They may have been more than six months late, but the Freemasons of St. George managed to pay their annual rental bill this week.

The fee of a single peppercorn – paid by the lodge for use of the former State House in the Olde Towne – is traditionally presented to the Governor at a ceremony in St George every April.

But the ceremony was cancelled this year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Freemasons paid off the arrears at a scaled-down ceremony at Government House on Monday.

John Rankin, the Governor, said it was important that the tradition, which dates back to 1816, was kept alive, even though no crowds could attend.

Mr Rankin said: “Although, because of Covid-19, we were unable to celebrate this occasion in the traditional fashion in St. George, it was important to recognise the importance of the ceremony both historically and in current times.”

He thanked the Freemasons for their charity work in support of the Covid Bermuda Community Foundation and for their community work in St George.

The event was also attended by the Right Reverend Nicholas Dill, the Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, and George Dowling, the Mayor of St. George.