The early returns made to the Provincial Grand Registrar contain the names of several brethren who had taken the Masonic Degree of Knight Templar. In 1848, some idea existed for forming an Preceptory or Encampment for the county and a letter was forwarded by the Master of the Witham Lodge by Bro E D Broadbent PM, stating that he and other Brother Knight Templars contemplated forming an Encampment in the city and were desirous of knowing on what conditions the Lodge would grant them the use if the room. However, Witham records show no further steps appear to have been taken in the matter. However, on 4th April 1879, authority to meet in Lincolnshire under the name Temple Bruer was granted. The consecration took place on 12th June 1879. Thus began Knight Templar meetings in Lincolnshire. However another Preceptory had to be consecrated before a Province could be formed.
The Province of Lincolnshire was eventually established on Tuesday 19th July 1910 by HRH The Duke of Connaught. The meeting was held immediately following the Consecration of the Sutcliffe Preceptory at the Yarborough Hotel, Grimsby.
Masonic records indicate that Lincolnshire Masons travelled vast distances to be members of the Order of the Temple. Temple Bruer Preceptory had been established on 4th April 1879. De Furnival Preceptory in Sheffield was also popular and these two played an important part in the formation of the Provincial Priory of Lincolnshire. It was clear from records that there was a need for another Preceptory in Lincolnshire. No Provincial Priory of Lincolnshire could be established until there was a second Preceptory in Lincolnshire. It was thanks to the four members of the De Furnival Preceptory No 66 in Sheffield and the three members of Temple Bruer Preceptory No 143 in Lincoln who were the petitioners, that the Sutcilffe Preceptory No 190 was established. The Preceptory was named after Jack Sutcliffe, a prominent Freemason and businessman in Grimsby. With the consecration of two Preceptories in Lincolnshire, the Province could now be established.
The minutes record the meeting as follows:-
His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master having constituted the Preceptories of Lincolnshire viz:-
into a Province under the rule of the Hon George Edward Heneage as Provincial Prior.
The first meeting of Provincial Priory was held at the Yarborough Hotel, Grimsby, on Tuesday the 19th day July 1910 when there were present:
Knights of the Province:-
Robert O Wormal, William N Wormal, Walter Dawson, Charles Pratt, (all Past E Preceptors), Geo L H Revill, Wm J Wilkinson, Wm S Fox, John E Brown and Cyril Nelson
all of the Temple Bruer Preceptory. Hermann W Hingen E P, Wm Walker PEP, Geo W Goddard, Edwin J Brockway and Alfred Wykes all of Sutcliffe Preceptory.
Walter Shepherd E P of Temple Bruer and Registrar of Sutcliffe and the following visitors:-
Provincial Priory was opened in due form by the Pro G Master.
The VE Provincial Prior nominate, The Hon G E Heneage, having claimed admission in order to be installed into the charge of the Province was admitted and having
presented his Patent it was duly read.
The Hon G E Heneage having declared his willingness to accept the office was duly installed as Provincial Prior of Lincolnshire by the Pro G Master and was proclaimed and saluted according to his rank.
The E Kt William Rainforth was appointed and invested as Sub Prior. E K R O Wormal was elected Provincial Treasurer.
The Provincial Prior appointed and invested his officers as follows:-
| Prelate: | N Wormal |
| Chancellor: | Walter Shepherd |
| First Constable: | Herman W Fitzen |
| Second Constable: | Chas Pratt |
| Registrar: | Walter Dawson |
| Vice Chancellor: | J L Rayner |
| Marshall: | Geo W Goddard |
| Almoner: | G L Revill |
| Standard Bearer: | E J Brockway |
| Standard Bearer: | W J Wilkinson |
| Banner Bearer: | Alfred Hughes |
| Sword Bearer: | W S Fox |
| Organist: | W Dawson |
| Captain of Guard: | J E Brown |
The Provincial Prior having addressed the Bro Knights thanked the Great Officers for attending to install him into his office.
