Derbyshire.

DERBYSHIRE .

THE wish has frequently been expressed by the Mark Masons of Derbyshire , says the " Sheffield Independent , " that their county should be constituted a separate Province . Hitherto it has formed pare of the

united Province of Leicestershire , Northamptonshire , Derbyshire , and Rutland , presided over , for about a quarter of a century , by the late Bro . William Kelly , F . S . A ., of Leicester . Since the recent death of this

venerable and venerated gentleman representations have been made to headquarters , and it is now stated that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , as the Most Worshipful Grand Mark Masfcer Mason , has sanctioned the creation of a Derbyshire Mark Province . He has ,

moreover , just appointed the first Provincial Grand Mark Master of Derbyshire in the person of Brother Abraham Woodiwiss , a selection which cannot fail to

give satisfaction to the Derbyshire Brethren . For a great many years Bro . Woodiwiss has been actively and honourably associated with the Mark degree , and has won the full confidence of his associates . He went

through the chair in the Derby Mark Lodge , No . 302 , was appointed in due course Provincial Senior Grand Warden , and subsequently , for several years , filled the post of Provincial Grand Treasurer . Moreover , his energy obtained substantial recognition from

headquarters , fche Prince of Wales four years ago bestowing upon him the office of Grand Master Overseer ( England ) . As a member of the Board of General Purposes , too , he has rendered yeoman service to the Degree .

Monmouthshire.

MONMOUTHSHIRE .

BRO . C . R . Lyne , Solicitor , Newport , was recently invested Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Monmouthshire at the Masonic Hall , Dock Street , Newport , in succession to the late Captain Homfray , who

filled the position for many years . The ceremony took place under the banner of the Silurian Lodge , with which Bro . Lyne has been connected for several years . There was a full muster , and amongst the Visitors were a number of Freemasons from the county .

In the evening there was a dinner at fche Westgafce Hotel . The new Deputy Provincial Grand Master , says the " South Wales Daily News , " is one of the elder sons of Col . Lyne , who has held the position of Provincial Grand Master of the county for . upwards of twenty years .

Wiltshire.

WILTSHIRE .

THE Annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Lodge Room of the Unity and Loyalty Lodge , at Chippenham , on Saturday . The Prov . G . M . the Right Hon . the Earl of Radnor presided , and there weie over 100 Brethren present .

Ihe Lodge received with regret the resignation of Bro . F . H . Goldney as Prov . Grand Treasurer , and Bro .

W . Merriman was elected in his place . The Provincial Grand Master appointed the following Officers : Bros . W . J . Mann - - - Senior Warden

H . Merrick - - - Junior Warden Rev . J . D . Dunlop - - Chaplain W . Merriman . . . Treasurer F . H . Phillips - - - Registrar Harry Bevir - - - Secretary J . R . Read - - - Senior Deacon Edgar Neale - - - Junior Deacon E . Waters - - - Superintendent of Wks

J . Chandler - - - Director of Ceremonies C . J . Hibberd - - - Assistant Dir . of Ceis . C . B . Oliver - - - Sword Bearer H . H . Baker - - - Organist A . Wallington - - - ) -r , ¦ , A . Taylor - . . j Pursuivants W . T . Coleman - - - Standard Bearer C . Bishop - . . B . W . Crees - - „ . G . W . Tyler - - - ' stewards-W . Deane

There was a large number of Brethren present from the Bristol and other Provinces . After the Lodge the Brethren dined together at the Angel Hotel , the chair being occupied by the Provincial Grand Masterand the

, vice-chair by Bro . C . N . P . Phipps .

Norfolk.

NORFOLK .

r TlHE Annual Convocation of the Provincial Grand JL Chapter was held at the rooms of the Masonic Association , 47 Sfc . Giles ' s Street , Norwich , on Friday of

last week , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Superintendent , the Right Hon . Lord Suffield , K . C . B . There was a fair attendance of Companions from the various Chapters in the Province ( seven in number ) .

The Companions having given their Provincial Grand Superintendent the customary salute , the roll of Chapters was called , when all were found to be represented . The roll oi Prov . Grand Officers were then called wifch the result that very few failed to respond to their names .

Companion A . A . Markham ( in the absence of Comp . G . W . G . Barnard the Prov . Grand Scribe E . ) read the minutes of the last Annual Prov . Grand Chapter , held at King ' s Lynn , on the 19 th October 1893 , and the same were confirmed . The Prov . Grand Treasurer read the summary of the accounts of . the Prov . Grand Chapter

for the past year , and the report and recommendation of the finance committee . The Prov . Grand Registrar having given an account of the work of the Chapters in the Province during the past year , the Provincial Grand

Superintendent appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year as follow : —

Comp . Hamon le Strange - - H . Frank Burton - - - J . G . W . G . Barnard - - Scribe E . J . T . Stanton - - - Scribe N . George W . Page - - - Treasurer R . J . Mills ... Registrar

A . J . Berry ... Principal Sojourner S . M . Mills - - 1 st Assistant T . Cranmer ... 2 nd Assistant Thomas Smith jun . - - Sword Bearer C . E . Ward - - - Standard Bearer

George Baxter - - - Director of Ceremonies G . S . Smith ... . Assist . Dir . of Cers . S . N . Berry - - - Organist A . A . Markham - - - Assistant Scribe E . E . Hollidge - - - Janitor . After fche transaction of miscellaneous business tha

Grand Superintendent briefly addressed the Companions and congratulated them on the satisfactory financial condition of Prov . Grand Chapter , which had enabled

them to vote so large a donation as they had done to the funds of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and on the state of affairs generally in the Chapter . He also made sympathetic allusion to the illness of Companion

G . W . G . Barnard Prov . Grand Scribe E ., and expressed the hope that he would soon be restored to health . The Chapter was then closed in ancient form , fche proceedings having lasted about an hour and a half . In the evening a banquet was held at the Masonio Rooms . Lord Suffield the Grand Superintendent occupied the chair , being supported by Companion Hamon le Strange , and others .

History: Menturia Lodge.

HISTORY : MENTURIA LODGE .

BRO . GREATBACH , in the Lecture he gave afc the Menturia Lodge , No . 418 , said in 1800 there were four Masonic Lodges in Staffordshire—namely , No . 42 , held at Wolverhampton , Unity at Lichfield , Friendly Brothers at Newcastle , and United Pottery at Lane End . The next five years four new Lodges were established , including the St . Martin's , at Burslem , in 1805 , the date of the warrant being 30 th April in that year , ifc being stated in the warrant that it was a resuscitation of a charter granted for the formation of a Lodge at Wolverhampton which had lapsed . In the same year a Lodge was established at Hanley . In December 1813 , when the Lodge numbers were revised , there were in Staffordshire eight Lodges ; St . Martin ' s , Burslem ; Stability , Hanley ; United Pottery and the Independent , both afc Lane End ; Unity , Longnor ; Friendly Brothers , Newcastle ; Stafford , Forebridge ; Etruscan , Stoke . In 1833 there were only five Lodges in the Province—Etruscan , Stoke ; St . Martin ' s , Burslem ; Fortitude , Stafford ; -St . John ' s , Lichfield ; and Noah ' s Ark , Bilston ; leaving out the moving Military Lodges which from time to time were located with the regimental headquarters at Lichfield , The Bible used in the Menturia belonged to one of the