Ar00902

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WILTSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Chippenham , on Tuesday , the 13 th instant , the receiving Lodge being the Lansdowne of Unity , No . 626 , of that town . The Provincial Grand Master Lord Methnen presided , and was supported b y a goodly number of the Wiltshire brethreti , comprising Bros . Sir

Gabriel Goldney , Bart ., M . P ., D . P . G . M ., Lord H . F . Thynne , M . P ., P . G . W . England P . P . S . G . W . and P . G . Superintendent ( Royal Arch ) Wilts , Colonel Randle Ford P . J . G . W ., Rev . Canon Millar P . G . Chap-Iain , F . H . Goldney P . G . Treasnrer , T . Ponting P . G . Registrar , Henry C . Tombs P . G . D . England P . G . Seoretary , G . L . Lopes P . S . G . D ., John Chandler P . P . S . G . W . P . G . D . C , Thomas H . Chandler

P . P . G . S . W ., C . F . Marshall P . P . S . G . W ., William Nott P . P . J . G . W . Prov . Char . Sec , Rev . G . E . Gardiner P . P . Grand Chaplain , Rev . J . A . Lloyd P . P . Grr . ml Chaplain , J . V . Toone P . P . S . G . D ., R . S . Edmonds P . P . S . G . D ., E . B . Merriman P . P . Grand Supt . of Works P . P . G . D . C ., D . A . Gibbs P . P . G . A . D . C ., James Sparks P . P . G . Sword

Bearer , S . Badham P . P . G . O ., A . J . Beaven P . P . G . P ., G . W . Collen P . P . G . P ., H . E . Bishop P . P . G . P ., Edwin Eyres P . P . G . P ., Viscount Dangan , & o . Amongst the Visitors were Bros . S . G . Homfray D . P . G . M . Monmouth , and George J . McKay P . G . Seo . Cumberland and "Westmoreland .

The roll of the various Lodges was oalled , and all were found to be duly represented . The minutes of the last Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Swindon , of whioh minutes a printed copy had been issued with the Grand Lodge Summons , were taken as read and duly confirmed . The Provincial Grand Seoretary , Bro . Henry C . Tombs , then read

the minutes of the meeting of the Provincial Charity Committee , held that morning , from whioh it appeared that Bro . Edwin Eyres P . M . 626 P . P . G . P . W . M . was recommended by the Committee to represent the Province as Steward at the forthcoming Festival of the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institntion , and Bro . Thomas Ponting P . M . 1478 Provincial Grand Registrar to fill a similar office as

regards the Girls' School , with contributions from the Province to their respective lists of 20 guineas to the Benevolent Institution , and 10 guineas to the Girls' School . These recommendations were , on the proposition of Lord H . F . Thynne , seconded by Sir Gabriel Goldney , duly adopted .

The Provincial Grand Treasurer , Bro . F . H . Goldney , read an abstract of his accounts which had been dnly audited , and which shewed a balance in his hands on the Provincial Charity Account of £ 81 83 9 d ( in addition to £ 10117 s 6 d invested in New Three per Cents . ) , on the Benevolent Fund Account of £ 42 19 s lOd ( in addition to £ 178 3 s 6 d invested in Consols ) , and on the General Account £ 12 10 s .

The Provincial Grand Registrar , Bro . Thoa . Ponting , read his usual report , shewing that the number of members in the Province was 440 , being substantially the same as in the previous year , but he stated that he was nnable , owing to certain circumstances in conneotion with the returns from one of the Lodges , to render the usual abstract of the accounts of the various Lodges in the Province .

The Seoretary to the Provincial Benevolent Fund and Charity Organisation Committee , Bro . William Nott , presented the Report of that Committee , as follows : —Report of Provincial Charity Organisation and Benevolent Fund Committee , to be presented to the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Chippenham , 13 th November 1883 . On behalf of the Committee I now as usual lay before the Prov .

Grand Lodge an account of the past year's work , both as regards the Benevolent Fund and the Charity Organization . As to the Benevolent Fund , there is little to report save that the Fund is steadily increasing . The account for the year 1882 shews net receipts for that year of £ 74 3 s , whilst the subsequent receipts were , from Lodges £ 34 15 s , and from the Prov . G . Royal Arch Chapter

£ 5 , the latter sum completing the qualification of the Provincial Grand Superintendent for the time being as a Life Governor of this Fund . The sum of £ 75 , covering tho balance shewn on last year ' s account , has been invested in the purchase of £ 73 Is Consols , making a total of £ 178 3 s 6 d of that stock , and in addition thereto there is at present a cash balance in the Treasurer ' s hands of £ 42 19 s lOd .

