Nottinghamshire.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

ATTENDED by representatives of the Craft from all parts of the county , the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the 12 th , at the Masonic Hall , Goldsmith Street , Nottingham , the Provincial Grand Master His Grace the Duke of St . Albans , Lord-Lieutenant of Notts , presiding . The reports presented were of a gratifying character , showing an increase in the number of members in the Province .

In regard to the work of the Benevolent and Educational Committee it was mentioned that during the past year one child of a defeased Mason had been elected to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , whilst an annuity had been secured for an aged Brother .

It was decided to establish in the Province a museum for the care of objects of interest in relation to Masonry . Bro . J . Potter Briscoe , F . B . H . S ., public librarian of Nottingham ,

accepted the appointment of honorary librarian and curator . Bro . J . H . Bradwell P . M . Southwell Lodge , No . 405 was elected as Provincial Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year , in succession to Bro . Enoch Hind P . M . 1405 .

The Duke of St . Albans afterwards appointed the following as Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge : — Bro . T . Salisbury 1909 .... Senior Warden J . Sansom 1852 .... Junior Warden

Rev . W . F . Boot 939 - - ) «* , „„ , „ , „„ Rev . H . T . Hayman 402 - - - [ Chaplains R . A . A . Webster 411 and 1493 - - Registrar A . Stubbs 402 Secretary Captain W . H . Tomasson 402 and 1852 - Senior Deacon H . E . Wilson 47 - - - - Junior Deacon J . Howitt 1794 .... Superintendent of Works

j . . bevy ± 4 do- .... director ot ueremonies H . Hallam 1909 .. . . Assist . Dir . of Ceremonies Parker Woodward 1434 - - - Sword Bearer K S IS and 2302 I I 1 Standard Bearers

J . G . Carver 1493 .... Organist J . P . W . Marx 1909 - - - Assistant Secretary H . W . Hutchinson 1661 - - - Pursuivant F . W . Fox 2017 .... Assistant Pursuivant J . Wilford 47 - - - \ T . Knight 939 ....

W . J . Rorke 1794 .... I „ , „„ , .. . J . Greenwood 1852- - - - f stew « ds Joseph Page 2017 .... J . D . Fidler 2412 - - - - / J . I . Turner .... Tyler T . Malender 939 - - - - Assistant Tyler .

Correspondence.

CORKESPONDENCE

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE GEAND TEEASUEEESHIP .

To the FBEEMASON ' S CHBONICLE . DEAB SIB , —May I ask you to insert the enclosed letter in your next issue , and greatly oblige , Yours faithfully , JOHN W . GIEVE . Portsmouth , 18 th December 1896 .

( Copy . ) High Street , Portsmouth , 11 th December 1895 . DEAB SIB AND BBOTHEB , —While thanking most sincerely yourself and those Brethren who so kindly promised to support me in my candidature for

the office of Grand Treasurer of England , I deem it right to explain that under the circumstances of the nomination of Bro . W . H . Bailey , and having regard to the evident feeling in Grand Lodge that there should be unanimity at this election , I decided , after consultation with my friends , not be to put in nomination this year .

I shall , on a future occasion , ask you to kindly redeem your promise , arid I hope meanwhile to retain your valued influence and support . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , JOHN W . GIEVE . Prov . Grand Treasurer Hants and Isle of Wight

A marriage is arranged between Evelyn F , F . W ., daughter of Caroline N . H ., widow of the late Bro . John G . Manby , and Mowbray Aston Greene , son of the late Major T . Greene , and nephew of the late General Sir George Greene , K . C . B ., of the Indian Army . It will take place quietly , owing to recent decease of Mrs . Greene .

North London Benevolence.

