The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

A history of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint

Lazarus of Jerusalem in the last half century

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

A history of the Military and Hospitaller Order of

Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem in the last half century

Office of the Grand Archivist & Historian - MHOSLJ

Torri ta’ Lanzun, Malta

2014

Copyright © 2014 by The Office of the Grand Archivist & Historian of the Military & Hospitaller Order

of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

transmitted in any form by any means: electronic, electrostatic, magnetic, tape, mechanical

photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the Publisher.

For permission to use material from this book please contact the publisher:

Office of the Grand Archivist & Historian, Torri ta’ Lanzun, Mensija, San Gwann, Malta

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

Contents

1. General history of the Order

a. The historical developments in the last half century

b. The properties of the Order

c. The Schismatic Groups of the Order of Saint Lazarus – a background to their history

d. Bid to acquire King George V Hospital in Malta

e. The legal development of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus

2. National jurisdictions

a. The Grand Priory of Australia

b. The Grand Priory of Canada

c. The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands

d. The Delegation of Norway

e. La Grand Priore en España

f. The Grand Bailiwick of Luxembourg

3. Hereditary & Grand Commandery jurisdictions

a. The Grand Commandery of the Castello

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

3. Hereditary and Grand Commandery Jurisdictions

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

1 | P a g e

The Grand Commandery of the Castello Chev. Charles Savona-Ventura

Grand Archivist & Historian

The jurisdiction, today named the Grand Commandery of the Castello, saw its establishment in

1960 after the English Tongue of the Military & Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was

re-instituted with the setting up of the Grand Priory of England and Wales and the appointment of

Lord Mowbray as Grand Prior. The Order of Saint Lazarus originally had been suppressed in the

British Isles by King Henry VIII in 1544.1 The establishment of a British jurisdiction was followed by

the setting up of the English Tongue within the Order formally declared the subsequent year on the

25th November 1961, under the Presidency of the Commissioner General and Grand Bailiff for the

English Tongue, Lt. Colonel Robert Gayre of Gayre and Nigg, Laird of Lochore. Bailiwicks were soon

established in the English-speaking world – not only in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales; but also

in the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda,

Germany and Scandinavia.2

In 1967, LtCol Gayre [b.1907; d.1996] established the Hereditary Commandery of Lochoreshyre

or Inchgall.3 This received a matriculation of arms from the Lord Lyon King of Arms on the 24th

October 1967 registered in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland [vol. 50]. The

same parchment matriculates the arms of the Commandery, and the Bailiwicks of Scotland, England,

Canada, Ireland and South Africa. The letters patent confirming the establishment of the Hereditary

Commandery of Lochore were signed by the Grand Master on the 15th April 1969. Accordingly, the

letters patents established that LtCol. Robert Gayre of Gayre and Nigg would enjoy the title of

1 D. Marcombe. Leper Knights. The Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem in England. 1150-1544. Boydell Press, Woodbrige (U.K.), 2003 2 The Green Cross. June 1962, 1(1):21-22. The post of Commission General & Grand Baliffship General of the English Tongue was abolished with effect from the 22

nd January 1969. LtCol Gayre was then appointed Grand

Referendary of the Order. The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem – Constitutional Decrees. Delft, Netherlands, 1969, p.28 3 Hereditary Commanderies were first instituted by Grand Master Dangeau in the form of ‘Gradual, Masculine and Perpetual Commanderies’. These received French Royal approval on the 9th December 1693. With this act, members of the Order were permitted to establish a family property or a donation of funds as a Commandery, after agreement of the Grand Master and Council. These commanderies could be established with the hereditary right of succession. The Hereditary Commanderies were supressed by the reforms made by Louis XI on the 15th June 1757. The “legal” status of the present Grand Commandery of the Castello under the leadership of the serving Grand Master is presently not defined. It probably is analogous to the Grand Commandery of Boigny which is also under the leadership of the serving Grand Master. This places the position of the Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands on par with that of the Grand Priory of France, i.e. the sole authorized national jurisdiction of the Order in the Maltese Islands [GM Decree 11/41 dated 18th May 2011].

