Essex Provincial Grand Lodge.

ESSEX PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE .

WHEN the Provincial Grand Secretary announced , at the Festival of the Senior Lodge in the Province , that the R . W . the Provincial Grand Master had decided to hold his Lodge for 1875 at Eochford , not a few of those present expressed themselves as ignorant of the geography of the place , and " Where is Eochford ? " has since passed somewhat into a proverb among the Freemasons of the

Eastern Division of the County . For the sake of those who did not venture npon the journey on Tuesday , it may be stated that Eochford is an ancient town , consisting of four irregular streets , and situate on the banks of the Little Roche , which is navigable up to within about a mile of the town . It is distant 40 miles from London , 12 south of Maldon , 19 i south-east from Chelmsford , and 4 north

from Southend , and stands in a rich corn-growing district . Eochford Hall was the residence of Queen Anne Boleyn , and also of Lord Kich , afterwards Earl of Warwick , but the present structure is only a portion of the old mansion . At between five and six miles distance is another small town , of equal antiquity—Rayleigh—noted for some interesting earthworks , tho remains of the Castle first built by Swene ,

who owned tho place at the time of Doomsday Survey , and was founder of the De Essex family . In fact the district altogether is an exceedingly interesting one , and played an important part in the history of early times . Having said thus much as to the antiquity of Eochford and surrounding district , it will be interesting to note that it is 27 years since the meeting of the Provincial Grand

Lodge has been held there , notwithstanding that tho occasion of the last meeting has ever since been marked as one of the most memorable upon the records of Grand Lodge . The particular circumstance which distinguished that meeting was that a large sum of money was raised to assist tho family of the Provincial Grand Chaplain , who had but lately died , in very reduced circumstances , and that the

W . M . and Brethren of the Lodge of True Friendship had received the thanks of an especial Grand Lodge , for the prompt and Masonic manner in which they had acted towards the destitute orphans of a " beloved and highly talented brother . " The claims of Eochford to bo again honoured with a visit from the Provincial Grand Lodge , have , we believe , from time to time been urged , but a strong

impression that its great distance from the chief towns of Essex , and the main line of railway , wonld militate against its success , has outweighed every other consideration . The meeting on Tuesday , however , was a sufficient answer to these objections , for not only did tho proceedings pass off with eclat , but the attendenco was equal to the average of these occasions . The

way was long , no doubt , to many who were present—one brother travelled nearly 30 miles by road , and 21 by rail , to reach the place of meeting , and traversed the same ground on the return journey ; but the very nice arrangements of the Brethren of tho Lodge of True Friendship were an ample compensation . The apparently recentlyerected Corn Hall had been fitted up in a most tasteful manner as a

temporary Lodge room , and Avhen Grand Lodge had assembled , it had a very effective appearance . The great drawback of the day Avas the absence , from continued ill-health , of the R . W . tho Provincial Grand Master ( Bro . R . J . Bagshaw ) , although his position was most ably filled by the new D . P . G . M ., Bro . Matthew E . Clark . Business commenced shortly after two o ' clock , when the Grand

Officers present were Bro . Matthew E . Clark , actiug M . W . P . G . M ., Bro . Vero W . Taylor P . M . 1312 , S . G . W ., Bro . J . J . Wilson P . M . 1437 , J . G . W ., Bro . Joseph Barton , G . Treasurer , Bro . John Wright Carr , G . Secretary , and Bro . A . Lucking A . G . D . C . The minutes of the last Grand Lodge , held at Chelmsford , having been read and confirmed , the Grand Secretary reported that he had received a large

number of letters from Brethren regretting their inability to be present . Among these was a most kind ono from Lord Tenterden , a personal friend of the M . W . D . P . G . M ., who explained that special parliamentary duties prevented his attendance . The Grand Secretary then called over the list of Lodges , and it was found that they were represented as follows : —

Angel ( Colchester ) , No . 51 , Bros . Henry Samuel P . M ., T . J . Hailing Secretary , J . Hanly I . G ., and W . S . Sprent . True Friendship ( Rochford ) , No . 160 , Joseph Reeve W . M ., J . A . Wardell I . P . M ., P . P . J . G . D ., Edward Judd P . M ., and P . P . G . E ., George Burgess P . M . Secretary , P . P . J . G . D ., Henry Wood P . M ., D . S . H . Garrington P . J . G . W ., George Goodman , Wm . Thomas Allen P . M ., A . Winmill , W . Pissey P . M .,

Fred . F . Jillings , Rev . H . J . Hatch S . W ., S . Allen juu . Tyler , James F . T . Wiseman P . M ., P . P . G . S . B ., Wm . Frost , Arthur Harrington I . G . 160 , G . H . Josling , John Allen jun . P . M ., P . P . G . S . B ., Wm . Allen jnn . S . D ., Thomas W . Gower J . D ., William V . Willson , J . W . Harris P . P . A . D . C ., Robert Gront , William Moove , and Frederick Wiseman P . M . Hope and Unity ( llomford ) , No . 211 , James Self P . M ., Rev . T .