NORTH LONDON BENEVOLENCE

r flHE eleventh annual ball in aid of the Masonic Charities J _ will be held at the Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street , W . C , and has been arranged to take place ou Thursday , 30 th January , under the presidency of Bro . George Cook P . M . 820 , while aaiong the Vice-Presidents are Bros . James Terry Sec . E . M . B . I . and F . E . W . Hedges Sec . E . M . I . G . Bro . Herbert

Sprake P . M . 2192 will again act as Treasurer to the Ball Committee , and Bro . Frederic Humphreys , 16 Clerkenwell Eoad , B . C ., as Honorary Secretary for the second time . Last year a

no less sum than ninety guineas was subscribed to the three Institutions , an amount greatly in excess of that subscribed in previous years . It is hoped that the ball of 1896 may produce a still more favourable result .

Devonshire Charity.

DEVONSHIRE CHARITY

rip HE first annual meeting of the Western District Masonic I Charities Association was held on the 13 th , at the Freemasons' Hall , Plymouth . The financial report showed that £ 63 had been subscribed , producing twelve life governorships , seven of which had been taken in the Fortescue Annuity Fund , and the remaining five in the Devon Masonic Educational Fund .

This was felt to be a most satisfactory result for the initiatory year , and the more encouraging feature is that there is every sign of next year ' s working being a still greater success . The

Committee of Management for the forthcoming year having been appointed , the members proceeded to ballot for two life governorships , which fell to Bro . F . B . Westlake P . M . 70 and Bro . Christopher Watson P . M . 954 .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

GENEEAL regret has been expressed at the death of Bro . J . E . Cordell , of Clapton , who was widely known and highly respected . He was prominent in local Freemasonry , being Preceptor of several Lodges of Instruction , He was a P . M . and Treas . and a P . Z . of New Concord , No . 813 .

ALDEEMAN W . E . Morrison , J . P ., of Eastbourne , died on the 10 th inst . He was an enthusiastic Freemason , whose long and devoted services to the Craft won for him the honoured

position of Senior Grand Warden of Sussex , and was much respected in Eastbourne , where he for three years filled the position of Mayor .

A Worker Of The Past.

A WORKER OF THE PAST .

THEEE has just passed from our midst an old Freeman , who , though he was not an educated man , has left his mark in a very remarkable manner in the early progress of Freemasonry in Hull , the East Eiding of Yorkshire , and North Lincolnshire . Brother Thomas Hewson P . M . 57 P . P . G . S . B . North Lincolnshire

and East Yorkshire , died on the 7 th inst ., aged 81 years . Bro . Hewson was initiated in the Humber Lodge ( then No . 65 ) , 15 th December 1846 . In 1848 he was appointed Junior Deacon , in 1851 Junior Warden , and in 1863 he was elected Worshipful Master of that important Lodge , an honour he had well

earned by his plodding and unwearied industry in acquiring a knowledge of the details of the working of the ritual of both Craft and Eoyal Arch Masonry . In his endeavour to gain a full knowledge of the subject he was generally assisted by an old veteran in the Craft , Brother Jeremiah Stark , a Past Master of

the Humber Lodge , one of its founders and for years its Secretary , Brother Stark , at an early date , was a very expert Freemason , a diligent student in all the mysteries and ceremonies of ancient Freemasonry , and he generally assisted Brother Hewson in his endeavours to master the details of the ritual , of which so very little was known at that time . At the death of Past Master

Bro . Stark , Brother T . Hewson was able to supply a much-felt want . With his knowledge and experience he was able to assist in most of the ceremonies , necessary in the proper conducting of all the several duties incumbent upon the Master and Officers in carrying out the working of the ritual of Freemasonry , which , up

to that , had been oral and known only to very few . His services were in great request in Hull , where there were at that time only two Lodges—the Humber and the Minerva . He also assisted the Master and Officers of the Constitution Lodge at Beverley , and the Pelham Pillar Lodge at Grimsby . He was always ready

and willing to assist on all necessary and convenient occasions . Time passed on , and then arose men who , having diligently improved their opportunities , were able to do the work of the

several Lodges . About 1867 Lodges of Instruction were regularly held , and so the ceremonies and rituals became better known , and were skilfully conducted by able and efficient Past Masters . — " Eastern Morning News . "