Gloucestershire.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

TTIHE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge has JL been appointed by the Provincial Grand Master Sir M . E . Hicks Beach , Bart ., for the Tuesday in Whit-week , 31 st May , at Tewkesbury . The proceedings will include a special service in the Abbey , a building with the restoration of which Provincial Grand Lodge generously associated itself a few years ago .

Hants And Isle Of Wight.

HANTS AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

A SPECIAL Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Winchester , on Friday , 1 st April , when the Deputy Provincial Grand Master will propose that , in view of the Provincial Grand Master Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P .,

having undertaken a Stewardship for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , a sum not exceeding 500 guineas be given from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds , and placed on his list .

The Provincial Grand Master having been initiated into Freemasonry fifty years , a movement is on foot to present him with an album , containing the portraits of the leading Office bearers of the Craft in the Province .

Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

rj-pHE Earl of Euston Pro Grand Master has fixed Wednes-JL day , 13 th April , for the installation of the Earl of Halsbury , Lord High Chancellor , as Provincial-Grand Mark Master of Cornwall , in succession to Sir Charles Brune Graves-Sawle , Bart ., who has been the local Mark chief since 1881 , and resigned on account of age , much to the regret of all the Province .

Bro . W . J . Johns , of Truro , the esteemed Prov . Grand Mark Secretary , has issued a very full programme of the eventful proceedings , the Concert Hall , Truro , having been engaged for the purpose . The meeting is to commence

precisely at 1 * 45 p . m ., and the banquet is to be served at the Red Lion Hotel , at 4 * 15 p . m . As it is the first official visit of the Pro Grand Master to the county , a large attendance is expected .

Bro . P . Colville-Smith P . G . D . England , after the installation of Lord Halsbury , is to be invested as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . He has held that office from 18 9 6 , and has also been in charge of the Province of late . The Provincial Grand Officers will be invested , and a Treasurer

elected . The Province was started in 1867 , with Sir Frederick M . Williams , Bart ., M . P ., as Prov . G . M ., followed in 1879 by Colonel J . W . Peard . There have been three Deputy Prov . G . Masters , who died in office , viz ., Bros . Reginald

Rogers , William Tweedy , J . P ., and Thomas Chirgwin , J . P . There are eleven Lodges in the Province , numbering together several hundreds of members , and as the degree * has long been popular in Cornwall , the new Provincial Grand Master will have no difficulty in ruling a united and

appreciative Province . The railway arrangements provide tickets at a fare and a quarter for the double journey , and it is hoped this favour will apply to Devon as well as to Cornwall , so that visitors may be induced to attend .

A very pleasing function prior to the close of the meeting will be the presentation of an illuminated address from the Prov . Grand Lodge to Bro . Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , Past Prov . G . M ., says the " Western Morning News . "

Doric Lodge.

DORIC LODGE .

AN interesting function took place at Harrogate on the 23 rd inst ., the event that brought together members of the Craft from all parts of the Province of West Yorkshire being the consecration of a new Lodge . Only one Lodge—the Harrogate and Claro , No , 1001 , which was founded in 1864—has hitherto existed in the

popular watering-place . The need of another Lodge has long been felt , and attempts have been made from . time to time to supply the want , but until now without success . The new Lodge is styled the Doric , being No .. 26 95 on the

roll of the Grand Lodge of England , and with Bro . Thomas Woods as its first Worshipful Master it enters upon its career under promising auspices . The regular meetings of the Lodge will be held in the Masonic Hall , but in order to

Doric Lodge.

accommodate the large number of Brethren who assembled for the consecration , the proceedings took place at the Town Hall , which was lavishly yet tastefully decorated for the

occasion . In the absence of the Provincial Grand Master the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P , the ceremony was performed by

his Deputy Bro . J . C . Malcolm , of Leeds , who was accompanied by several Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , while the company also included the Worshipful Masters , Officers , and Brethren of many West Yorkshire Lodges .