The Bylaws of the Province having been prepared by a Committee of Bro Kts were duly accepted and passed.
Alms were collected.
The Great Officers having retired under an Arch of steel, Provincial Priory was closed in due form with solemn prayer.
There was a truly sumptuous banquet at the Yarborough Hotel that followed the ceremonies and the Knights spent an enjoyable time together.
In 1911, the First Annual Meeting was held at the Masonic Rooms, Mint Street, Lincoln, on Wednesday 19th July. All the Provincial Officers were present except E Kt E J C Rayner, Vice Chancellor, who was on official business. The Provincial Treasurer presented the Accounts of the Province showing sixteen pounds and twelve shillings made up as follows;-
| Fees of Honour | £13 13s 0d |
| Alms | £01 04s 6d |
| Provincial Dues | £01 14s 6d |
| Total | £16 12s 0d |
Regular meetings of Provincial Priory continued to take place alternating between the Yarborough Hotel in Grimsby and the Masonic Rooms in Lincoln under the respective banners ofTemple Bruer and Sutcliffe Preceptories. Annual meetings were maintained during the First World War. In 1917, the first meeting at the Masonic Hall, Grimsby took place instead of meeting at the Yarborough Hotel.
At the ninth meeting of Provincial Priory held in Lincoln on 27th November 1919, the minutes record "that the Provincial Priory of Lincolnshire expresses its heartfelt thanks to Almighty God for the freedom of the Holy Land from the Dominion of the Ottoman Empire and the victory achieved by the Allied Forces in the Great European War 1914 - 19." Also grateful thanks to the Great Architect of the Universe in having protected the life of the Provincial Prior, and several other members of Provincial Priory.
The meeting on 21st July 1921 was preceded by a church service at Eagle where a Commandery of the Hospitallers by King Stephen was formed in the twelfth century. The Prelate, Revd C E Bolam gave the address and the collection raised £3 9s 5d which was handed to the vicar. This began a long tradition of services being held at Eagle Church which still continues, from time to time, to this day.
Minutes of Provincial Prior tended to be quite brief until 1933, when on the death of the Chancellor, E Kt Shepherd, E Kt T L Goulton Vice Chancellor was appointed Chancellor and took over the writing up of minutes. Interestingly, the Chancellor wrote the minutes until 1933 and not the Vice Chancellor has happens today. E Kt Goulton remained Vice Chancellor until 1953.
At the fourteenth meeting in Grimsby on Thursday 24th July 1924, the death of the Provincial Sub Prior, E Kt Rainforth, is recorded. He had been ill for some years and he was replaced as Sub Prior by Kt Frank Barratt. The minutes record a continued increase in Templar numbers with 30 members in Temple Bruer and 16 in Sutcliffe giving a total of 46 within the Province.
An illuminated scroll was presented to the Right Eminent Provincial Prior, Lord Heneage, from the Province at the meeting on the 24th July 1935. It was presented by the Sub Prior, Very Eminent Knight Frank Barratt, to commemorate Lord Heneage's Silver Jubilee as Ruler of the Province as a mark of the loyalty and respect of the Knights of the Province. Lord Heneage replied by stating that the years had passed too quickly and during that time his association with members of the Order had been of the happiest.
The following year, when Provincial Priory was held in Lincoln at 6.30pm, Lord Heneage was unable to attend due to a feverish cold - only the second meeting he had not attended in 26 years. Despite his absence he was congratulated on his appointment as Grand Cross of the Order of the Temple in recognition of his long and distinguished record as ruler of the Province. The meeting was preceded by a visit to the ruins of the ancient Temple Bruer followed by refreshments at a local farmhouse. This visit was much enjoyed by the many knights who attended. Alms collected at the meeting amounted to £1 18s 0d.
At the Provincial Priory meeting in 1937, the Provincial Prior thanked the knights for their congratulations on his preferment. It is also recorded that he was anxious to see another Preceptory formed possibly in Grantham. His efforts however were not forthcoming and he expressed his dismay, the following year, with the lack of interest from freemasons in the area and the reduction in membership, particularly in Sutcliffe Preceptory.
