Anchor And Hope Lodge, No. 37, Bolton.

ANCHOR AND HOPE LODGE , No . 37 , BOLTON .

CELEBRATION OF THE SESQUI-CENTENNIAL . This old lodge celebrated its sesqui-centennial , or 150 th anniversary , on Monday , the 23 rd ult . The lodge was warranted 2 rd October , 1732 , by Lord Viscount Montague , Grand Master of the Moderns Grand Lodge , and its history has recently been published by Bros . G . P . Brockbank and Jas . Newton , as noticed in our columns a few weeks ago .

The proceedings of thescsqui-centennial were held in the Masonic Rooms , at the Swan Hotel , the lodge being opened by the W . M ., Bro . E . Garstang , assisted by his officers , the following members of the lodge being present : Bros . I . Booth , S . W . ; F . W . Pacey , J . W . ; R . Pennington , l . P . M . ; W . Slater , P . P . S . G . D ., Treas . ; ' G . Brockbank , P . P . S . G . D ., Sec ; J . W . Poyntz , J . I ) .,- W .

Pennington , P . M ., D . of C ; R . K . Freeman , P . M . Org . ; J . Hardcastle , I . G . ; W . H . Lomax , and J . Naylor , Stwds . ; T . Glaister , P . P . S . G . W . ( Mayor of Bolton ); S . Isherwood , P . P . G . Treas . ; J . Newton , P . P . S . G . D . ; S . Crowder , P . P . G . S . of W . ; J . Walker , P . M . ; W . H . Horrocks , P . M . ; J . Mills , P . M . ; J . Morris , P . M . ; B . A . Dobson , C . F . Porter , J . Ridyard , W . H . Wilson , and T . Nightingale .

The lodge was honoured by the presence of the following Present and Past Grand Officers :

Bros . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , P . G . W ., Prov . G . Master ; H . D . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal ; Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec ; C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds , G . J . D . ; Major-General II . Clerk , P . G . I ) . ; Captn . N . G . Philips , P . G . D . ; J . M . P . Montagu , P . G . D . ; and George Mellor , P . G . D ., Dep . Prov . Grand Master . The following other visitors were also present :

Bros . J . Chadwick , P . G . Sec ; J . R . Wolfenden , P . P . G . Sec . ; F . A . Huet , P . P . G . Purst . Staffordshire ; W . Nicholson , P . G . Swd . Br . ; J . W . Taylor , P . P . G . Org . ; T . Mitchell , P . G . Tyler ; G . Taylor , W . M . 14 O ; J . Boothroyd , W . M . 221 ; J . B . Taylor , W . M . 34 S ; W . Court , W . M . 1723 ; J . Alcock , P . M ., Sec . 34 S : N .

Nicholson , P . M ., Sec . 1723 ; R . Horsfall , W . M . 950 ; W . Y . Martin , W . M . 1 S 14 ; Jas . Whitehead , W . M . 1952 ; J . M . Rutter , P . M . 221 ; J . Hothersall , S . W . 1554 ; Jos . Heathcott , J . D . 1952 ; C . E . Schuster , P . M . 62 ; J . Hutton . P . M . 62 ; T . Wingfield , 14 C ; T . Nightingale , 14 C ; A . G . Cooke , 1030 ; R . B . Seddon , 1335 ; John Collins , 67 S ; T . Wilson , 1 S 14 ; J . M . Bentley , Mus . Doc .

The lodge having been opened to the Third Degree , the Prov . Grand Officers and Grand Officers respectively entered the lodge , and were received with the customary salutations . The W . M ., on behalf of the lodge , tendered to all the brethren present a

hearty welcome on the interesting occasion which had brought them together . His remarks were supplemented by Bro . Samuel Isherwood , P . M ., P . Prov . G . Treas ., the senior member of the lodge , he having been initiated therein in 1856 .

The R . W . Prov . Grand Master , Col . LE GENDRE W . STARKIF ., delivered an address , expressing his satisfaction , at being privileged to be present at such an assemblage of the brethren , and tendered his thanks to the members of the lodge for their courteous and kindly welcome , and his earnest hope that the lodge Anchor and Hope would long continue at the head of the roll of lodges in his province , and be as prosperous in the future as it had been in the past .

The Secretary , Bro . G . P . BROCKBANK , announced that letters of apology had been received from the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , R . W . Dep . G . M . ; General Brownrigg , Prov . G . M . Surrey ; Bros . W . J . Hughan , Past G . D . ; John M . Wike , Past G . D . ; C . J . Banister , Past G . Swd . Br . ; H . S . Alpass , G . Std . Br . ; Rev . W . Chaytor , P . Prov . G . Chap . ; Thos . Entwistle , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Wks . ; and others .

