Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

put some few figures before them ; he was not saying anything against the fact that the Report ' had been made , and that there were grounds for the Report , but he was telling them that they must not forget the past of the great Institution of which they now were holding the Festival , for , until the year 1857 , the Institution was simply for clothing and educating the boys of Freemasons ; but in the year 18 S 7 that was departed from , and another portion—and a very heavy portion , too—of

the expenditure of this Institution was then incurred , namely , not onl y the clothing and education of the boys , but then was added to it the maintenance of the boys of Freemasons . Now he asked anybody—and he was sure all the Committee of Inquiry would go with him—that they could not forget , and they would not forget , what was the state of the Institution as such in the year 1857 ; and he wanted to call attention to these figures in order that they mig ht realise the true position of

it . In that year maintenance was extended to them —( cries of " Question ) . He was surprised the brethren should question the great increase of the Institution . His ( Bro . Eve ' s ) object was not to set brethren by the ears , but to bring them together , and to show brethren , whether they be the Committee or Special Committee for the Inquiry , he was not doubting the ability , the time , the anxiety which had been devoted by the brethren of the

Inquiry , and he thought a debt of gratitude was due to those brethren who undertook the Inquiry . He wished to be perfectly understood—he was not saying anything againt them—and he was sure that they , after knowing that their Report had been adopted , would be the last to forget that , because he knew that all of them were men who had a love for Freemasonry and would do anything for the good of this grand Institution . Notwithstanding , there mi ght be many defects , and

brethren could not shut their eyes to the fact that there were at present about 260 boys who were now educated , clothed , and maintained in that Institution , and it was his object as well as theirs to do that duty faithfully , fairly , and honestly . That being so , their object was to get as much as possible from the brethren , and unless they could show that it was being carried on honestly and economically , they could not expect to receive the support of the brethren ; but he did believe that the

brethren were satisfied with this . ( Hear , Hear , " no , " arid confusion . ) His great object was the prosperity of the Institution , and if he said one word calculated to injure the prosperity of the Institution he invited the brethren to call him in question . He was very glad of the Inquiry , because it had suggested that a considerable reduction could be made in the expenses . He should only be too happy to find that that reduction could be made . He had for a long time , for many years ,

spoken often , year after year , of the high expense of each boy in the School , and he said that if this Inquiry resulted in nothing more than in reducing the expenditure , a great object would have been attained , and instead of educating 260 boys they would be able to add some 60 or 70 boys to the School . Bro . Eve proceeded to say that he wanted to call their attention to the historical part of the Institution . In the year 1857 , the subscriptions did not amount to £ 2000

a year , but in the year 1862 the amount was doubled as compared with the previous year , that next year it was tripled , and every year after that it has been maintained , and in 1 S 8 3 the enormous sum of ^ 23 , 000 for one year was subscribed . They must bear in mind also that they had now got a building , and the land upon which it stood . Nearly £ 100 , 000 had been laid out . Where had that money come from ? It had come from London and the provinces to maintain

the Institution . It showed how open the hearts of Masons had been . They had now , through the exertions of their officers in the past , obtained that grand building . It might be defective as to cooking and raising cucumbers ; it might be defective as to heating apparatus , but if the brethren would give them funds they would alter that ; all those little defects could be cured , but they must have unanimity with the brethren . ( Hear , hear , and uproar . ) They wanted not only a

Provisional Committee , who he was sure were only too happy to co-operate to obtain one object—the good of the Institution , to reduce the expenditure , to inquire into discipline , and explore the management of the Institution . The Provisional Committee would do their best , but they could not enter upon that duty without saying that the Institution and the brotherhood owe a deep debt of gratitude to those men who had been effective in bringing out this small Institution . ( Cries of Question . )

If the history of the Institution was not part of the question he would like to know what was . With reference to the discipline and education of the boys he knew they were united on that , and he was glad that they were united on the questionthe main question—of the education of the boys . He was pleased to say that this Institution was worthy of all the support the brethren could give . ( Hear , hear . ) When he considered the various reports that had been presented of the boys , who

had been educated for the various examinations , he said that that snowed that this Institution had held its own against other Institutions , and had done wonders in the face of other Institutions . Why , he was told by the He . id Master , Dr . Morris , that there had been within the last 20 years as many as 255 boys who had passed the Oxford and Cambridge examinations . It showed that the money of the brethren —( uproar)—160 of those