The ceremony of Consecration and dedication , according to ancient usage , was of a very impressive character , and its effect was greatly heightened by the admirable rendering of the musical portion of the ritual by Bros . H . A . Holmes , T . Buckland , W . Riley , and W . H . Dawson , Bro . G . Musgrove

officiating as Organist . In the course of a brief address , Bro . Malcolm expressed regret that the Provincial Grand Master was unable , in consequence of other duties , to be present , but assured the Brethren that they had Brother Jackson ' s best wishes for the

success of the day ' s ceremonial , and for the welfare of the new Lodge . Reviewing the circumstances under which the Lodge had been formed , he said there was no doubt as to its desirability , for the growing population of the town , and the increasing number of Masons who came from other places to

take up their residence in Harrogate , fully justified the petitioners in their application . There was ample scope for the new Lodge in the town , and as the two Lodges would work

together harmoniously under the same roof , there was every reason to hope that the Craft in Harrogate would extend , not only in numbers , but also in influence , and that it would be the means of doing a good work .

Bro . the Rev . . H . R . Harrison Chaplain afterwards delivered an instructive oration , which he concluded by urging the Brethren to live transparent , pure , and holy lives , and so fulfil the pledges of their solemn obligation . A number of valuable gifts to the Lodge by several of the Founders were announced . '

Subsequently Bro . Thomas Woods was installed as first Worshipful Master . Bro . Woods is a Past Master of St . James ' s Lodge , No . 44 8 , Halifax , and also a member of Goderich Lodge , No . 1211 , Leeds . The following Officers were invested : —Bro . W . H . Wainhouse I . P . M ., Walter

Davey S . W ., J . B . Griffiths J . W ., S . H . Cliffe Treas ., F . H . Ingle Sec , T . Hargreaves D . C , R . H . Walters S . D ., J . M . R . Smetham J . D ., Wesley Petty Chap ., Max Blume Org ., H . Marshall I . G ., V . B . Reid and F . S . Paull Stewards .

In , the evening the Worshipful Master and Founders of the Lodge entertained about a hundred Brethren to a banquet at the Prince of Wales Hotel . Brother Woods presided , and proposed the toasts of Grand Lodge , on behalf of which Bro . R . Wilson , of Leeds , and Bro . Cowper , of Middlesbrough ,

replied . The Provincial Grand Lodge toast was also submitted by the Worshipful Master , and Bro . Malcolm Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . G . H . Smith

Provincial Junior Grand Warden , and Bro . Hind responded . The other toasts included the Worshipful Master of Doric Lodge , the Worshipful Masters of other Lodges , and the Masonic Charities . — " Yorkshire Daily Post . "

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

THE funeral of Bro . Henry Bishop Stark took place at Littleham , on the 21 st inst . The deceased was a veteran Freemason . He had held the position of Organist of the Sun Lodge , No . 106 , Exmouth , for many years , in which office he continued to the time of his death . He was

also Organist of Topsham , Salterton , Tiverton , and other Lodges . For forty years he was Organist of Holy Trinity Church , Exmouth . In 1893 he celebrated his jubilee as a member of Sun Lodge , when he was presented with an enlarged photo of himself in Masonic regalia , together with

a purse containing twenty guineas . In acknowledging these gifts he said he was initiated a Brother of the Sun Lodge in 18 43 , and had taken part in 800 initiations , passings , and raisings , and had presided at the organ at Exmouth , Salterton , Sidmouth , Newton , Honiton , Exeter , Starcross ,

Teignmouth , Torquay , Dartmouth , Kingsbridge , Plymouth , Newquay , Bodmin , Okehampton , Southmolton , Tiverton , and Bideford . The deceased was Provincial Grand Organist

on the occasion of the Prmce of Wales' visit to Plymouth , when the foundation stone of Truro Cathedral was laid . A large number of Brethren from all parts of Devon attended the funeral .