During the Second World War years 1939 - 1945, Provincial Priory continued to meet annually except for 1942. At the meeting held at the Masonic Hall Grimsby in 1941, E Kt William John Wilkinson was appointed Provincial Sub Prior following the death of V E Kt Frank Barratt who had served as Sub Prior for 17 years since 1924. Sadly, E Kt Wilkinson only served for two year as he died in 1943 - the oldest surviving member of the Province. E Kt Richard Woosnam was installed as Sub Prior, a position he was to hold for 10 years. 1943 was the first year that a copy of the summons appears in the Minute Book.
The next important event in the history of the Province was the consecration of a third Preceptory, the Heneage Preceptory at Grantham named after Lord Heneage, in 1946. To mark the occasion, Provincial Priory was held at the Masonic Hall, Chambers Street, Grantham on 11th July 1946 under the Banner of the Heneage Preceptory. The total membership in the Province was now 70 members. Two years later, All Saints Preceptory was consecrated and the annual Provincial Priory return in 1949 shows an increase in membership to 80. In 1950, Provincial Priory was held in Gainsborough at All Saints Church, under the Banner of All Saints Preceptory and the membership had risen to 88 in 1949. By 1951 it had risen to 94 and 1952 to 101.
1953 saw the appointment of a new Sub Prior, E Kt Thomas Leonard Goulton, following the death of V E Kt Richard Woosnam Past 1st Gt Constable. E Kt Goulton had served for 20 years as Vice Chancellor since 1933 and his handwritten minutes are a joy to read. The following year 1954, the death occurred of the Provincial Prior, The Rt Hon Lord Heneage QBE DT GCT, on 26th January. He had served 44 years as Provincial Prior since the formation of the Province in 1910 and had missed only 3 meetings of Provincial Priory during that period. Capt The Rt Hon Harry Crookshank MP KCT was installed as Provincial Prior by The Rt Hon Lord Harris MC VL GCT Sovereign of the United Orders Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master following Provincial Priory. The meeting was held at the Masonic Hall, Chambers Street, Grantham on 11th June 1954.
A fifth Preceptory, Carmelite Preceptory No 349, was consecrated in Boston on 21st September 1956 with 13 members. It was hoped that this new Preceptory would open up the Order to members in the south of the county. This now brought the membership in Provincial Priory to 122. The Provincial Prior, at the meeting held in Lincoln on 25th May 1957, expressed his pleasure at the formation and also reminded those present of the fundamental concepts of the Order. He suggested that the annual meetings of the various orders should be more spread out rather than be concentrated in just four weeks of the year. He also presented, for use at ceremonies, a sword which had been captured from the Infidels at the Battle of Omdurman in Sudan in 1898.
In early 1958 the death occurred of the Sub Prior, V E Kt T L Goulton P Gt Registrar, who had actively served the Province for over 24 years - 20 of which was as Vice Chancellor. The Provincial Prior, V E Kt Rt Hon Viscount Crookshank KCT MP appointed E Kt Col John Gerald Turton Eccles as his Sub Prior at the meeting held in Gainsborough on 11th October 1958.
The following year, for the first time, Provincial Priory met at Boston in the historic Guildhall. At this meeting the Provincial Prior was congratulated on his appointment to Knight Grand Cross of the Temple. He thanked the knights for their congratulations and thanked the Carmelite Preceptory for the arrangements for the meeting. Memberships had doubled since the war but the quality had dropped. During the year a Priory of Malta had been established at Heneage Preceptory in Grantham and he proposed that a Chapter of the Order of Malta be held at Provincial Priory to enable the Knights of Carmelite to take the degree.
