Doncaster.
The Preceptory was installed to the register originally at an encampment in Manchester,which at that time sat under Wigan District Chapter. The First Worshipful Master being one Sir Knight William J. Gaskell.
The original warrant was issued by the Imperial Sovereign Grand Master Most Worshipful Sir Knight H. J. Allen, and countersigned by Sir Knights:- E. J.Charley Imperial Deputy Grand Master Edward Campbell Imperial Grand Chaplain,
D. Rock Grand Censor W. N. Cross Grand Registrar Cecil L. Cory Grand Treasurer Thomas C. Nelson Grand Pursuivant Also the then County Grand Master of England Right Worshipful Sir Knight Richard Briggs.
The Installation took place on the 1st day of May, 1924. The Preceptory sat under this warrant for many years up to the period around World War 11 when unfortunately the warrant was surrendered, sadly the books and correspondence did not survive so we have no way of tracing the reasons for the collapse.
During 1979 and 1980, a group of Sir Knights from R. B. P. 1070 Ulster Anchor, who were encamped at Manchester, formed into what was to become the reincarnated R. B. P. 1143 which it was decided would be encamped in Leeds, Yorkshire.
The Sir Knights were assembled by Sir Knight Wm. Campbell of R. B. P. 1070 who it was decided would be the first Registrar , That left two small problems, well one small and one not so small. The small one being a name for the new Preceptory, as one of the Sir Knights from the Leeds area was at that time a member of the English Civil War Society, he requested that the name Cromwell's Ironsides be adopted as this was the "Regiment" with whom he fought in the re-enactments of Civil War Battles and the Ironsides were noted for their strict Protestant stand.
This was agreed on after some discussion from the Sir Knights of Scottish and Irish descent whose view of Cromwell was from a slightly different perspective. We then had to sort out the Big problem as none of the Sir Knights who were of long enough service to take on the office of Worshipful Master were, because of family or work commitments able to accept the nomination.
At. this point in the preparations Sir Knight and Brother George William Disley who although an Orange Brother of long and distinguished service in Yorkshire had always maintained his service in the Black Institution in the ranks of R. B. P. 354 Bootle Pioneers, in Liverpool and had shied away from thoughts of transfer.
On Saturday 10th January 1981, R. B. P. 1143 lived again with Sir Knight Disley being installed to the Chair, supported by his officers:- Sir Knights:- J. S. Petticrew Deputy Master J. W. Griffiths Chaplain Wm. Campbell Registrar S. B. Petticrew Treasurer R. G. Elliott 1st Censor J. I. Petticrew 2nd Censor S. B.Tonge Pursuivant.
The meeting was opened under the Authority of Manchester R. B. D. C. No 4 by the Worshipful District Master Sir Knight Gilpin Irwin, Whose name the District Chapter was to adopt in 1986 after his untimely death, who then passed control of the meeting to, the Provincial Grand Master, Sir Knight James G. Jones and his officers who had travelled over from Liverpool to install the New Warrant,
which was issued under the Authority of James H. Molyneaux Most Worshipful Sovereign Grand Master ( Now Lord Molyneaux of Kilead), and countersigned by Sir Knights :- H.R. Howgate Imperial Deputy Grand Master ( Provincial Grand Registrar of England) A. J. Finch Grand Chaplain Spanton Chatterton Grand Registrar J. Anderson Grand Treasurer Thomas Malcolm Grand Lecturer James G. Jones Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of England
The Installation was followed by a small social gathering of the Sir Knights present. In 1985, the Preceptory had the honour to host the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of R. B. D. C. No 4 in Doncaster at which time the newly acquired regalia and bannerette, were dedicated, by the then Worshipful District Chaplain of Motherwell R.B.D.C. No 6, Sir Knight John Macdonald, Sir knight Macdonald being made an Honorary District Chaplain at this time.
The links forged by both the Preceptory and the District with Motherwell District Chapter and Knights of Saint Andrew R. B. P. 476 in Wishaw in particular remain a strong bond between us. Sir Knight Disley served a term of office until 1987 when he was succeeded by Sir Knight Wm. Campbell, who had held the office of Registrar until that time, when he was succeeded by Sir Knight Ronald Kean. Sir Knight Campbell was to go on in 1989 to become the Preceptory's first Fully Certificated Lecturer, eventually rising the the Office of Provincial Grand Lecturer of England,
Both of which offices he has held with the exception of a short break until the present day. Sir Knight Kean again succeeded Sir knight Campbell when in 1992 he was raised to the office of Worshipful master In 1993, Sir Knight Campbell became the registrar which post he has held until the present.
In 1996 the Preceptory acquired a piece of our history, which we both appreciate and respect when Sir Knight Stan Lang W. District Registrar since the reformation of the Preceptory presented us with some documents he had found among papers returned to the District,
On the death of an aged Sir Knight from Manchester, namely the original Warrant and Lecturers Manual which was thought to either have been returned to Headquarters or destroyed during the period of W. W. 11.
This year will see R.B.P 1143 into it's thirtieth year, although to look through the Report Book you might think that nothing had changed as Sir Knight G. W. Disley is in his second term of office ( third year this time round) as Worshipful Master and Sir Knight Campbell is still Registrar but that would be a wrongful assumption, as there are some younger Sir Knights coming up through their travels at the moment, whose enthusiasm will secure the future of the preceptory for many years to come.
With Thanks to Sir Knight William Campbell , Registrar R.B.P, 1143 © Copyright 2002, Provincial Grand Black Chapter of England- Sir Knight S.Roberts PGTwith thanks to Sir Knt W.Campbell