Bro. Jim Gregory was installed by W.Bro. Briggs with the aid of three visiting Past Masters and a ruling Master. At the February meeting, the District Grand Master came and told the seven members present that he had recommended the removal of the Lodge to England. One last Candidate was initiated in April by W.Bro. Briggs (the Worshipful Master had left) and May saw the final meeting in Abbottabad. The four members there, including Bro. Briggs in the Chair, solemnly voted for the transfer of the Lodge. A sum of Rs 300 was allotted to the Lodge Abdar for long and faithful service ; the three visitors gave hearty good wishes for the future of Hazara and one of them, Bro. the Reverend J. Baskin (a former member), offered prayer at the closing.

A printed circular letter was issued by Bro. L. A. Webster, Senior Warden – in charge and Secretary, to all members where.we ‘er dispersed telling them to contact the Worshipful Master, Bro. Jim Gregory, at his London home.

Little remains to be told of Abbottabad. The Masonic Hall was “sold” to a Muslim gentleman who – having paid a deposit – conveniently disappeared and it has  never been possible to recover the balance  due  to the Lodge.

Bro. Webster, who was Quartermaster oft he 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, found time amid the turmoil of Partition and the Regiment’s move from Abbottabad (now in Pakistan) to India to see the Lodge records on their way to London.

Meanwhile the Brethren in England had been making themselves known to the Worshipful Master, Bro. Gregory, and he was able to convene an Emergency Meeting at the Piccadilly Hotel on 22nd October, 194 7. He was joined by six Past Masters: Col. Molloy (1920), Col. Briggs (1933), Lt.-Col. J. G. Wainwright (1936), Col. le Marchand (]940), Padre Sanders (1944) and Lt.-Col. Pearson (1945) and Bros. Major Jimmy Hills and Major Ben Harvey and five other members, with five visitors, saw the Lodge launched on its new course. W.Bro. Molloy, the Founding Master, spoke of the early days and must have evoked a very great measure of nostalgia.

At a regular meeting in December, the Minutes of the last meeting in Abbottabad were tabled but could not be confirmed, for obvious reasons.