Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKS AND BUCKS .

I ^ HB Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., presided at the Provincial Grand Lodge , which was holden at the Auction Mart , High Wycombe , on Monday last , the 25 th inst . The Provincial Grand Master was supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the Very Worshipful Bro . the

Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg P . G . C , and the Provincial Grand Officers of the year , as follows . —Bros . John Tomkins 945 S . W ., Major G . L . de M . Taylor 1899 J . W ., Rev . F . R . Harnett 840 Chap ., Rev . Henry Lewis 945 Chap .,

J . W . Martin 414 Reg ., R . Bradley 414 Sec , Geo . Tottle 1501 J . D ., William Ravenscroft 1101 S . of W ., H . S . Hannigton 574 A . D . C ., Henry Perks 209 Std . Br ., Thos . Slatter 1770 Std . Br ., W . Guille 1410 A . Purst ., H . J .

Stollery 209 , G . H . Charsley 1894 , C . H . Trench 2043 , John Line 1410 , Joseph Greenaway 1101 Stewards , W . Hemmings Tyler . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened at 1 ' 30 p . m ., when Bro . Bradley Prov . G . Sec .

called over the roll of Lodges in the Province , and it was found the whole were represented . The minutes of the annual Provincial Grand Lodge , holden at Windsor , on Monday , the 27 th June 1887 , were , on the motion of the

D . P . G . M ., taken as read and confirmed . The financial statement of the Provincial Grand Treasurer aud the report of the Charity Committee were both of a very satisfactory character , while the Provincial Grand Secretary ' s report ,

as to the condition of the Lodges in the Province , showed a total membership of 834 as against 794 at the corresponding period last year . Bro . Charles Stephens , the Provincial Grand Treasurer , was unfortunately absent through

illness ; this the Provincial Grand Master felt all present would much regret . However , Bro . Stephens had rendered good service in the past , and all wished him a speedy recovery . He ( Sir Daniel ) had great pleasure in proposing

Bro . Stephens ' s re-election . This was seconded and unanimously agreed to . Provincial Charity jewels were presented to Bros . Anthony T . Kersley 574 and Reginald

Maples 574 , and Bro . S . G . Kirchhoffer had bars added to his Provincial Charity jewel . Announcement was now made that in one or two cases where the individuals

named did not reside within the Province that dispensations had been granted for their appointment , the following were invested as the Provincial Grand Officers for the next twelve months : —

Bro . Jowett 591 * Senior Warden E . L . Shepherd 945 - - Junior Warden Lewis 945 - - - " ) n , , . „ A . Williams . - . j Chaplains C . Stephens ... Treasurer

ii . ( Jreed .... JKegistrar E . Bradley ... Secretary Sydney Payne ... Senior Deacon Teuoh .... Junior Deacon Finch .... Superintendent of Works

Odell .... Director oi Ceremonies Seymour ... Assistant Dir . of Cers . Fisher .... Sword Bearer E . O . Mount - - O 0 J . a . JD .

J . Morris - - - ) ° ™ uuaru ^ Bareru Sherwin ... Organist Sells - - - - Assistant Secretary J . H . Hawkea ... Pursuivant

G . J . Cosburn ... Assistant Pursuivant Page - - - - ^ Lickyer - - - - ' . Bowen .... ! „ , o , 0

Pratt .... r » "" < "uo Thompson - - - j Tubbs - - - -J Hemmings ... Tyler

Amongst other business transacted the sum of twentyfive guineas was voted from Provincial Grand Lodge to the Charity Fund , and the various Lodges who have

subscribed to that Fund were voted grants , amounting in all to 105 guineas , in aid of the several Masonic Institutions . With regard to the notice of motion given by Bro . John Tomkins Provincial S . G . W .: — "Thatthis Provincial

appoint a Committee to enquire into its discipline and management , " some considerable amount of discussion ensued . It seemed to be the general opinion that this was a matter that scarcely came within the scope of Grand Lodge to deal with . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master