1960 was the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Province and the meeting was held in Grimsby on 8th October 1960. The Provincial Prior gave an interesting talk on the rich history of the Templars in Lincolnshire during the 12th Century. During the year, the Provincial Bodyguard was established with proper badges, the centre of which contained the emblem originally adopted by the Province. This emblem would now be used on all Lincolnshire Priory documents. He stressed that, because of the larger number of Preceptories now taking their full share in the Province, promotion in Provincial Priory would be much slower and knights must now expect normally to hold their first rank appointment for a substantial period of time. Provincial Priory was then closed and adjourned for lunch. After lunch, a Priory of Malta was held when 12 members were admitted to the Order. This was to be the first time that Provincial Priory held a Malta meeting to admit members.
Provincial Priory on 7th October 1961 was held in Grantham. Unfortunately the Provincial Prior was not present due to being very ill. The Sub Prior asked the Brethren to think about the original ideals of the order which activated the Crusaders. He referred to the black and white Beauceant banner - white because they are fair and favourable to the friends of Christ but black and terrible to His enemies.
The death of V E Kt Rt Hon H Crookshank GCT MP, a few days later meant that the Province was again without a Provincial Prior. On 13th July 1962 at Grantham, following the meeting of Provincial Priory in the morning, V E Kt Col J G T Eccles Sup Prior, was installed as Provincial Prior in the afternoon by the Great Vice Chancellor, V E Kt Lt Col J W Chitty MBE GCT. The Great Vice Chancellor then gave a moving tribute to the previous Provincial Prior mentioning his distinguished Masonic career and as Member of Parliament for Gainsborough and wished his successor every success. The Deputy Great Marshall and Great Bodyguard were also in attendance. Following his Installation, the newly installed Provincial Prior appointed E Kt Roland Everitt Richardson as Sub Prior. Interestingly, meetings at this time also had an address from the Sub Prior. Membership of Provincial Priory had now risen to 148.
At Provincial Priory at Lincoln on 12th October 1963, it was proposed to raise Provincial Dues from 2 shillings to 3 shillings due to rising costs of administration and to review the Bye Laws. The Provincial Prior expressed a wish in his address that numbers would continue to rise and hoped that, with 1400 Royal Arch Masons in Lincolnshire, each preceptory should aim for 50 members over the next 5 years which would raise the membership to 200. He also made mention of the Temple Bruer Preceptory meeting at Temple Bruer itself. The Sub Prior in his address hoped that Carmelite Preceptory would establish a Priory of Malta shortly. This was established 2 years later in 1965 and at the Provincial Priory meeting held on 9th October in Boston that year, the Provincial Prior expressed his pleasure at inaugurating Carmelite Priory preceding the Provincial Priory meeting. He also suggested that younger masons other than Past Masters of the Craft should be invited to become members of Knights Templar to increase membership. The Vice Chancellor reported that the Arms of the Province had been officially adopted. Permission had also been granted by Lincoln City Council to incorporate their arms. Also that the requirement for prospective knights to have been 5 years in the craft and 2 years in Chapter had been rescinded by Great Priory. Collarettes and badges for the use of the Prior and Sub Prior had been received and put into use and the Provincial Prior thanked the knights for these.
At the Provincial Priory meeting held on 14th October 1967 at Grantham, the Sub Prior, V E Kt Roland Richardson tendered his resignation on being appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Master in the Craft. In his final address, he spoke of the progress the order had made in the Province and his hope that a further Preceptory named Willoughton, in memory of the importance of that place to the Templars in the Middle Ages, might come into being before long. The Provincial Prior thanked him for his long and distinguished service and appointed and invested E Kt Walter William Rex Adair, the current Chancellor, as Sub Prior. At this meeting the Vice Chancellor gave a graphic account of the events in May and June in the Holy City of Jerusalem by the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East between Israel and the Arab nations. The Province, after many years of saving with donations from the Preceptories, had only very recently sent a set of medical books. These were despatched by air for use in the Eye Hospital at Jerusalem but their whereabouts was unknown.
The membership within Provincial Priory continued to increase slowly and had reached 172 from the annual return in 1968 with 15 knights belonging to more than one preceptory. During the past years there had been many deaths which had depleted numbers and meant the anticipated 200 membership had not been met. The Provincial Sub Prior however, in his address in 1969, hoped that with 400 Royal Arch Masons in the Grimsby area, another preceptory would soon be formed in the area. However, this was not to be until 18 years later with the consecration of Wolds Preceptory in Louth.
