Prov. Grand Lodge, East Lancashire

PROV . GRAND LODGE , EAST LANCASHIRE

THE annual meeting of tho above was held in the Town Hall , . miry on Thursday , 23 rd May , and was numerously attended by the Prov . G . Officers and brethren of tho Province , tho total nnmbci present being upwards of 400 , amongst whom wero Bros . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkio R . W . Prov . G . Master , Georgo Mellor Dep . Prov . G . Master , Edmund Ashworth Jan . Prov . S . G . Warden , Albert Dickins Prov . J . G . Warden ; and J . L . Hine , S . D . Lees M . D ., Thomas G .

Parker , C . R , N . Beswicke Royds P . Prov . G . Wardens ; Rev . S . Y " . B . Bradshaw and Rov . E . H . Aldridge Prov . G . Chaplains ; Rov . Thomas Radley P . Prov . G . Chaplain ; James Hall P . G . Treas . ; Joseph Handloy and T . J . Hoopor Past Provincial Grand Treasurers ; Charles Hey wood and J . A . Elliott P . Prov . G . Registrars ; John Tnnnah Prov .

G . Sec . ; John Smith Prov . Sen . G . D . ; F . Thomas Prov . Junior & . D . ; Edward Ashworth , John Chadwick , J . S . Veevers , G . P . Brockbauk , Peter Royle M . D ., W . 0 . Walker , and A . Wolsteuholm P . Frov . G . Deacons ; Edmund Hartley Prov . Grand Snpt . of Works ; Thomas Entwistlo , Wm . Almond , and John Pilling P . Prov . G . Snpt . of Works ; J . H . Sillitoe Prov . G . D . C . ; Robt . Whittakcr , W . H . Hopkins ,

C . M . Jonos P . Prov . G . Directors of Ceremonies ; John Wood Prov . G . Assist . D . C . ; Thos . Grimo P . Prov . G . Assist . Director of Ceremonies ; B . Stephenson Provincial Grand Sword Bearer ; " Frederick Anderton , Henry Maiden , Lawrence Booth , Wm . Barlow , James Holroyd , W . Whewell , and Thomas Taylor P . Prov . G . Sword Bearers ; J . L . Goodwin , Prov . G . Organist ; J . W . Taylor and Thomas Hargreavos P .

Prov . G . Organists ; Henry Greenwood Prov . Grand Pursuivant ; William Roberts and W . H . Cnnliff ' e Past Provincial Grand Pursuivants ; R . C . J . Duckworth and Westray Bonn P . P . G . Assist . Pursuivants ; Samuel Ashworth , S . B . Priestley , J . L . Thorpe , Thos . Barker , Samuel Lord , Prov . G . Stewards ; Thomas Mitchell , Prov . G . Tyler ; and representatives from eighty-five of the eighty-six Lodges

in tho province , there being only ono Lodge not represented . Amongst the visiting brethren were Bros . James Terry Prov . G . D . C . Herts , Sec . of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows ; George Barrows P . Prov . G . Deacon Cheshire ; John Vertegans P . Prov . G . A . D . C . Derbyshire . Tho Prov . Grand Lodge having been opened at about one o ' clock

in tho afternoon , tho minutes of the preceding meeting , held at Accrington , in November 1877 , were submitted to tho meeting and confirmed . The Prov . G . Treasurer's accounts for tho year ending the 31 st March 1878 , which had been duly audited by tho auditors appointed at the preceding meeting , were submitted and confirmed .

The abstract of theso accounts showed that the balance in hand at the beginning of tho year was £ 750 7 s 3 d . Tho dues of Lodges , fees of honour , and other fees amounted to £ 568 5 s Od . Income from investments and bank interest £ 101 8 s 3 d , thus making the total £ 1 , 420 Is . The payments during the year amounted to £ 1 , 052 5 s 9 d , including a donation of £ 300 to tho East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution , and a donation of

£ 300 to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows . The balance remaining in tho bank at tho end of the year being £ 367 15 s 3 d . Bro . Geo . A . O'Neill , P . M . 191 , Bury , was elected Prov . G . Treas . for the ensuing year , and was thereupon invested . The R . W . Prov . G . Master appointed and invested tho following brethren as Prov . G . Officers , viz .:

—Bro . Edward Ashworth . Prov . S . G . Warden . „ W . O . Walker . . „ J . G . Warden . „ Rev . E . H . Aldridge" ) r < nu ^ ¦ . „ Rev . W . Chator j » G " ^ p lains . „ T . Somner Ainsworth „ G . Registrar .

,, John Tunnah . . „ G . Secretary . „ Edwin Hardon . „ S . G . Deacon . „ Edmund Heywood . „ J . G . Deacon . „ J . W . Kenyon . „ G . Snpt . of Works . ,, John W . P . Salmon „ G . Director of Ceremonies .

„ John Tennanfc : . „ G . Assistant „ „ John Halliwell . „ G . Sword Bearer . „ J . Randle Fletcher . „ G . Organist . „ Charles Wood . „ G . Pursuivant . „ George Pilling . „ G . Assist . „ ,. John Red fern \ » u « " - . » -

, , „ Charles Brierley „ T . Ramsbottom jun . n „ , , " Wm . Barritfc . . * » « . Stewards . „ Wm . Hy . Hoyle . „ John C . Ainsworth „ Thomas Mitchell „ G . Tyler .

Bro . J . L . Hine P . Prov . G . Warden , chairman of the Charit y Committee , road the minutes of the proceedings of the Committee , which were snbmitted to the meeting and confirmed . Various alterations which had been made in the Bye-laws of the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Insfcitntion were submitted and confirmed .