boys had passed with honours . ( Continued noise . ) Bro . Eve said if the brethren did not wish what he called the great accomplishments of the Institution to be passed in review before them , he had no wish to do it ; but he felt this—that it ought to be known that many sons of Masons had obtained honours . There had been a great deal said about the health of the children —( noise and cries of " Order " ); he had the privilege of attending last week the distribution of prizes ,

and he could tell them that there were not more than two boys in the infirmary . The boys were perfectly healthy ; they ran their races and fulfilled their various sports as boys should do . There were boys out of that Institution who had become medical men , who had entered her Majesty ' s service in the Army and Navy , who had become distinguished solicitors , and had obtained honours in the

various Universities . That showed that the education and disci pline of those children had been equal to that of any bod y of children in the country . ( Cries for " Binckes , " " Lists . " ) And now , as there seemed to be some desire to close , he would give them with all sincereity , and with all desire for conciliation , and with all desire to bring brethren together , " Prosperity to the Roval Masonic Institution for Boys . "

Bro . PLUCKNETT , on behalf of the Institution , returned thanks for the toast , in doing which he wished to say that the Institution was very grateful to Bro . Eve for the duty he had undertaken and the advocacy he had given for this Institution ; and he would like to add , as Treasurer , that the Institution was grateful to the ladies who had come there ; but was sorry they had heard the noise that had disgraced the meeting .

Bro . BINCKES , before reading the results of the Stewards' lists , said that after the manifestations of feeling that had been exhibited during the address of their excellent Chairman , and as other speeches were to be made , how was it possible that he could expect to receive at the hands of what he would under other circumstances have called a glorious assemblage a fair hearing . He was perfectly aware that there were a certain number of brethren there whose attendance was not with

a view to promote the interests of the Institution , but to do what they could to condemn those who had been associated with its development . He knew that he had a simple duty to perforin , but at the same time they must do him the justice to believe him when he said that he never stood before his friends the Freemasons ( this being the 28 th Anniversary Festival with which he had been associated ) in such peculiar and dubious circumstances as those in which he had now to appear .

He asked nothing more than fair play ; he was very much afraid that fair play in Masonry at the present day was a thing difficult to get , but at the same time —( interruption and noise)—he had laboured hard to make this Anniversary a great success ; he had received with gratitude a large amount of support ; but with it . he had had to contend with a large amount of persecution , and whatever might be the result of what he announced from the lists , he said without fear of contradic-

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

tion that it would have been three or four thousand pounds more if it had not been for that persecution . He was on one hand told one thing , and on the other another and he did not know which course to pursue ; but he stood now before the brethren and fearlessly challenged anyone there to say one word against his honour or hj s honesty . Bro . BINCKES then read the totals of the Stewards' lists . After reading the results of the Stewards' lists , Bro . BINCKES said that though

he accepted the result thankfully , he could say with confidence that , with the labour he had used with reference to this Festival , the result ought to have yielded £ 16 , 000 , but for that hostile movement at least £ 3000 more would have been realised . This might possibl y be

the last time he should stand there ; but after all said and done , with all the antagonistic influences at work , he had the satisfaction of standing before them ( with 24 lists not yet returned ) to announce a total of £ 13 , 182 18 s , The result was received with applause .

The CHAIRMAN said the next toast was that of " The Ladies , " which he was sure would be as usual well received . He should couple with the toast the name of Mrs . Stir , ling , a Vice-Patron of the Institution .

Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE returned thanks in Mrs . Stirling ' s name , for the ladies and expressed the great interest that the lady named took in the Institution .

The next toast was that of " The Patrons Vice-Patrons , Vice-Presidents , Trustees , & c . of the Institution , " which was briefl y announced amidst much noise and confusion and not replied to .

" Prosperity to the kindred Masonic Charities" was then proposed from the chair , coupled with the name of Bro . Terry , but Bro . Terry had left , and this toast also went unacknowledged .

"The Health of the Stewards" was also briefly proposed by the Chairman , who then vacated the chair , and the company separated . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . E . P . Delevanti , whose string band performed a selection of music during the progress of the dinner , and the

artistes who enlivened the intervals between the speeches afterwards , were Miss Fannie Joyce , Miss Mary Belval , Bro . Arthur Thomas , and Bro . Egbert Roberts . The Stewards' Favor , of which we give an engraving , contained the Chairman ' s monogram with a wreath , and key , the emblem of Past Grand Treasurer . It was designed and manufactured b y Bro . George Kenning .

