Durham.

DURHAM .

THE gathering of Freemasons at the Victotia Hall , Sunderland , on Tuesday of last week , on the occasion of the annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham--the first held under the presidency of the Right Plon . Lord Barnard Provincial Grand Master—was a very imposing one .

The Brethren of the Sunderland Lodges had formed a special Committee under the presidency of the Mayor Bro . J . G . Kirtley and the Secretaryship of Bros . E . J . Willis and T . Harrison , in order to give a fitting reception to the Prov .

Grand Lodge . The Victoria Hall was suitably decorated , and the platform enlarged and covered with red cloth . The Provincial Grand Officers occupied the dais , and the Brethren occupied the area and a portion of the dress circle .

The Fund Committee held its meeting at the Masonic Hall , under the presidency of Bro . C . S . Lane P . P . S . G . W . The Provincial Grand Master presided in Lodge , and formally opened the proceedings . Each Lodge in the Province was represented , and in nearly every instance the Worshipful Master was present .

The Provincial Grand Master , acting Deputy , and other Officers having been welcomed in Masonic form , the Treasurer ' s report was presented and adopted . It snowed total receipts during the past year amounting to ^ 907 is gd , and on the other side grants were recorded which absorbed

£ 344 ; and there were other payments which reduced the sum to ^ 321 8 s 3 d , the credit balance in the bank . The report of the Fund Committee , recommending personal grants amounting to £ 60 , and grants to the Provincial and London Charities amounting to - £ 301 10 s , was accepted .

The annual report of the Chanties Committee showed that during the year £ 723 10 s had been invested . There were eighteen children on the Education and Maintenance Fund , and one female and three males on the Pludson Benevolent Fund . From the London Masonic Charities ,

principally the Schools , the Province had received help to the extent of £ 534 , and to these Institutions Stewards had taken to London in 1901 a total of £ 800 , showing that as a Province they well maintained their London Charities . The

year 1902 would be the twenty-fifth of the Charity , and the Committee recommend that a Festival be held early in the year , it also being the first year of the Provincial Grand Master , and the first year of the new Grand Master presiding over the Craft .

It was stated that if a similar sum was raised to what was obtained by the Festival of two years ago , at Durham , the two Durham funds would be placed . in a position to meet all applicants without recourse to voting , and free from precarious subscriptions .

The Provincial Grand Master , referring to the Festival of 1902 , said he should be exceedingly pleased to place Raby Castle and Park at the disposal of the Committee for that gathering . The report was adopted . The Provincial Grand Master thereafter presented to

the Provincial Grand Lodge two new standards for use in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and Bro . Victor Williamson P . P . G . W . intimated his intention to present a banner in

remembrance of the Provincial Grand Mastership of his late Brother Sir Hedworth Williamson , such banner to be hung alongside of that presented to the Prov . G . Lodge by the late Marquis of Londonderry .

Bro . Victor Williamson P . G . W ., accepted the standards , on behalf of Prov . G . Lodge , which were presented by Lord Barnard .

A deputation representing the Sunderland Brethren , consisting of the Mayor Bro . J . G . Kirtley , J . D . Todd , J . C . Moor , H . J . Tumbull , Thomas Robinson , and E . J . Willis , then presented at the hands of the Mayor an illuminated address in album form , bound in purple morocco leather and engrossed in a very magnificent manner .

An illuminated title page bore the inscription— " To the Right Honourable Henry De Vere Vane , Baron Barnard of Barnard Castle , in the Bishopric of Durham . " The illuminated address on the next page was as follows : " Sunderland , 24 th September 1901 . Most Worshipful Sir

and Brother , —On behalf of the six Masonic Lodges working in the county borough of Sunderland , we beg to tender you a cordial greeting to our town on the occasion of your visit

to-day , to assume the duties of presiding , for the first time , oyer the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham . Your association with the Brethren in the Province , and the eminent position you have occupied as an honoured

Durham.

Officer of the Grand Lodge of England , have hitherto been a source of pleasure to us , a pleasure which has been enhanced by the gratification with which we hailed your designation and subsequent installation as the Grand Master of our Province . In bidding you this joyful welcome we are

actuated by motives of the sincerest regard for yourself personally and of staunch loyalty to the higher Masonic powers represented by the M . W . Grand Master and the Grand Lodge of England , and also to the Provincial Grand Lodge , by whom the ancient landmarks of Freemasonry have

been so faithfully preserved in the Province , and under whose beneficent regime we are proud to labour . That the G . A . O . T . U . may continue to inspire you with wisdom and

zeal , and grant you health and strength to perform the duties of your high Office for many years to come , is the heartfelt aspiration of Yours fraternally , '

J . G . Kirtley , Chairman J . D . Todd , Vice-Chairman J ohn Cameron , W . M . 80 PI . T . Plalfpenny , W . M . 94

Thomas James , W . M . 97 R . Scott , W . M . 949 David D . Smith , W . M . 138 9 E . J . Willis , W . M . 2039 . "

Lord Barnard , in acknowledging the presentation , said that he could hardly find words to express his thanks for the handsome presentation made to him . Pie could assure them that they need have no apprehensions as to the memories he should take away with him of his first Provincial Grand

Lodge in the great and splendid county borough of Sunderland . It assured him of the loyalty and the kind friendliness which they had so cheerfully accorded to him , coming amongst them more or less a stranger , and also assured him that the true spirit of Freemasonry permeated the Lodges

of that town as well as the more formal part of the business which they conducted . Pie therefore thanked them most heartily ,. and he assured them that he reciprocated from the bottom of his heart the kind words which they had used in making' the presentation .

At a subsequent period of the meeting Lord Barnard further addressed the Provincial Grand Lodge . In the first place he said he desired to express his sincere regret at the absence of Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram from their midst that day . Canon Tristram had filled the Office of Deputy

Provincial Grand Master for many years with very much dignity and honour to the Province , and if the Lodge would allow him , he would write in his own name and their own to express to him their deep sympathy , and the hope that he might be speedily , restored to health , and that before long

they might have him amongst them again . Before proceeding to speak of matters in general , he desired , on behalf of the Grand Lodge generally , to tender his most hearty and cordial thanks to the brethren of West Hartlepool tor their kindly invitation to hold their next annual meeting in that

town , an invitation , he could assure them , which would receive the very careful consideration of the Prov . G . Lodge , and at present he saw no reason why it should not be accepted . With regard to the position of Freemasonry in the Province , he had had every opportunity and reason of satisfying

himself that the position of Freemasonry upon his taking up the reins of Office was due to a great extent to the tact and effort of his late predecessor , as well as to the extreme zeal and energy with which the duties were performed by what he might term the permanent staff of the Provincial Grand

Lodge . It was interesting to note how steadily Freemasonry had increased in the Province . When the late Bro . John Fawcett took Office in 1847 there were thirteen Lodges , when the late Lord Londonderry succeeded in 1880 there were twenty-five , and when the late Sir Pledworth

Williamson assumed the reins of Offi . ce in 18 S 5 there were thirty . During Sir Hedworth ' s career there were consecrated eight Lodges , at which number they stood at the present moment In 1880 the membership was 929 , and at the present time it was 3 , 49 2 , there having been an increase on the previous

year of 150 , and he thought they were entitled to assume that during the present year there would be a corresponding increase . Pie trusted that during the coming year he would be able to pay many visits to the Lodges in the Province .

Pie Had every reason for believing that the Lodges were extremely well worked , and from what he had seen himself he could safely confirm that statement . He was happy to think that Past Masters retained their close connection with