The meeting in 1970 was held at the Masonic Hall, Grimsby, the Provincial Prior proposed that Provincial Priory should be held at Bigby Church near Brigg (this did not happen). He also suggested that each preceptory should hold an extra meeting each year to increase the number of candidates coming in to the Order in the Province. During the meeting a film was shown "Journey to Jerusalem" which described the work of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem. This was followed by an explanatory talk by E Kt A H Briggs PGStB(B), Provincial Chancellor. The Provincial Prior stressed the need for improved sword drill. He mentioned this again at the meeting in 1971 and in 1973.
A Malta delegation, made up of four Knights of Malta, was present for the first time at the meeting in Grantham on 14th October 1972. This tradition continues to this day. The following year, on 13th October in Lincoln, the Provincial Prior V E Kt Col J G T Eccles KCT, announced that he intended to retire. He had served as Provincial Prior for 12 years and 4 years previously as Sub Prior and felt it was time for him to hand over to someone else. V E Kt W W R Adair P Gt Registrar was installed as Provincial Prior of Lincolnshire by the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master Lt Col J L B Leicester-Warren at a special meeting held in Grantham on 4th March 1974. E Kt Rev Canon J H Arbuckle was then installed as Provincial Sub Prior. The newly installed Provincial Prior expressed his gratitude to the retiring Provincial Prior, who was present at the meeting, and expressed his disappointment that the order had not expanded as much as other Orders and hoped the position could be improved. The Sub Prior in his address mentioned the importance of the Malta Degree and that all offices should be filled at ceremonies. This was the last time that an address was given by the Provincial Sub Prior, a tradition that had been established in 1952.
Later that year, Provincial Priory met at The Old Hall, Gainsborough, on 12th October 1974. The meeting was preceded, for the first time, with a church service in Gainsborough Parish Church for members of the Order and their families. The tradition continued the following year, on Saturday 11th October 1975, with a church service at St Nicholas Church, Skirbeck as the Provincial Priory meeting was held at Kitwood Secondary School, Skirbeck, Boston. At his meeting, the Provincial Prior was pleased to announce that he hoped to consecrate a new Preceptory in Skegness in early 1976. This duly took place and was called St Paul's Preceptory No 466.
On Saturday 9th October 1976 both the Church Service and Provincial Priory were held in St Jame's Church, Grimsby. The Provincial Prior expressed thanks to all those who had supported the consecration of St Paul's Preceptory. He also reported, that as an economy measure the type written Summary of the Minutes would be discontinued, a tradition that had been in place since 1956. In future the minutes would only be available in handwritten form in the Minute Book - not always easy to decipher! He also urged that all knights should make every effort in their daily lives to observe the Precepts of the Order and sword drill needed to be improved. The membership had continued to grow and there were now 208 knights in the Province.
In 1977 Provincial Priory was held at the Parish Church of Hough-on-the-Hill near Grantham on Saturday 8th October. At this meeting the Provincial Prior reported that permission had been granted for holding future Provincial Meetings in the Cathedral. The first meeting was held on 14th October 1978 and at this meeting the Provincial Prior announced with deep regret that, due to failing health, he intended to stand down as Provincial Prior after the Temple Bruer Centenary in 1979.
A special meeting of Provincial Priory was held in Grantham on 29th June 1979 when E Kt Raymond Leonard Ringrose was installed as Provincial Prior by the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Harold Devereux Still KCT. E Kt R L Ringrose then appointed V E Kt Rev Canon J H Arbuckle as his Sub Prior. The following October 13th, Provincial Priory was held for the second time in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral preceded by a Special Service in the Choir of the Cathedral. In his address, V E Kt Ringrose referred to the historical association with the Medieval Order of Knights Templar where some knights were tried after the dissolution of the Order in 1307. He, like many of his predecessors, urged the need for better sword drill and the need to follow the proper procedure. He then presented the Immediate Past Prior, V E Kt Adair with an engraved glass goblet as a memento of his devoted service as Provincial Prior.