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

2 | P a g e

Commander of Lochore throughout his life and after him the title will pass to his hereditary

successor who will have the chieftainship of the Clan of Gayre and Nigg.4

Chev. Lt.Col. Robert Gayre of Gayre and Nigg [born

06/08/1907; died 10/02/1996] graduated Master of Arts from

the University of Edinburgh and subsequently read at the

Universities of Oxford and Liverpool. During the Second World

War, he served with the British Expeditionary Force in France

(1939-40) and then as Staff Officer of the Airborne forces

(1942). He subsequently served as Educational Advisor to the

Allied Military Government of Italy and appointed Director of

Education in the Allied Control Commission in Italy (1943-44)

receiving three honorary degrees from the Italian Universities

of Messina, Naples and Palermo for his contribution. He

subsequently served as Chief of Education and religious affairs

for Germany in the Planning Unit of the Supreme Allied

headquarters (1944). In the post-war period, he was appointed Professor of Anthropology at the

University of Saugor. Lt.Col. Gayre was a Knight Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta,

Knight Grand Cross of the Constantine Order of St. George, Knight Commander of the Crown of Italy,

Knight Commander of the Order of Lippe, Knight of the Hungarian Order of Vitez, and Knight Grand

Cross with Collar of the Military & Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. He was

instrumental in promoting the ecumenical move and the opening of the Order to the English world.5

In association with the inauguration of Torri ta’ Lanzun as the Grand Chancellary of the Order by

the Grand Master H.R.H. Don Francesco de Borbón y de Borbón in May 1973, LtCol Gayre

established a Malta branch of the Hereditary Commandery of Lochore, named the Hereditary

Commandery of Lochore in Malta, with its headquarters being established in Castello Lanzun.6

During the Grand Magistral Council Meeting held in Edinburgh in 1980, the Independent

Commandery of Lochore in Malta was reconstituted as a separate entity from its Scottish mother

branch.7 By 1983, the Hereditary Commandery of Lochore, still led by LtCol Chev Robert Gayre, had a

total of 137 members, of whom only nine members appertained to the Hereditary Commandery of

Lochore in Malta under the leadership of Chev George Merredew.8 The first members of the

4 The Hereditary Commandery of Lockore. MHOSLJ, Edinburgh, [1971]. The jurisdiction survived until the death of LtCol Chev Robert Gayre in 1996 as the Grand Hereditary Commandery of Lochore. Saint Lazarus Newsletter. December 1997, 11:p.3; Saint Lazarus Newsletter. May 1996, 8:p.13 5 Saint Lazarus Newsletter. May 1996, 8:p.13; St. Lazarus News-letter, Malta, June 1971, 1(1):3 6 Castello Lanzun, as the edifice became to be known, is not a castle but simply a fortified farmhouse. 7 Report of the Commandery of Lochore (in Malta). Report of the Magistral Council held in Helsinki, Finland 7

th-

8th

September 1982. MHOSLJ, Malta, 1982, p.45-46 8 J.J. Algrant, J. Beaugourdon: Armorial of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem. van den Akker, Delft, 1983, p.405

Chev. LtCol. Robert Gayre

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

3 | P a g e

Hereditary Commandery of Lochore resident in the Maltese Islands listed in the 1983 “Roll of

Members” included:-

Dr. the Chevalier Kenneth J. Biddis, KLJ [ad.1973 – GC No. 876]

Chevalier N.F. John Lloyd, KCLJ, CMLJ [ad.1973 – GC No. 848]

Dame Pamela Lloyd, DLJ [ad.1973 – GC No. 867]

Commander the Chevalier George Merredew, KLJ [ad. Before 1975 – GC No. 1395]

Chevalier Robert Bauld, KLJ [ad.1976 – GC No. 1558]

Dame Rosilla Vernon-Lawrence, DLJ [ad.1976 – GC No. 1572]

Mrs. Janatha Srubbs, OLJ [ad.1979 – GC No. 2217]

Patrick Stubbs, Esq. CLJ [ad.1979 – GC No. 2216, born Croydon, U.K. 1935; died Tarxien, Malta 1998 ]9

Rev. Colin Andrew Westmarland, Chaplain [ad.1980 – GC No. 2405, still serving as Senior Chaplain in 2013]

In 1986, the jurisdiction was renamed Commandery of the Castello. Chev George Merredew

retained the leadership of the jurisdiction.10 In 1992, the Commandery was declared to be

independent of any jurisdiction and to be solely responsible directly to the Grand Master through

the Grand Chancery. The Commander and Deputy Commander of the Commandery of the Castello

were Chev. Joseph Amato Gauci and Reginald Attard respectively.11 The membership in the

Commandery remained poor so that the Annual General Meeting held on the 13th March 1995 was

attended by 20 members, with the Commander being excused because of ill-health.12

Chev. Joseph Amato-Gauci b. Attard, Malta 27/09/1909; died 09/12/1995.

