BY-LAWS

The Lodge is established primarily for persons educated at Cheltenham College, and all such persons are eligible as members. But other persons who have rendered special service to, or who are associated with the College, may, on the recommendation of the Standing Committee, also be proposed as candidates and admitted as members.

There shall be three regular meetings of the Lodge at Mark Masons Hall, St James’s Street, London SW1, on the first Tuesday in February, May and November, at such time as the Master may direct. If a Lodge of Emergency be summoned at any time in conformity with Rule 160 of the Book of Constitutions, the expense thereof will be borne by the Lodge Funds, unless it be specially summoned for the convenience and at the request of a brother or candidate, in which case such brother or candidate shall be liable to bear the whole expense or such part thereof as the Standing Committee shall decide.

The Master and Treasurer shall be elected according to the recommended procedure of Rule 105(a) and 112(a) of the Book of Constitutions (see below) at the Regular Meeting in February, and the Master installed at the Regular Meeting in May in each year. The Tyler to be elected by a show of hands in February.
Rule 105(a) Book of Constitutions “If there be one and if no other member duly qualified shall have indicated to the Secretary that he wishes to be considered and if no person present calls for a ballot, then it shall be permissible for the Master to declare in favour of the nominated member, provided that the election shall not be declared unless notice of the intention to do so and the identity of the sole brother nominated shall have been given on the summons convening the meeting at which the election is to take place”.
Rule 112(a) “The Treasurer shall be elected by the members on the regular day of election of the Master and in the same manner”.
The wording on the summons shall read as follows:
To declare, subject to Rule 105(a) and 112(a) of the Book of Constitutions, the ballot for Master and Treasurer for the ensuing year in favour of Bro. X and Bro. Y respectively.
(Note. Any member may demand a ballot).

A Standing Committee consisting of Master, Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Ceremonies, together with all Past Masters of or in the Lodge and two brethren, appointed by the Lodge in May, shall be appointed each year. Three shall form a quorum. This Committee shall consider and report to the Lodge on any matters it considers to be in the interest of the Lodge including matters specially referred to it by the Lodge.

Account examiners shall be elected annually by the Lodge at the regular meeting in February and shall consist of two or three members of the Lodge. The accounts shall be presented, duly examined, at the regular meeting in May. A copy of the accounts and the examiners’ certificate that all balances have been checked and that the accounts have been examined shall be sent to all members with the summons convening the meeting.

6. The fees shall be as follows and exclusive of subscriptions:
Initiation…………………………£25
Joining or re-joining fee for
Brethren registered under the
Grand Lodge of England……….£20
Joining fee for Brethren from
Foreign Jurisdictions, including
Registration and certificate…….£10

The annual subscription exclusive of the dining fee for both full and overseas members shall be such amounts respectively as the Lodge from time to time shall decide by resolution after Notice on the Summons at the previous Regular Meeting. The charge for dinners for Members dining shall be at cost at the time of dining.

Members paying by Bankers’ Order may, if they wish, pay their subscriptions in two half-yearly instalments on 7^th May and 7^th November. Initiates and members joining subsequent to the regular meeting in November shall pay half subscription only for the current year.

Subscriptions shall be payable in advance of or on the first day of May each year. The Master shall have the privilege of inviting to each dinner free of the dining fee a maximum of 10 official guests from other Lodges. The Secretary’s services shall be deemed equivalent to payment of his subscription and dining fees.

7. In addition to the Initiation Fee, Joining or Re-Joining fee, the candidate shall pay to the Lodge such Registration fees that are payable, if applicable, to Grand Lodge, together with any tax therein, and the candidate shall, before becoming a member, be informed of the total amount due.

8. Any brother in arrears for over one year shall be liable to be excluded from the Lodge after due notice in accordance with Rule 181 of the Book of Constitutions.

9. The election for candidates for initiation and joining shall be conducted in conformity with the requirements of Rules 157 to 166 of the Book of Constitutions. The names of all candidates should be first submitted to the Standing Committee. On the ballot for a candidate for initiation or joining, two black balls shall exclude.

10. Any member desirous of withdrawing from the Lodge may tender his resignation either in writing or personally in open Lodge (in accordance with Rule 183 of the Book of Constitutions) which resignation shall be duly recorded; he shall be entitled to a certificate (under Rule 175 of the Book of Constitutions) stating the circumstances under which he left the Lodge. Should he, at any future time, wish to re-join, he shall be subject to the rules relating to joining members.

11. No sum exceeding £100 shall be expended out of the funds of the Lodge for other than ordinary purposes, without the sanction of the Lodge by resolution, of which notice has appeared on the Summons, except in cases of emergency, when such expenditure may be authorized by the Master, subject to confirmation by the Lodge.

12. No motion to add to, alter or amend the aforesaid By-laws, or any of them, shall be made without first giving notice of such a motion, in writing in open Lodge, and notice thereof shall be inserted in the summons for the next lodge meeting, when the motion may be considered, and, if approved, shall not be effective until confirmed at a subsequent Lodge meeting, and finally approved and confirmed by the M.W. Grand Master.

13. In all respects the members of the Lodge shall abide by, and strictly conform to, the Laws and Regulations of the United Grand Lodge of England, as embodied in the Book of Constitutions.