Tribute To The Late Bro. Kirby.

is what will be known to Masons as a perfect ashlar of polished red granite , bearing the subjoined inscription , engraven in letters of gold : — To the memory of BBO . WILLIAM HENBY KIRBY P . M . P . G . Std . Kent M . E . Z . Erected by the members of the Kirby Lodge of Instruction ( of which

he was the first Preceptor ) and other Masonic friends A faithful husband—a tender father—a devoted son . A loving Brother—a good Mason—a true friend . Born 25 th August 1858 , Died 18 th September 1895 .

The London Freemasons arrived by special tram from Paddington at 4 o ' clock , and proceeded direct to the cemetery for the unveiling ceremony . The proceedings , which were of a simple , albeit touching and impressive character , were opened by the W . M . of the Wycombe

Lodge Bro . Batting , who said : Brethren , —I have the privilege and honour of introducing our Very Worshipful Brother Edward Letchworth Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of English Freemasons , who has kindly consented to come down and undertake tbe onerous duty of unveiling the memorial to our late departed and esteemed Brother Kirby .

Bro . Letchworth said : Worshipful Master of the Wycombe Lodge and Brethren , —We are met together this afternoon for the purpose of paying a tribute of love and respect to a Brother who , during a too short life of usefulness , gained the love and respect of all who knew him . We Masons recognise in our Brother Kirby

a man animated by the truest Masonic principles ; one who ungrudgingly devoted the time at his disposal , ancl his abilities , to those important duties which he was good enough to undertake in connection with the Craft he loved so well . Our Brother Kirby , at the time of his untimelv death , was not an old Mason .

He had been initiated into Masonry , I believe , in the year 1886 ; he was installed Master of his Lodge in 1891 ; and from then until the time he was taken from us he discharged the duties of Preceptor of a most important Lodge of Instruction—a Lodge connected with the Bank of England , and a Lodge which was formerly known by the name of the Clarence Lodge , but has

since borne his own honoured name . There was no need to raise a monument to keep the memory of our Brother green in the hearts of those who knew him , but it was thought only right and fitting that those who come after us might know how highly our late Brother was respected , how deeply his death was mourned , by those who had raised to his unfailing' memory the monument I have now the privilege to unveil .

Bro . Letchworth then withdrew the veil , and the memorial was disclosed to view . Bro . E . Clay Sudlow stepped forward and said : Very Worshipful Brother Letchworth , Brethren , and friends , —My heart is almost too full for words , but yet perhaps to be silent on

this occasion might be to be misunderstood . We cannot really add to the words that are engraven on that stone : they speak to us as a record of the life ' s history of him whose loss we do not cease to deplore . Not a few of us standing around this memorial to-day but know Brother Kirby in all those relationships which

are recorded in that brief sentence . In the early years , those of us who knew him well call to mind the beautiful devotion he showed to those left behind him at home when he took up business in London . We remember that , forgetting every selfish considera * - tion , he would return week after week to show his devotion to

his father , to his sister , and , above all , to his sainted mother—we know that she , a poor suffering one , used to look forward with intensest pleasure to tbe visits of her boy . Later on , when he entered into new ties , there was still the same loving devotion to the wife and to the children . I have heard Mrs . Kirby tell us of

the unceasing care and watchfulness over her life ; and on the hearts of the children he had such a hold that his memory will he carried by them to their dying day . As a Mason , Bro . Letchworth , who has been so good as to come amongst us and unveil this memorial that we have raised with loving hands , has

told us of his virtues ; and as Masons we like to think that , by the thoughtfulness of Bro . Wellcome , we can regard the life of Bro . Kirby as being engraven on the perfect ashlar—the symbol , to Masons , of a regular , well spent life . I can speak of Bro . Kirby as a friend . For twenty years Bro . Kirby and I were in hourly intercourse , and the void created bv his loss has never

been , and probably never will be , fillled up . If there has been sadness in my words and in my tone it is uot because we grieve for him , because we know he has passed to his great reward : the sadness is rather for ourselves who are left still to fight the battles of the world uucheered by his presence , and unaided by his counsel and advice .

Bro . Philip J . Eutland ( Mayor of Wycombe ) also added a few words . He said : Very Worshipful Bro . Letchworth and Brethren , —My position to-day is rather that of a representative , but , before assuming that role , I should like , if I may , to speak of the deceased as one of his oldest , if not his oldest friend to-day . Both of us are Wycombe boys ; both of us received our education

Tribute To The Late Bro. Kirby.

in this town ; both of us alike started the battle of life ; and both of us ultimately vegitated to that metropolis , London . Here and there I always had the greatest kindness and consideration shown to me by him to whose memory we unveil this monument . But I want to say , as Mayor of this town , how very pleased we are that one of our sons should have gone to London , there fought his way to the front , and taken a conspicuous place as a man , as a citizen ,

and as a Mason , which the ceremony of to-day assures us that he did . We in Wycombe are flattered to no mean degree by having this most magnificent and most speaking monument in our midst ; aud I can assure our London Brethren that they have not misplaced it in this cemetery , and that those who live nearer to it than they do will come to this grave with those sentiments which you 'would do if you were more regularly here . This brought the ceremony to a close .

After a close inspection of the monument , the company retired , the London visitors being kindly entertained by Bro . Rutland before returning to town . The same afternoon , it may be added , a cross of white chrysanthemums and a harp of immortelles were placed on the grave , the latter emblem having a card attached thereto upon which were the , words " In loving memory of my dear husband . "

We understand that this memorial has been formally handed over to Mrs . W . H . Kirby by Bro . Charles Lewis Preceptor , and Bro . Wm . Baker Secretary of the Kirby Lodge of Instruction , as representatives of the Memorial Committee . — " South Bucks Standard . "

The Brethren of the Confidence Lodge , No . 193 , being anxious to secure the election of Bro . J . Smith P . M . as an Annuitant of the Benevolent Institution—for which he is a candidate—will be pleased to receive promises of support from

Brethren who have not yet pledged their proxies for the next election . Bro . E . Pennock S . W . of the Lodge is actively working the case , and will be glad to hear from Brethren who will support the applicant .

A grand Masonic Ball will take place on 18 th January , in connection with the Hugh Owen Lodge , at the King ' s Hall , Holborn Eestaurant . Tickets may be had of Bro . F . G . Soper ( Lindens , Macdonald Eoad , New Southgate ) Secretary .

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