Seven out of the ten Lodges in the Province are now regular contributors to this fund , and of the remaining three two are young Lodges , that will doubtless in good time see their way to support it . No application for assistance from this fund has yet been received , so that the whole of the incomo has been available for investment . As to the Charity Organisation , I have to report that at the School

elections in April last the votes of this Province were applied in conjunction with those of the other Provinces with which Wiltshire is allied in securing the election of two girls , one each for Somerset and Leicester , and of one boy for Somerset ; whilst at the elections for the Benevolent Institution , in May , the associated Provinces were successful in carrying the three widows they had on the list of candidates , viz .: one each for the Provinces of Worcester , Bristol , and

Monmouth . Your Committee , at its meeting in March last , adopted tho case of Harold Richard Humphries , grandson of the late Bro . Richard Gane , of Trowbridge , to be supported by this Province as a candidate for the Boys' School , and it was accordingly placed upon the list of candidates for the October election . It was not intended to actuall y carry this case until April next , but your Secretary , who attended

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

the election , found that he could readily obtain sufficient votes to then ensure success , and accordingly , as authorised by the Committee , he borrowed them , and pledged this Province to their future repay . ment . The result was that the case was carried , being twentieth ( and the very last ) on the list of successful candidates ; another candidate for tho Eastern Division of South Wales ( another of the

associated Provinces ) succeeded in attaiuing the eighteenth place . Your Charity Secretary desires to express his appreciation of the co-operation of the other Provinces , and to say that the Provincial Grand Lodge on this occasion is more especially indebted to Bros . Capt . S . G . Homfray Doputy Provincial Grand Master Monmouth ; R . C . Else Deputy Provincial Grand Master Somerset ; W . H .

Bowden Bristol ; and R . V . Vassar-Smith Gloucester , who per . sonally attended the election . Your Committee has further adopted the case of Henry Maurice Jarvis , son of the late Bro . Henry Jarvis—a member < -. f the Marlborough Lodge , but formerly of Bath , —to be supported at a future election , in con ] unction with the Province of Somerset , as a

candidate for the Boys' Sohool , and has engaged that when the case shall be taken up by the last-named Province , Wiltshire shall contribute its proportion of the votes which will be required . It will bo readily understood , therefore , that not only on account of the votes already borrowed for the Wiltshire case elected last

month , but also to fuffil the engagements thus entered into for the future , the resources of this Province will be taxed to the utmost for the next two or three elections . The votes the Committee has had placed at its disposal during tho last three years by and in connection with the various Lodges in the Province have been as follows : 1881 . 1882 . 1883 .

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... 407 475 498 Do . do . Girls ... 372 356 370 Do . Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons ... 219 235 242 Do . do . Widows 119 153 171

1117 1219 1281 being 62 more votes this year than in 1882 , and showing a constant and steady increase . Tho Wiltshire recipients of the Masonio Charities are at present as follows : Benevolent Institution . —The same as last year , namely , 3 widows receiving annuities of £ 32 each , or a total of £ 96 per annum ; one

( whose hnsband belonged to the Trowbridge Lodge , 632 ) having been in receipt thereof for seven years , another ( Devizes , 663 ) for five years , and tho other ( Chippenham , 626 ) for one year . The Masonio Schools . —The children from Wiltshire , with the reports of the Governess or Master of the School—as the case may be—with reference to them , are specified in the following list : —

GIRLS' SCHOOL . M . J . F . ( Trowbridge 632 ) , age 16 ; elected 1877 . — " Left tho Sohool in July 1883 ; is teaching in a family at Hilton Farm , near Trowbridge . " A . M . C . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 14 ; elected 1879 , leaves the School 1885 . — " Is a good girl and making fair progress : is in the

third class . A . L . W . ( New Swindon 1295 ) , age 14 ; elected 1879 , leaves 1885 . — "Is only in tho fourth class , though 14 years of age , but being now stronger , is making more progress : is a good girl . " E . M . G . ( Salisbury 586 ) , age 12 ; elected 1879 , leaves 1886 . — " Is now in the fourth class , and making more progress : is a good

girl . F . J . N . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 12 ; elected 1880 , leaves 1887 . — Is making good progress ; she is in the fourth class , and likely to pass to the third after Christmas : is a good girl . " G . E . B . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 12 ; elected 1880 , leaves 1886 . — " Is in tho fourth class , and making fair progress : is a good girl . "

G . M . S . ( Old Swindon 358 ) , age 10 ; admitted 1 S 82 , leaves 1889 . — " Is still in the junior School , but is much improved since last year , having been very backward when she entered the Sohool . She is a good little girl . " L . M . S . S . ( Trowbridge , 632 ) , age 11 ; admitted 1882 , leaves 1882 . — " Has just entered the senior Sohool , of which she i 3 in the sixth class , but seems likely to make progress : she is a good girl . "

BOYS' SCHOOL . H . F . N . B . S . ( Trowbridge , 632 ) , age 13 ; elected 1877 , leaves 1886 . — " In the third class ( first is the highest ) , conduct satisfactory , progress improved , diligence improved . Place in class of 27 boys ,

5 th . Sept . 22 nd 1883 . " H . R . H . G . ( Trowbridge , 632 ) , age 9 ; elected 1883 , leaves 1890 ( not yet actually admitted into the School ) .

- It will thus be seen that there are 3 widows and 9 children from Wiltshire enjoying the benefits from these noble Institutions , which benefits may be measured by an annual value of something like £ 500 or £ 600 .

Stewardships for the Charities . —During the year the following amounts have been taken np to the Festivals of the different Masonio Institutions by Stewards from this Province : Bro . Dr . Ringer , Benevolent Institntion 50 1 0 Bro . James Sparks , Boys' School 135 9 0 £ 185 10 0

WILLIAM KXOTT , Prov . Char . Sec . Devizes , 17 th Oct . 1883 . Bro . Dr . Theobald Ringer 1533 P . M . 1308 was then called up b y the R . W . P . G . M . and presented on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodge with a Charity bar and ribbon in respect of his third Stewardship as representative of this Province to tho Masonic Charities . The Proviuoial Grand Secretary , Bro . Henry 0 . Tombs , on behalf