Grand Lodge of Berks and Bucks respectfull y requests Grand Lodge to take into consideration the present condition of the Masonic Boys' School , and , if thought fit , to

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

suggested an alternative proposition that should be a recommendation to the House Committee to take further action in the matter . Bro . Charles Beltou , a member of that body , stated that his confreres had requested

Bro . Philbrick , the Grand Registrar , to appoint a Committee of Inquiry , and that it was full y expected that Bro . Philbrick would undertake this responsibility . It was

eventually decided the recommendation of this Provincial Grand Lodge should be forwarded to the Grand Registrar to bring before such a Committee .

In addressing the brethren the Provincial Grand Master congratulated them on the steady progress that was being made . Since their last meeting two new Lodges had been consecrated , and a fuller addition to their roll AN as shortly to

be made . As regards the Craft in general the success of the recent Festival on behalf of the Girls' School was intensely gratifying . He was pleased to see so goodly an attendance

that day , and trusted they might have as successful a gathering next year , when the Provincial Grand Lodge would be held at Reading . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed .

A luncheon was afterwards served at the Town Hall , where the Provincial Grand Master presided . He was supported by a large majority of those who had attended the Pro v . Grand Lodge .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LINCOLNSHIRE .

ON the invitation of the W . M . and brethren of the Shakespeare Lodge , No . 426 , the annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire was held at the Masonic Hall , Spilsby , on Thursday , 31 st May . The rooms were beautifully decorated , and it was apparent from the

excellent arrangements made that the Spilsby brethren had spared no effort to give the visitors a suitable reception . The Shakespeare Lodge having been opened by the W . M .

Bro . Colonel Grantham , the officers and brethreu of the Provincial Grand Lodge entered . There was a very large attendance of brethren , 234 responding to the roll call of Lodges . The minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand

Lodge , held at Lincoln on 2 nd Juue 1887 , having been confirmed , the finance statement of the Province was read by the P . G . Treas ., Bro . C . M . Nesbitt . It was of a very satisfactory character , as were also the returns of the Lodges

presented by the P . G . Reg ., Bro . H . Watson . The P . G . Secretary , Bro . Vickers , next read the report of the Committee of the Prov . G . Lodge Fund of Benevolence , the Oliver Memorial Fund , the Smyth Scholarship Fund , and

the Prov . Grand Lodge Charity Committee . Generally a prosperous condition of affairs was reported , and it would seem that the Charity Committee had been successful in securing the election of its candidates last May . The

following were appointed a committee to draw up suitable rules and regulations for the management of the Sutcliffe Memorial Fund , which had been completed this year , the sum of 1000 guineas having been raised : Bros . Bates ,

Hewson , Clarke , Mountain , Kirby , Sutcliffe , Clitherow , and Bellerby . It was decided that the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution should be the Charity having the

support of the Province during the next year , and Bro . H . E . Oousans was appointed Provincial Steward to work that particular fund . Pour of the brethren having had conferred upon them P . G . rank , in honour of the Queen ' s

Jubilee , namely , Bros . C . M . Nesbitt , H . Watson , Col . Grantham and J . Sutcliffe , they were formally invested by the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , who made a few remarks appropriate to the occasion . The P . G . Sec . read a communication from the Home Secretary , in acknowledgment

of the address sent from the last Prov . Grand Lodge to Her Majesty the Queen , on the celebration of the Jubilee of her reign . The following brethren were invested as Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year :

Bro . G . H . Porter - - - Senior Warden H . Clark - - . - Junior Warden Eev . E . M . Weighall - - ] ChaplaiM Kev . U . Laing - - - J C . M . Nesbitt - - - Treasurer

H . Watson - ¦ - llegistrar B . Vickers - - - Secretary Horobin .... Senior Deacon

J . Mansell - - - Junior Deacon Challans ... - Superintendent of Works W . II . Koberts - Director of Ceremonies i J C Basker - - - Assistant Director of Cers .