By profession a Civil Servant, assuming eventually the office of Assistant

Director of Agriculture. Was awarded the Defence and Coronation Medals

for his war contribution. He was admitted to the Order in 1967, and

eventually served as Grand Chancellor, Custodian and Keeper of the Seal

[1973-1986], and Grand Commander and Grand Inquisitor [1986-1995]. He

was described as “an honourable, good and pious man and a perfect

gentleman”.13

Chev. Amato-Gauci died in 1995, and the role of Commander of the jurisdiction was assumed by

Major Chev. Stuart Hamilton who had previously served as Secretary-General to the Commandery. 14

9 Saint Lazarus Newsletter, May 1998, 12:p.15 10 J. Amato Gauci. Commandery of the Castello. Report of the Grand Magistral Council held in Salzburg 26th to 29th October 1990. MHOSLJ, Malta, 1990, p.22-23 11 Circular No. 1/92 to Members of the Supreme Councl and Heads of Jurisdiction circulated by the rand Chancellor Chev. R.S. Attard dated 2

nd January 1992. MHOSLJ Archives.

12 Saint Lazarus Newsletter. September 1995,6:p.8-13

13 Malta Who’s Who 1965. Progress Press, 1965, p.9; Saint Lazarus Newsletter. May 1996, 8: p.4 14 Saint Lazarus Newsletter. May 2001,18

Chev. J. Amato-Gauci

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

4 | P a g e

In May 2001, it was reported that membership in the Commandery stood some thirty relatively

elderly members who because of their age could not take on much active work. The Commandery

was then devoting at least half of the funds raised towards the battle against leprosy, the rest being

targeted to other charities, mostly around Malta.15

Chev. Stuart Hamilton: b. Bermuda 1916; d. Vittoriosa, Malta 25/06/2002. Joined Royal Marines

serving throughout the Second World War attaining rank of major and awarded the sword of honour.

In 1951, left the Royal Marines and joined a trading company in Mombasa, Kenya and eventually

moved to Nairobi as the east African managing director for the company. Joined the Order and gave

sterling service being appointed Commander and Grand Knight in the Supreme council. He was

invested with the Collar of the Order in 1998.16

Commander H.E. Major Chev. Stuart Hamilton GCLJ retired in 2001 being appointed Commander

Emeritus. His retirement was followed in September 2001 by the assumption of the leadership of the

Commandery by the Grand Master H.R.H. Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany Duke of Seville [GM

Decrees 3/2000 & 12/2001]; with the Deputy Commander being Chev. Reginald Attard [GM Decree

13/2001] to manage and act on behalf of the Grand Master in the latter’s absence from Malta.17

Chev. Reginald Saviour Richard Attard: b. Birzebbugia, Malta

12/01/1925; died Gharghur, Malta 15/06/2006. Education: Malta

Lyceum 1935-42, Corresponding Courses in Accountancy, Administration

& Finance (1944-51). Initiated career as a Government School Teacher

(1944-53), but later joined Simonds-Farsons-Cisk Ltd Libya Branch first

as Chief Accountant, then as Acting Manager (1953-1960); subsequently

served first as Comptroller and later as Acting Manager of the Rambler

Automobile Assembly Ltd (1960-62); joined Mamo Bros Ltd as

Comptroller (1962-63) and later Tyresoles Malta Ltd (after 1963). Was a

Fellow of the English Association of Accountants and Auditors and

Member of the Incorporated Association of Cost and Industrial Accountants of the Institute of Office

Management. During World War II served with the Royal Malta Artillery and awarded the Africa Star

War Medal. Served as Grand Chancellor (1986-2004); as President of the Supreme Council and Grand

Vicar (2004-2006) after he initiated the split from the main branch of the Order.

Up to this time, the main membership to the Commandery generally included expatriate retired

U.K. citizens resident in Malta, primarily of an Anglican denomination. A “gentleman’s agreement”

had been made with the National jurisdiction that Maltese postulants were generally to be invested

15

Saint Lazarus Newsletter. May 2001, 18: p.9 16 Saint Lazarus Newsletter. November 2002, 21:p.13 17 Saint Lazarus Newsletter. November 2001, 19:p.3-4,5-6.