Cochrane S . W ., P . G . Chaplain Oxon . Good Fellowship ( Chelmsford ) , No . 276 , Frank Whitmore W . M ., James Nicholls P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., Thomas Smce P . M ., Ebenczer Shedd , A . F . Hunt . Hope ( Brightlingsea ) , No . 433 , A . W . Went Organist . Star iu the East ( Harwich ) , unrepresented . Chigwcll ( Woodford ) , No . 453 , Charles F . Hogard W . M ., Richard E . Motion P . J . G . W ., D . Read S . W ., P . P . G . S . United

( Colchester ) , No . 697 , A . R . Clench W . M . Priory ( Southend ) , No . 1000 , J . R . Hemman I . P . M ., H . Rowley P . M ., P . P . G . S . D ., William Waterhonsc , William Chaplin , H . Ncvillo Smyth , E . E . Phillips S . W ., P . M . 370 . St . Peter ( Maldon ) , No . 1 , 021 , Edward Kemp W . M ., G . P . Jay P . M ., P . P . G . S . W ., Walter C . Bell J . W . Waldcu ( Saffron Waldcn ) , No . 1 , 280 , Alfred Jones W . M ., Joseph Bell P . M ., P . P . J . G . W .,

St . Mary ( Booking ) , No . 1 , 312 , Voro W . Tavlor W . M ., A . Portway Secretary , Win . Johnson I . G . St . John ' s ( Grays ) , No . 1 , 313 , Dav . Robertson W . M ., Alfred Sturgeon S . D ., D . Bartlett . Liberty of Havering ( Romford ) , No . 1 , 437 , E . West W . M . I . Tydoman I . P . M ., G . W . Patmore S . D . Bagshaw ( Buckhurst Hill ) , No ' . 1 , 457 , Joseph Clarkson W . M ., Joseph Tanner P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., and Thomas Nicholson .

Visitors—Bros . J . C . Johnstone P . M . 20 ( G . L . Ireland ); H , Bluttner 1226 , T , Lawlev sen ., and T , Lmwler ivm . 1297 ; aDd G . T . Carter P . il . 382 .

Essex Provincial Grand Lodge.

Grand Lodge then proceeded to the election of Treasurer , and on the motion of Bro . W . Pissey P . M ., seconded by Bro . Jas . Nicholls P . M ., the W . Bro . Joseph Burton was for the thirteenth time unanimously re-elected to that post . In returning thanks , Bro . Burton alluded , in feeling terms , to the absence of the M . W . P . G . M ., and moved that a minute of the regret

of Grand Lodge should be made upon the records . He drew attention to tho fact that when Bro . Bagshaw was appointed G . M . there were but 7 Lodges in tho province , now there were 17 , and it Avas to his unwearied exertions that tho present flourishing position of Freemasonry in the province was to be attributed . Bro . WILSON P . M . 1437 , seconed the vote , and it was carried by

acclamation . The D . P . G . M . said he shonld feel great pleasure in informing tho R . W . P . G . M . of their kind vote . Bro . Bagshaw ' s disappointment at not being able to be present was so keen that he had asked him to explain to the Brethren that it was only medical injunctions which had deterred him from attending . The last Masonic meeting he

attended was when he went to represent the Province at the Installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and the result of his exertions on that occasion was that he never left his bed for six weeks . His medical men had cautioned him not to risk entering into public again till he was cured , which they hoped ho would be—( Hear , hear . )—and destroy the chances of his being present with them another

year . The following were then nominated and invested as officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . Jas . Self P . M . 214 , P . S . G . W ., Alfred N . Jones

W . M . 1280 , P . J . G . W ., the Eev . H . J . Hatch S . W . 160 , P . G . Chaplain , Henry Samuel P . M . 51 , P . G . Registrar , John Wright Carr

