Prov. Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

BY command of the R . W . Provincial Grand Master the Right Hon . the Earl Ferrers , the annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held , at the Agricultural Hall , Oakham , on Wednesday , the 17 th ult ., under tho auspices of the Yale of Catmos Lodge ,

No . 1265 . In the absence of the P . G . M ., the P . G . Lodge was presided over by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . S . S . Partridge P . A . G . D . C ., Bro . Robert Berridgo G . J . D . ably assisting as D . P . G . M . There were also present

the following Officers and members of tho P . G . Lodge : — Bros . W . S . Allen as S . G . W ., W . A . Mnsson as J . G . W ., the Rev . W . R . Hard Grand Chaplain , W . Vial Grand Registrar , Rev . C . Henton Wood P . P . S . G . W . Grand

Secretary , E . Jeeves G . Sup . W ., M . J . Walker G . D . C ., J . Jessop G . Sword Br ., J . E . Beazeley and G . Newsome Grand Standard Bearers , C . Lovvenstein G . Purst ., T .

Corcoran , R . B . Starkey and E . J . Thompson Grand Stewards , J . Tanser Grand Tyler , T . A . Wykes P . P . G . Treasurer , C . J . Wilkinson P . P . G . D . C ., J . H . Marshall

P . P . G . A . D . C , C . J . Massie P . P . G . C , T . G . Charlesworth W . M . 523 , F . G . Boden P . M . 779 , G . Austin W . M . 1130 , R . Symington P . M . 1330 , S . Knight P . M . 1391 , J . B . Fowler W . M . 1560 , J . G . Simpkin W . M . 2028 , J . L . West

W . M . 2081 , and many Officers and members of private Lodges in the Province ; visitor Bro . F . Binckes P . G . Sword Bearer Secretary R . M . I . B . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in form , after which the Rolls of Lodges , and

P . G . Officers were called , and tho mmutes of the preceding

annual meeting , and aspecial meetingheld on the 9 th October , on the occasion of laying the memorial stone of the Children ' s Hospital in Leicester , were read and confirmed . The reports of the Committee of General Purposes

and the Provincial Charity Committee were read , submitted for approval and adopted . The latter made special reference to the successful result of the efforts of the Charity Stewards on behalf of tho Girls' School , the total

contributions from the Province at the Centenary Festival of that Institution exceeding £ 600 . Tho report concluded by recommending the Boys' School for tho avipport of the Province in the coming year , and at a subsequent period of

the meeting Bro . J . H . Marshall P . P . G . A . D . C . volunteered to represent Provincial Grand Lodge as Steward , and he was unanimously appointed . The Prov . Grand Registrar submitted his report , showing a nett increase of 20 in the

advancement of the Order and the exceeding prosperity of

membership of the Province , the total number of subscribing members on the 24 th June last being 522 . A very satisfactory report on the Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s accounts having been received , was duly adopted , and a vote of thanks accorded to Bro . R . Waite for his services . Bro .

Waite was immediately afterwards re-elected as Prov . Grand Treasurer . The Provincial Grand Officers for the coming year were then appointed and invested , as follows : — Bro . T . A . Wykes 523 - - - Senior Warden

W . A . Mnsson 779- - - Junior Warden Rev . B . Colquhoun-Faithfull 1560 ) - ,, , . Rev . C . J . B . Scriven 1265 - j Chaplains R . Waite 279 - . Treasurer T . Coltman 1265 - . - Registrar Rev . C . Honton Wood 1560 - Secretary G . Newsome 523 - - - Senior Deacon T . Corcoran 1057 - - - Junior Deacon G . Austin 1130 - - . Superintendent of Works M . J . Walker 1265 - . Dir . of Ceremonies P . G . Boden 779 - - - Asst . Dir . of Cers . It . Symington 1330 - . Sword Bearer W . H . Goodwin 1265 - . ") 0 i , . „ J . G . Simpkin 2028 - - J Sfcandard Bearera C . E . Birch 279 - - . Organist J . L . West 2031 - - . Pursuivant S . Knight 1391 - - . Assistant Pursuivant J . B . Waring 523 . . . ") T . G . Charlesworth 523 - . V

J . L . Hassan 1265 - - . ! _ , W . B . Ray 1330 - . . f Stewards T . Carter 1560 - - . 1 J . Kidney 2081 - - " J James Tanser 279 - - . Tyler

The Acting Provincial Grand Master called the attention of the brethren to the closely approaching 50 th anniversary of the initiation into Freemasonry of the R . W . Bro . W .