Bro . J . NEWTON , P . Prov . S . G . D ., read an interesting paper " On Provincial Lodges to No . 105 ( now No . 37 ) , Bolton , " which had been compiled at considerable pains by Bro . W . J . Hughan , PastS . G . D . of England , P . Prov . G . Sec . of Cornwall , & c . The purpose of the paper was to prove the assertions made by the lodge historians " that the lodge is the Premier

Provincial Lodge in England originally warranted as a Provincial Lodge , and continually on the roll to the present time . " In order to do so Bro . Hughan makes another assertion , which he fully proves in his paper , viz .: — " That all the lodges originally chartered as Provincial Lodges prior to the Anchor and Hope Lodge , have either been erased orfora timeremoved from the roll . " A list

of such lodges alphabetically arranged in provinces is then given , showing twenty-seven Provincial Lodges and Four Foreign Lodges , all chartered prior to the " Anchor and Hope , " and which have all been erased from the roll , having in fact discontinued , save No . 97 ( now No . 39 ) , Exeter ,

warranted in July , 1732 , which was removed from the roll for about twentyyears , and in 1770 was placed as the junior of the 1732 lodges , as No . 48 , the "Anchor and Hope" then being No . 46 . The reading of Bro . Hughan ' s paper was listened to with great interest , and at the conclusion a vote of thanks was cordially given to him for the

same . Bro . ROOKE PENNINGTON , B . A ., LL . B ., l . P . M . of the lodge , read an epitome of the lodge ' s history during the past 150 years , narrating many interesting facts which he had culled from the history . A cordial vote of thanks was given to Bro . Pennington for his paper .

On the proposition of Bro . WM . SLATER , P .. Prov . S . G . Deacon , seconded b y Bro . Jas . WALKER , P . M ., a vote of thanks was passed to His Worshi p the Mayor , for kindly allowing the use of his banqueting room at 'lie Town Hall for the purpose of the banquet on this occasion .

Bro . G . P . BROCKBANK , P . Prov . S . G . Deacon , proposed a vote of thanks to the R . W . Prov . Grand Master and the Grand Officers for their attendance on the occasion . The motion was seconded by Bro . J AMES NKWTON , P . Prov . S . G . Deacon , and carried unanimously .

Bro . I-I . D . SANDEMAN , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , in acknowled ging the vote of thanks , expressed the pleasure it had afforded him and the other Grand Officers in being present on such a unique " ccasion .

Anchor And Hope Lodge, No. 37, Bolton.

His remarks were supplemented by the Grand Secretary , Bro . Ccl . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , who also expressed his own personal pleasure at being present , and intimated that so far as he knew this was the first sesquicentennial celebration of any lodge under the English Constitution . The W . Masters of the sister lodges in Bolton , in turn , presented to the lodge resolutions which had been adopted by their respective lodges , congratulating the Anchor and Hope Lodge on this auspicious occasion .

On the motion of his Worship the Mayor , Bro . Titos . GI . MSTI .-R seconded by Bro . W . H . HORROCKS , P . M ., a vote of thanks was passed ' to the sister lodges for their fraternal expressions of congratulation . The lodge was then closed to the First Degree . "T Icarty good wishes " were presented by the visiting brethren , and after the Graiuf Officers and Prov . Grand Officers had retired , the lodge was forthwith closed .

The brethren afterwards proceeded to the Town Hall , where a recherche banquet was provided in the Mayor ' s banqueting-room , by permission of his Worship the Mayor , who presided during the subsequent proceedings . The usual toasts appropriate to the occasion were duly honoured ^ and the evening was occupied in a pleasant and agreeable manner b y the singin < r of

g lees and songs , interspersed with recitations , Szc . It is worthy of note that amongst those present on the occasion was Bro . J . R . Wolfenden , P . Prov . G . Sec . ( an ex-Mayor of Bolton ) , who was initiated in the lodge in 1831 , and was also present at its centenary on October 23 rd , 1 S 32 .

The following is the paper b y Bro . Hughan , read b y Bro . Jas . Newlon , and referred to above -. — " PROVINCIAL LODGES TO No . 105 ( NOW No . 37 ) , BOLTON . By BRO . W .. ] . HrmiA . v , P . S . G . D ., Prov . G . Sec Cornwall , & c . A ' ead at the Sesqni-Centennial of the Anchor ami Hope Lodge , No . 37 , 33 rd October , 1 SS 2 . The compilers of the excellent history of the Anchor and . Hope Lodge , No . 37 , Bolton , claim for that lodge the special distinction that it is the premier Provincial

Lodge in England , originally warranted as a Provincial Lodge , and continually on the roll to the present time . My purpose is to prove the assertions made by my friends ( Bros . Brockbank and Newton ) , and in order to do so make another assertion , which I shall prove herewith , viz ., that all the lodges originally chartered as Provincial Lodges prior to that of the lodge at Bolton have either been erased or for a time removed from the roll .