After a period of 12 years as Vice Chancellor, V E Kt A B Leech retired. He was thanked for his long and devoted service by the V E Provincial Prior at the meeting of Provincial Priory on 11th October 1980 and was presented with a book as a small token of thanks. He also expressed warm appreciation and thanks to the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral for the splendid facilities they had made available.
The death of the previous Provincial Prior, R E Kt Adair, was recorded at the meeting on 10th October 1981, along with E Kt Shepherd PGStB(B) Provincial Grand Master of the Craft in the Province of Lincolnshire. V E Kt Ringrose in his address said that both would leave a great gap and would be long remembered. Due to deaths and resignations of others, the number of knights in the Province had dropped to 225.
The Byelaws were amended at the meeting in 1982 with each Preceptory required to submit a return on or before the end of September each year.
Annual Dues payable to the Province:
| Annual Fee for each member | £1.00.00p |
| Registration Fee | £1.00.00p |
| Registration Fee for Joining Member | £0.00.50p |
| Registration for amendment of Bye-Laws | £1.00.00p |
| Dispensation Fee | £1.00.00p |
Provincial Priory meeting on 13th October 1984 was held in the Bailgate Rooms and not in Lincoln Cathedral. There was no church service prior to the meeting. This was because Great Priory had held a meeting in the Cathedral on 29th September followed by a Service in the Cathedral for the Knights and their Ladies. The meeting was honoured by the presence of the Great Marshall, R E Kt Brig G L Galloway DSO QBE GM GCT, who gave an address 'Some Problems of a Marshall'.
A special meeting of Provincial Priory was held on Friday 19th July 1985 at All Saint's Church, Eagle. This was to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Province. The service was conducted by the Provincial Prelate and the Great Prelate, Canon Bernard Humphries, delivered the sermon. He related a brief history of the province, of the Order in the Middle Ages and the importance of Eagle. After, a buffet supper and wine was served in the village hall.
In 1985, Provincial Priory returned to the Cathedral Chapter House preceded by a Service in the Cathedral Choir. The Provincial Prior in his address in the Chapter House expressed his pleasure at being back in the Cathedral. He also referred to the 75th Anniversary meeting at Eagle and asked Preceptories to donate £10 each towards restoration of the two Knights Templar figures on the archway leading to the church. This archway is also the village War Memorial and depicts a Knight Templar in one niche and a Knight of St John on the other.
The consecration of the Wolds Preceptory took place at the Masonic Hall, Grimsby, on Tuesday 23rd May 1989. This Preceptory was to be based in Louth and brought the number of Preceptories in the Province to seven. The Provincial Prior referred to this as the highlight of the year in his address at Provincial Priory in the Chapter House on 14th October 1989 -"Never has a new Preceptory had more talented officers to start it on what I hope and trust will be a long, happy and very successful career". Sadly, this meeting was to be the last for R E Kt R L Ringrose KCT as Provincial Prior.
A special meeting of Provincial Priory was held in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral on Monday 4th December 1989 to install the Provincial Prior Nominate, V E Kt Rev Canon James Hugh Arbuckle P Gt Prelate. He was installed by the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Harold Devereux Still GCT, assisted by 12 members of Great Priory. E Kt Gordon Walkerly Smith was obligated and appointed as Provincial Sub Prior. There were 124 knights present at the meeting.
With seven Preceptories, the number of knights in the Province had risen to 256 as recorded at the Provincial Priory meeting held 13th October 1990. However, due to deaths and resignations, the number had dropped to 246 by 1993. The Provincial Priory meeting on 15th October 1994 was to be the last for R E Kt Rev Canon J H Arbuckle KCT. In his address he thanked the knights for their support during his traumatic year with his move to Brigg and the sudden loss of his wife.