Kelly P . P . G . M ., and in his speech enlarged upon that worthy and distinguished Brother ' s great Masonic knowledge and experience , only equalled by his fraternal goodness and kindness of heart , his unwearying efforts for the

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

the Province consequent in great measure upon , his labours . He further spoke of Bro . Kelly as being at the present time tho father of Freemasonry in the Province , and pointed to hia long career as an example the brethren

might humbly endeavour to follow , though they might not attain its perfection . The speaker concluded by moving tho following resolution : — "In view of the fiftieth anniversary of the initiation of the E . W . Bro . William Kelly

P . P . G . M . now closely approaching , and in grateful recognition of the zeal and enthusiam ever displayed by him in all Masonic matters , and of his valued and successful labours on behalf of Freemasonry generally , more especially for the

permanent welfare of this Province , the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland most heartily congratulate their illustrious brother on the interesting occasion , and offer their very sincere wishes

that he may long be spared to enjoy the continued esteem and respect of his brethren whilst watching over the progress of the Craft he so loves and adorns . " The resolution was duly seconded and carried by acclamation . The invitation offered at the last annual meeting by the Howe and Charnwood Lodge , No . 1007 , to the Provincial Grand Master to hold the next general communication under the banner of that Lodge , was renewed on the

present occasion . Several communications and letters of apology having been read , the Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in form . The proceedings terminated with an excellent banquet , provided by the worthy host of the George Hotel , Bro . J . Head P . M .

Province Of Middlesex.

PROVINCE OF MIDDLESEX .

INVESTMENT OF GRAND SECRETARY . ON Friday , the 26 th October , Bro . Raymond H . Thrupp P . G . A . D . C ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master for

Midcllesox , attended on behalf of the R . W . Provincial Grand Master at the installation meeting of the Royal Hanover Lodge , Twickenham , for the purpose of investing Bro . Howard H . Room as Provincial Grand Secretary for

Middlesex . The D . P . G . M . stated that he wished to inform the brethren of the Province of the manner in which the selection of Bro . Room had been arrived at . On hearing that Bro . Woodward was compelled to resign the position

of Prov . Grand Secretary , Sir Francis Burdett , being aware that if that fact became known there would be numerous suggestions on behalf of the many experienced brethren in the Province , several of whom had special qualifications

for the post , and that this would involve considerable correspondence and delay , took council with him ( Bro . Thrupp ) , Bro . Woodward and others , and after carefully

considering the merits of the brethren eligible for the post , selected twelve , and these were , after further consideration , reduced to three , from amongst whom it appeared to the

Prov . G . M . that Bro . Room was the most eligible . Then , and not till then , he offered the position to Bro . Room , who accepted it . The D . P . G . M . then stated that he had much

pleasure in investing Bro . Room with the collar and badge of his office , at the same time expressing his gratification at being enabled to do so in the Royal Hanover Lodge , that being the Lodge in which Bro . Room was initiated . The

D . P . G . M . told Bro . Room that he was succeeding one of the best Secretaries the Province ever had , viz .: Bro . Woodward , and counselled him to take Bro . Woodward

as his guide in the future . Bro . Room thanked the D . P . G . M . for attending for the purpose , at some personal inconvenience , and pledged himself to do all in his power to promote the welfare of the Province .

We learn from the Jewish Chronicle that Bro . Jacob Mayer , of Portland , Oregon , has been chosen Grand Master for the State of Oregon .

At the regular meeting of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 279

to be held at the Freemasons' Hall , Leicester , on Wednesday next , the 7 th inst ., the members propose to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the initiation into Masonry and

membership of their Lodge , of Bro William Kelly , F . R . S . Our veteran brother is this year again filling the office of W . M ., and has kindly promised to read an address on the occasion ; this will be entitled "Fifty Years' Masonic Reminiscences briefly told . "