viewing it as a vital “Fourth Degree” of Craft Masonry and working it in their lodges. Conversely, the Moderns initially regarded the degree with suspicion or hostility, asserting that “Ancient Craft Masonry consists of three degrees and no more.” This difference in acceptance elevated the Royal Arch’s profile but simultaneously created a schism in the structure of English Freemasonry.
The path toward the union of the Ancients and Moderns, which culminated in the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) in 1813, required a compromise on the status of the Royal Arch. The result was a solemn landmark enshrined in the Articles of Union, which declared that “pure Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more; viz. those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch.” This wording cemented the Royal Arch’s unique position as a separate, but essential and integral, part of Ancient Craft Masonry. This led to the formation of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in England, formally establishing it as a distinct governing body, closely linked but separate from the Grand Lodge.
From its foundations in the British Isles, Royal Arch Masonry spread across the globe, carried largely by military and traveling lodges. In North America, the degree evolved into the foundation of the York Rite system of additional degrees. In the United States, this growth led to the formation of state-by-state Grand Chapters, culminating in the establishment of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in 1797, which now oversees Chapters across much of the world. While ritual details and the sequence of preparatory degrees (like the Mark Master or Past Master) vary between jurisdictions like the English and American systems, the core allegorical story of the discovery of the Lost Word remains the consistent climax, fulfilling the philosophical narrative begun in the Craft degrees.