Chev. R.G. Attard

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

5 | P a g e

in the National Jurisdiction.18 This arrangement was to change following the 2004 schism which

occurred under the initiative of Chev. Reginald Attard, then serving as Grand Chancellor of the Order

and Deputy Commander of the Castello, who in 2004 decided to break away from the Order led by

Grand Master H.R.H. Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany Duke of Seville and organized his own

organization. He convinced the majority of the leaders and members of the Grand Priory of the

Maltese Islands to support him. This schism led to the weakening of the National jurisdiction then

led by the elderly Chev. Antoine Zammit [appointed Grand Prior of the Maltese Islands in 1997].

Chev. Attard was replaced as Deputy Commander of the Castello by Chev Geoffrey Fosberry GCLJ.

The weakening of the National jurisdiction allowed for the increasing recruitment of Maltese

members by the Commandery, further supplemented by the transfer of old Grand Priory members

who were unhappy with the turn of events within the National jurisdiction after the 2007

reunification and the assimilation of in gremio religionis members of the Order.

Chev. Geoff Fosberry was admitted in the Order within the Commandery

of the Castello after assuming permanent residency in Malta early in 1990.

He quickly became involved in the jurisdiction’s management structure

holding the post of Secretary General. After 2004 schism, he was asked to

assume the role of Deputy Commander of the Commandery of the Castello

and Grand Chancellor of the Order, a post held until 2008 when he was

appointed Grand Chancellor Emeritus. He retired from the post of

Commander of the Castello in June 2011 but still serves on the Grand

Magistral Council as Keeper of the Torri and of the Privy Seal. He was

awarded the Grand Collar, Knight Grand Cross, Knight Grand Cross of

Merit, Gold Cross of Merit, and Meritorious Service Medal.

The Commandery was renamed Grand Commandery of the Castello

in 2009. On the 9th September 2009, the newly elected Grandmaster H.E.

Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, Marquis of Almazan assumed the post of

Grand Commander with the serving Deputy Commander being Chev

Geoffrey Fosberry GCLJ. Chev Fosberry was replaced by Chev Gerry

Maidens in 2011.19

18

Archives of the Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands: 1966-1971. Minute notes dated 9th

November 1967; A. Zammit. Malta Priory. Report of the Grand Magistral Council held in Salzburg, 26

th to 29

th October 1990.

MHOSLJ, Malta, 1990, p. 20-21 19 GM decree 11/51 dated 2nd June 2011

Chev. Geoff Fosberry

Chev. Gerry Maidens

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

6 | P a g e

Assumption of leadership by GM H.E. Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, September 2009

The Heads of the Jurisdiction 1973-2013

1973: Lt Col. Chev Robert Gayre [b.1907; d.1996] o c.1983: Chev. George Merredew

1986-c.1993: Chev. George Merredew

c.1993-1995: Chev. J. Amato Gauci [b.1909; d.1995]

1996-2001: Chev. Major Stuart Hamilton [b.1916; d.2002]

2001-2009: H.R.H. don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, Duke of Seville [b.1943] o 2001-04: Deputy Commander: Chev. Count Reginald S.R.

Attard [b.1925; d.2006] o 2004-09: Deputy Commander: Chev. Geoffrey Fosbery

2009----: H.E. Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, Marquis of Almazan [b.1947] o 2009-11: Deputy Grand Commander: Chev. Geoffrey Fosberry o 2011----: Deputy Grand Commander: Chev. Gerry Maidens

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

7 | P a g e

The Arms of the Commandery were in 2002 then depicted to be represented as: Argent a Cross

vert; in the first quarter a Maltese cross gules, in the second quarter a fleur de lys or in a shield

azure.

The new heraldic arms were redesigned in 2012. The new design is:

Argent a Cross vert; in the first quarter on a Maltese cross vert a

tower sable thereon a fleur de lys or, encircled by The Grand Collar,

the whole on a mantle sable, with tarsils and ornaments or, on the

sinister side bearing the Cross of eight Beatitudes vert, over all the

Eastern Crown vert of the Order lined sable on which is borne a Cross

and Orb or; beneath the arms is the motto „Atavis et Armis“. This

emphasizes the independence of the Grand Commandery from the

Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands.

The Modern Order of Saint Lazarus

8 | P a g e