E Kt Gordon Walkerley Smith P Gt Swd Bearer was installed as Provincial Prior at a special meeting of Provincial Priory held in the Chapter House in Lincoln Cathedral on Wednesday 19th April 1995. He was installed by The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master Harold Devereux Still GCT assisted by 12 Great priory Officers. E Kt Rev J R D Scarborough was obligated and installed as Provincial Sub Prior. The following year, the Provincial Prior announced that a Provincial Priory of Malta would be held in the Chapter House on Monday 10th July 1996. This duly took place, preceded by Evensong in the Cathedral however here is no record of the number of knights installed as Knights of Malta. The Provincial Prior referred to this as the Highlight of the year in his address at Provincial Priory held on 12th October. There was also to be a Church Service again at Eagle Parish Church on 18th June 1997. This again proved to be a very successful event as recorded in the Provincial Prior's Address to Provincial Priory on 11th October 1997. He referred especially to the interesting talk given by Kt J Appleby. He announced that it was proposed to consecrate a new Preceptory, Chapter House Preceptory of Installed Preceptors, which intended to hold one of it's meetings annually in the Chapter House.
The Chapter House Preceptory of Installed Preceptors was consecrated on Friday 30th January in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral. The Provincial Prior mentioned this in his address at Provincial Priory on 10th October 1998. "It had got off to a good start with 47 members and the first meeting had been most successful".
The next important event in the history of the Province was the appointment of E Kt Albert Harness as Sub Prior at the meeting on 21st October 2000. The appointment was to be for two years. The Provincial Prior paid tribute to E Kt Rev J R D Scarborough Past Sub Prior who had stood down as he had been appointed Grand Superintendent in and over Lincolnshire in the Holy Royal Chapter in 1999. The Province had also made a donation of £1000 to Lincoln Cathedral to the Chapter House Heating Fund as a special gift as part of the Millennium Celebrations.
Great Priory held a Great Priory Service in Lincoln Cathedral followed by a meal at the Lincolnshire Showground in the summer of 2001. In his address at Provincial Priory on 6th October 2001, he thanked the Sub Prior and all those who had helped to make the event such a tremendous success.
E Kt Reginald Carroll Preston was obligated and installed as Provincial Sub Prior at the meeting of Provincial Priory on 5th October 2002. He gave special thanks to the out-going Sub Prior, who prior to his appointment as Sub Prior had been Vice-Chancellor for 10 years. The Provincial Prior went on to say that there had been an increase of 17 members and 14 more to be approved. He also expressed his concern of the amount of money required to run the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and that we continue to support the Lincoln Cathedral Choral Foundation.
In 2003, Provincial Priory celebrated 25 years of meeting in the Cathedral and Chapter House on 4th October. To mark the occasion £500 was donated to the Cathedral Music Fund presented to the Precentor and Bishop. There would be a further church service at Eagle Church in 2004.
Provincial Priory Meeting in October 2004 was to be a sad occasion as the deaths were announced of R E Kt Rev Canon J H Arbuckle KCT Past Provincial Prior and E Kt A Harness Past Provincial Sub Prior along with 7 other Eminent Knights. The church service had taken place at Eagle in September and Lincoln would again be hosting the Great Priory Family Service on 6th August 2005. He made mention of this in his address at Provincial Priory in 2005. As in previous years, the Dean and Chapter were thanked for allowing Provincial Priory to hold the annual meeting in the Cathedral. To mark the occasion, he presented £500 to the Cathedral Fund. In November 2008, the Provincial Prior presented a cheque from Provincial Priory to the Minster School for allowing the classrooms to be used as changing rooms at Provincial Priory functions.