These make a rather long list , and to illustrate the point in question I have consulted all the copies I have of lodge lists from 1723 , and also carefully examined Bro . Gould ' s " Four Old Lodges and their Descendants . " To make the list easier for reference I have alphabetically arranged the provinces , a task of itself , strange to say , never attempted by any one before :

Bristol—No . 29 , of A . n . 1724 , Bristol . Cheshire—No . 32 , of A . D . 1724 , Chester ; No . 33 , of A . D . 1724 , Chester ; No . 35 , of A . D . 1724 , Congleton ; No . So , of A . n . 1731 , ' Macclesfield . Derbyshire—No . 104 , of A . D . 1732 , Derby . Devonshire—No . 97 , of A ! D . 1732 , Exeter . Hampshire—No . 35 , of A . D . 1724 , Gosport . Kent—No . 66 , of A . D . 1730 , Canterbury . Lancashire—No . 48 , of A . D . 1727 , Salford ; No . S 7 , of A . D . 1732 , Leigh . ' Lincolnshire—No . 73 , of A . D . 1730 , Lincoln . Norfolk—No . 30 , of A . D , 1724 , Norwich ; No . 70 , of A . D . 17201 Lynn Regis . Northamptonshire—No . 62 , of A . n . 1730 ,

Northampton . Oxfordshire—No . 5 S , of A . D . 1729 , Oxford . Somersetshire—No . 2 S , of A . n . 1724 , Bath . South Wales ( W . D . )—No . 34 , of A . D . 1724 , Caermarthen . Staffordshire —No . 88 , of A . D . 1732 , Wolverhampton . Suffolk—No . 7 S , of A . D . 1731 , Bury St . Edmunds ; No . 81 , of A . D . 1731 , Bury St . Edmunds ; No . 96 , of A . u . 1732 , Ipswich . Sussex—No . 31 , of A . D . 1724 , Chichester ; No . Gj , of A . D . i 730 ,. St . Rooke's Hill . Warwickshire—No . 52 , of A . D . 172 S , Warwick . Yorkshire—No . 59 , of A . D . 1729 , Scarborough .

To complete the list of those warranted out of the Metropolitan district , I may also , mention No . 50 , of A . D . 172 S , Madrid ; No . 51 , of A . D . 172 S , Gibraltar ; No . 72 , of A . D . 1729 (?) Bengal ; No . 90 , of A . D . 1732 , Paris . These are all seniors of No . 105 ( now 37 Bolton ) , and have all been erased from the Roll , having in fact discontinued , save No . 97 , Exeter , which , though removed from the roll for about twenty years , was restored as 239 , and in 1770 was placed as the junior

of the 1732 lodges as No . 48 , the "Anchor and Hope "then being No . 4 6 . No . 39 , Exeter , has the oldest warrant , though of the same year as No . 37 , only it lost its seniority through its unfortunate removal from the roll for several years . I am very sorry it is so , as I am much interested in its position and progress , but the facts must be fairly stated , and in its own by-laws the members fully acknowledge the circumstance .

Practically then , No . 37 . Bolton , and No . 39 , of Exeter , respectively , are the only 1732 on the roll ; No . 37 , Bolton , having remained on the roll from its constitution in 1732 to the present time , all its chartered Provincial predecessors from 1724 having - been erased , so that in 1 S 82 the only continuous Provincial Lodge from 1732 is the " Anchor and Hope " Lodge , Bolton , whose sesqui-centennial is being celebrated to-day —a unique celebration .

Long may the dear old lodge remain on the roll , and may it not only be kept on the register to celebrate its Bi-centenary , but , in the merciful Providence of God , we trust that some of its present members may be able then to tell tlie brethren how its 150 th anniversary was observed .. Long live the "Anchor and Hope" Lodge ! Many thanks to its historians ! Fraternal love to all its members and visitors , WM . J AMES HL ' GHAN . Truro , 23 rd October , 1 SS 2 .

A strange , and as there is reason to fear , fatal accident occurred on Monday , in connection with a war troph y brought home from Egypt by Bra . Lord Charles Beresford . After the Condor ' s engagement with Fort Marabout , a shell was found that had gone clean through the roof of the fort ' s magazine . Lord Charles and his gunner examined it , and came to the conclusion that tlic shell had never been charged . His lordship , therefore , resolved 011 bringing it home and havin « - it

mounted for presentation to the Prince of Wales , Before sending it , however , for the latter purpose , he again closely examined it , and even on one occasion placed a lighted candle in the pin-hole . When sent on Monday to Mr . Nordenfelt ' s factory , the precaution was taken of filling it with water before sawing it in half . On a workman taking up a copper rod and stirring up the water , the shell exploded , and it is feared inflicted fatal injuries on the man , besides slightly injuring several of his companions .