Several alterations ( of which due notice had been given ) were made in tho Prov . G . Lodge Bye-laws , including alterations in the constitution of the Charity Committee , also extending the powers of the Committee so as to enable them to mako grants for relief from the Prov . G . Lodge fund not exceeding twenty pounds in any one case ; also altering the Bye-laws so as to provide for only one

meeting of Prov . G . Lodge in the year ( excepting in cases of emergency ) , and increasing the grant from the Prov . G . Lodgo fund towards the expenses of such meeting to such sum not exceeding fifty pounds as the R . W . Prov . G . Master might consider reasonable . Bro . Chas . Heywood Hon . Sec . to the Callender Memorial Fund reported that up to the present time about £ 160 had been subscribed to that fund . The names of several brethren from various parts of

Prov. Grand Lodge, East Lancashire

tho Provinco wero added to the Memorial Committee , with the object of obtaining subscriptions from their various districts . All bnsiness being concluded , the Prov . G . Lodge was closed in due form and with prayer at 3 . 15 p . m ., and tho brethren adjourned to the banquet , at tho Atheuamm , which was attended by upwards of 200 brethren , under the presidency of the R . W . Prov . G . Master

supported by tho Prov . G . Officers . Tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts wero proposed and heartily responded to by tho brethren . An efficient glee party , consisting of Miss Topliffe , Mrs . Murray , and Bros . Kershaw , Stafford , Dnmville , Bailey Wroe , W . IT . Bailey and Peers , enlivened tho proceedings , tho aceompanyisfc being Bro . J . Raudlo Fletcher Prov . G . Organist .

Tho Treasurer ' s Statement of Account for the Province of East Lancashire , for the year ended 31 st March 1878 , shows a very satisfactory state of things . Tho opening balance on 1 st April 1877 was £ 750 7 s 3 d , and the receipts

from all sources—chiefly from Lodges for dues , fees , & c , and from tho P . G . Officers in the shape of fees of honour —raise the total Charge to £ 1 , 420 Is . Tho Expenditure amounted to £ 1 , 052 5 s 9 d , of which sums of £ 200 and £ 100 wero voted to the Male and Female Funds of the

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution respectively , and £ 300 to the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution , while small grants of henevolence were made , amounting in tho aggregate to £ 42 10 s . Thus three-fifths of the year ' s expenditure was

devoted to Charity . The account is certified as correct hy the Auditors , and was adopted at tho recent meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge . Tho following , as showing the strength and distribution of Masonry in this Province , will , no doubt , bo of considerable interest to our

readers . This , as regards the number of its Lodges , is the strongest of all our Provinces , there being no less than eighty-six Lodges , of eighty-four of which returns of the number of members avo given in this statement of account . The other two Lodges , Nos . 1697 and

1728 , are new , and as yet no returns are possible . The total of the subscribing Masons in East Lancashire for the eighty-four Lodges is 4 , 221 , which gives an average of 50 per Lodge . Integrity , No . 1 G 3 , Manchester , musters 113 members , while Merit , No . 934 , Shaw , has only eighteen .

The Lodges and members are as follow : —Manchester , seventeen Lodges , 907 members ; Bury , five Lodges , 25 G members ; Bolton , four Lodges , 190 members—Lodge No . 1723 , one of the two new Lodges , is located in this town ; Salford , five Lodges , 188 members ; Ashton-under-Lyne ,

four Lodges , 177 members ; Rochdale , four Lodges , 158 members ; Oldham , two Lodges , 154 members ; Blackburn , two Lodges , 147 members ; Burnley , two Lodges , 110 members ; Accrington , two Lodges , 99 members ; Haslingden , two Lodges , 94 members ; Todmorden , two Lodges ,

82 members ; and one Lodge at each of the following—Denton , 98 members ; Cheetham , 88 members ; Blackley , 77 members ; Newchurch , 74 members ; Arc ! wick , 72 members ; Levenshulme , 71 members ; Bacup , 68 members ; Radcliffe , G 5 members ; Kersley , 63 members ; Hulme , 59

members ; Middleton , 58 members ; Openshaw and Lower Broughton , each 53 members ; Heaton Norris , Over Darwen and West Gorton , each 50 members ; Stoneclough , 49 members ; Whitworth , 46 members ; Newton Heath , 43 members ; Beswick , 41 members ; Colne , 40 members ; Clitheroe and Heywood , each 38 members ;

Clayton-le-Moors and Littleborough , each 37 members ; Mossley , 33 members ; Prestwich , 31 members ; Clayton-le-Dale , 27 members ; Padiham , 26 members ; Whitefield , 25 members ; Wardle , 21 members ; Ramsbottom , 19 members ; and Shaw , 18 members .

We learn from the last election of Officers of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia , that the following brethren were chosen : —Bros . G . Baird G . Master , J . W . Arbuckle Dep . G . Master , C . J . Faulkner S . G . Warden , J . H . Williams G .

Treasurer , 0 . S . Long G . Secretary , S . B . Bendell Grand Lecturer , C . G . Manchester G . Chaplain , G . W . S . Moore S . G . Deacon , W . G . Bennett J . G . Deacon , W . H . H . Flick G . Marsha ] , and T . W . Bliss G . Tyler .

Tuesday , the 20 th nit ., was tho clay for holding the twenty-fourth Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania . The day following , the election of Officers was to take place , and on Thursday , after the Parade and Review in the morning , the Grand Officers were to bo installed . !