According to the Constitution, “A Chief shall hold office for life unless he or she shall sooner retire or be removed from office”. Should this occur, a meeting of the Council is called “for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the Council on the appointment of a successor.”
After a period of no more than three months, and after consideration of the views of the Council and earnest meditation, the remaining two Chiefs then appoint the successor to fill the vacancy.
The Chiefs also have the final decision on the appointment of the three Wardens, their Sub-Wardens, the Ch. Ad. and the Officers of the First Order.
The Chiefs of the O. at the time of the establishment of Whare Ra were:-
Robert Felkin (G.H. Fra. Aur Mem Mearab)
Harriot Felkin (G.H. Sor. Maim Chiim) and
Ethylwyn Felkin (G.H. Sor Maria Pomanders)
Robert Felkin was the first Chief to vacate the office, dying December 1926 after 23 years in Office and 32 years in the Order. His successor was Reginald Gardiner (G.H. Fra. Piscator Hominum), who had been the beating heart of the Havelock Work, and proved to continue this virtue in his role as Chief.
Gardiner and the two remaining Felkins ruled the O. for the next 33 years, including during the tumultuous years of the Second World War.
Reginald Gardiner died in January 1959, and his successor was John von Dadelszen (G.H. Fra. A Beau Sion), Gardiner’s step-son, appointed the following March. A.B.S. had also previously been Imperator and Cancellarius. Gardiner had been in Office for 33 years and given 47 years of service to the Order.
Later that year in December Harriot Felkin also died (43 years in Office and 53 years as a member) and her replacement, Archie Shaw (G.H. Fra. Archernar), is appointed at the Autumnal (March) Equinox 1960. Archenar had previously been the O.‘s Demonstrator.
Unfortunately differences of approach could not be resolved between von Dadelszen and Shaw, with the later resigning from office in July 1962.
Ethelwyn Felkin died in September the same year after 46 years in Office and 56 years in the Order. She was the last of the founding Chiefs to die, and the last Chief of Whare Ra to die in office.
Nancy Hobson (G.H. Sor. Cantate Domino) replaced Archie Shaw. She had previously been the Imperator of the O.
After the then Demonstrator Frank Salt turned down the offer of Chief due to family reasons, Betty Jones (G.H. Sor. Levavi Oculos) was appointed Chief to replace M.P. She had previously been Sub-Demonstrator assisting Salt in his duties, and according to him, she had been a code breaker during WWII. She and her husband took up residence at Whare Ra.
G. H. Chiefs A Beau Sion (18 years in Office), Cantate Domino (15 years in Office) and Levavi Oculos (14 years in Office) would be the last Chiefs of Whare Ra, affixing their Mottos to the letter sent to members on August 24 1978 announcing its closure. Sixty six years of Ceremonial under the same roof had come to an end.
Kasmillos