P . G . Secretary , Thos . Smee P . M . 276 , P . S . G . D ., J . R . Hemman P . M . 1000 , P . J . G . D ., C . F . Hogard W . M . 453 , P . G . Supt . of Works , Peter Matthews P . M . 276 , & C . P . G . D . C , A . Lucking 160 , P . A . G . D . C , Lieut . W . S . Sprent 51 , P . G . S . B ., A . W . Went 0 . 433 , P . G . Organist , Augustus Portway Sec . 1312 , P . G . Pursuivant , I . Tydeman I . P . M ., P . A . G . Pursuivant , Gowen , Nicholson , Jillings , Johnson , Sturgeon , and

Hanly , P . G . Stewards , T . S . Sarel P . P . G . T ., P . G . Tyler . Bro . R . E . Motion P . M . proposed a vote of thanks to tho R . W . D . P . G . M . for the able manner in which he had presided over the business of the day . Much as they regretted the absence of the W . M ., it was a source of great gratification that they had a Deputy-Grand Master who could preside over them in the efficient way Bro . Matthew

Clark had done ., Bro . Self S . G . W ., seconded tho vote , and it was carried with acclamation . The D . P . G . M . thanked the brethren for their kind vote . He was sorry that , owing to the short time which had elapsed since his appointment—March last—he had been unable to visit all

the Lodges . He had , however , visited seven ( hear , hear ) , and he hoped , before the end of the year to see them all . Everywhere ho had been he had met with a most kind reception ; and he could only say that if in his further progress through the province he met with the same good feeling , he should have ample reason to be satisfied . Grand Lodge was shortly afterwards closed , and about 4 30 some 50 brethren assembled in au improvised banquetiug Hall , in tho rear of

the Old Ship Inn , and partook of a capitally served banquet . Here , again , tho brethren of the Eochford Lodge had taken great pains to ensure the comforts of the gnests ; and were eminently successful . Altogether tho meeting at Rochford was a most happy one , and Bros . J . A . Wardell and A . Lucking , who specially exerted themselves to promote the success of tho gathering , may be congratulated npoa the felicitous mauner in which the whole proceedings passed off . — Essex Standard ,.

Tnr . HoniEix GATEWAT or WHITEHALL . —By an Act of Parliament it was directed to be called " The King ' s Palaco at Westminster" for ever . Its limits Avcre defined on the one side by the "street leading from Charing Cross unto the Sanctuary Gate at Westminster , " and on the other by " the water of the Thames . " At this time it consisted of " a mansion with two gardens and three acres of land . " Henry

VIII ., as we have shown in a preceding chapter , added very considerably to tho buildings ; and he likewise ordered a tennis-court , a cock-pit , and bowling-greens to be formed , " with other conveniences for various kinds of diversion . " Here Holbein painted the portraits of Henry VII . and Henry VIII ., with their queens , and also tho " Dance of Death . " Here too—or rather across the roadway in front ,

leadingj from Charing Cross to Westminster—he built his famous gateway . Holbein had been induced to come over to England through tho reputation of the taste and generosity of Henry VIII . Ho was introduced to the king by the instrumentality of Sir Thomas Move , at his house at Chelsea , where a , largo number of the painter ' s works had been recently ranged round the walls . Taken immediately into

the king ' s service , Holbein had apartments assigned to him in tho old palaco at Whitehall , for which ho designed , at the king ' s request in 1546 , tho gateway above alluded to . It stood in front of the palaco , opposite the Tilt-yard , and was flanked ou cither sido by a low brick building of a single storey in height . Its position was a little nearer to Westminster Abbov than the north-west corner of York Houso .

The edifice was constructed of small square stones and flint boulders , of two distinct colours , " glazed aud disposed in a tessellated manner . " On each front there wero four busts or medallions , " naturally coloured and gilt , " which were stated to havo resisted all influences of tho weather . They were of tcrra-cotfa , as largo as life , or oven a little larger , and represented some of the chief characters of the n ^ 'e . —From " Cassell ' s Old and New London " for July .

CLUB IIOCSR PLAYI-JO CAMW . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack . In per dozen packs . D . i . seconds Is per pack , Us per dozen packs . If bv post lid per pack extra . Gard 3 for Piquet , Bezique , Ecart ^ , Jfcc , Mogul Quality lOd por pack , Us per dozen packs . —London : W . W . Morean , 117 Barbican , E , 0 , e