Timeline of Provincial Priory of Lincolnshire
| 1879 | - Temple Bruer Preceptory No 143 consecrated. |
| 1910 | - Sutcliffe Preceptory No 190 consecrated. - Formation of Provincial Priory with Temple Bruer Preceptory No 143 and Sutcliffe Preceptory No 190. - R E Kt Hon G E Heneage KCT (later Lord Heneage GOT) installed as Provincial Prior and E Kt W Rainforth as Sub Prior. |
| 1924 | - Death of E Kt W Rainforth. - E Kt F Barratt installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1941 | - Death of V E Kt F Barratt. - E Kt W J Wilkinson installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1943 | - Death of V E Kt W J Wilkinson. - E Kt R Woosnam installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1946 | - Heneage Preceptory No 301 consecrated. |
| 1948 | - All Saints Preceptory No 320 consecrated. |
| 1953 | - Death of V E Kt R Woosnam. - Installation of 1953 E Kt T L Goulton as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1954 | - Death of R E Kt Lord G E Heneage GCT. - Installation of E Kt Capt H Crookshank (later the Rt Hon Viscount Crookshank) as Provincial Prior. |
| 1956 | - Carmelite Preceptory No 349 consecrated. |
| 1958 | - Death of V E Kt T L Goulton. - Installation of E Kt J G T Eccles as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1959 | - Heneage Preceptory established Priory of Malta. |
| 1960 | - Provincial Priory holds a Priory of Malta. - Provincial Bodyguard established with badges. - Provincial emblem to be reintroduced on all Provincial Priory documents. |
| 1962 | - Death of V E Kt Rt Hon H Crookshank. - Installation of E Kt Col J G T Eccles as Provincial Prior. - Installation of E Kt Roland E Richardson as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1965 | - Carmelite Priory of Malta established in Boston. |
| 1967 | - V E Kt Roland E Richardson Prov Sub Prior stands down on being appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Master. - Installation of E Kt W W R Adair as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1974 | - RE Kt Col J G T Eccles KCT stands down as Provincial Prior. - Installation of E Kt W W R Adair as Provincial Prior and E Kt Canon J H Arbuckle as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1976 | - St Paul's Preceptory No 466 consecrated. |
| 1978 | - Provincial Priory held for the first time in Lincoln Cathedral. |
| 1979 | - V E Kt W W R Adair stands down as Provincial Prior due to ill health. - E Kt R L Ringrose installed as Provincial Prior. |
| 1984 | - Great Priory Family Service held in Lincoln. |
| 1989 | - Wolds Preceptory No 553 consecrated. |
| 1989 | - R E Kt R L Ringrose GCT stands down as Provincial Prior. - E Kt Canon J H Arbuckle installed as Provincial Prior and E Kt G W Smith installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1994 | - Canon J H Arbuckle KCT stands down as Provincial Prior. |
| 1995 | - E Kt G W Smith installed as Provincial Prior and E Kt Revd J R D Scarborough installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 1997 | - Provincial Prior holds a Priory of Malta. |
| 1998 | - Chapter House Preceptory No 609 consecrated. |
| 2000 | - Revd J R D Scarborough stands down as Provincial Sub Prior. - E Kt A Harness installed as Provincial Sub Prior for two years. |
| 2001 | - Lincolnshire hosts Great Priory Family Service. |
| 2002 | - E Kt R C Preston installed as Provincial Sub Prior. |
| 2005 | - Death of R E Kt Canon J H Arbuckle KCT Past Provincial Prior and E Kt A Harness. - Lincolnshire hosts Great Priory Family Service. |
| 2009 | - Lincolnshire hosts Great Priory Family Service. |
| 2010 | - Lincolnshire Centenary Daylight Preceptory No 680 consecrated. |
| 2011 | - V E Kt R C Preston stands down as Provincial sub-Prior. |
| 2011 | - V.E.Kt T G Kelsey appointed as Provincial sub-Prior. |
| 2013 | - R.E.Kt G W Smith GCT stands down as Provincial Prior. - E Kt M F Bilton installed as Provincial Prior at Lincoln Cathedral. |
| 2016 | - E Kt T G Kelsey stands down as Provincial Sub Prior. - E Kt T F Aldridge installed as Provincial Sub Prior. - E Kt M Carter invested as Provincial Vice-Chancellor. |
| 2017 | - Great Priory Family Service held in Lincoln. |