RWBro Stead established the Travelling Gavel during his tenure as District Grand Master (1992-1994) as a means of encouraging lodges to visit each other. Lodges are given dispensation to display the Travelling Gavel in open lodge until another lodge captures it from them.

In order to "capture" the Travelling Gavel a lodge must make a fraternal visit which consists of seven or more brethren. The exception is that the gavel cannot be captured during installations or other special meetings.