Stewards' Lists.

STEWARDS' LISTS .

£ s . d . THE CHAIRMAN 120 15 o LONDON . Lodge l Bro . Charles Belton ... 26 5 o 1 „ J . C . Dimsdale ... 31 10 o 2 „ C . E . Keyser ... ioi 17 o 4 „ J . A . Hughes 5 „ " A . C . Langdale ... 36 15 o G „ Robert A . Gibbons , M . D 21 0 0 8 „ Edward E . Pullman 10 10 o 12 „ Frank P . Telfer ... 47 5 0 15 » John J . Woolley ... 5715 o 22 „ W . R . Brooks ... 46 4 o

23 „ ueorge aimonas ... 21 o o 26 „ Malcolm A . Morris . 2 S „ H . Newland ... 47 5 o 29 „ Thos . VV . L . Emden 12 12 o 33 ,, Thomas Fletcher ... 34 „ Thomas B . White ... ifl 16 o 49 ,, ] ohn Turner 49 „ Wyndham Hart ... 31 10 o 55 „ HerhertW . Roach ... 33 12 o 5 S „ William Smithett ... 37 16 o 59 „ John W . Cluff ... 49 17 6 60 „ Horace Slade ") Co „ Eliab Rogers ) , 0 j ° ° 65 „ George Haller ... 157 10 o 73 „ Walter J . Gregory 42 0 o 90 ,, Henry O . Mordaunt 101 17 0 91 „ John T . Bolcling ... 21 o o 140 ,, J . Dundas Grant , M . A ., M . D . ... 24 12 o

141 „ W . J . Hakim ... 4 S 16 6 145 „ Thomas Jas . Hooper ( see Bedfordshire ) 147 „ George F . mblin ... 367 10 0 157 „ Ernest Jones ... 15 15 0 162 „ Arthur W . Peckham 31 10 o 16 7 „ Edwin Storr ... 65 12 6 179 » Walter Hopekirk ... 4 8 4 o 183 „ Herbert Hooper ... 159 12 o 192 ,, George Abbott ... 7 S 4 6 193 „ Geo . P . Nightingale 6 7 4 o 19 S „ Fredk . Orchard ... iS lS o 19 S „ Charles Lambert ... 10 10 o 19 S ,, William Webber ... 26 5 0 205 „ Charles F . Hogard ... G 4 3 o 256 ,, G . Titus Barham ... 259 „ Dep . Inspector-Gen . Belgrade Ninnis ,

M . U 10 10 0 534 „ G . E . Corrie Jackson 36 15 o 534 „ Edwin Bowley ... 10 10 o 54 8 „ Henry Carman ... 15 15 o 619 ,, Albert E . Austin ... 749 „ Henry John ... 16 4 o 753 » J-J- Thomas ... 45 3 „ 766 „ George F . Edwards 71 S o

7 S 1 ,, ihomas B . Darnell 8 9 5 0 813 „ W . Pierpoint ... 10 10 0 813 „ F . Peel io 10 o 8 ao „ Samuel Wootton .., 10 10 o

Stewards' Lists.

Lodge I s . d . S 22 Bro . Edward M'A . Seaton 24 0 0 SCto ,, Edward Bond ... 10 10 0 S 60 „ Thomas Glass ... 10 10 0 S 71 „ James G . Thomas ... 52 10 0 890 „ H . Wiikie Jones ... 31 10 0 902 „ Walter C . Smith ... 52 10 0 933 » William Smith ... 53 0 6 975 >> Hy . Oastler Hinton 31 10 0 1044 „ Alex C . A . Higerty 73 10 0 J 05 C „ A . A . Pendlebury ... 114 14 fi 1259 » Charles Wakefield . 40 0 0 1260 ,, Samuel H . Baker ... 100 16 0

1319 „ George E . Fairchild 6 3 0 0 134 S „ William C . Wigley 6 3 0 0 134 S „ Walter A . Harvey ... 10 10 0 1365 .. William H . Caton ... 54 12 0 13 S 1 „ H . I <\ Foale ... 46 4 ° 13 S 3 „ James H . de Ricci in Co ' 425 » Joseph R . AHman ... 36 15 0 1563 „ Edmund B . Cox ... 137 2 ° 1563 ,, Thomas H . Beach ... 1571 „ William F . Packer ... 4 S 6 0 1608 „ Thomas H . Johnson 90 15 " 1613 „ John F . Bell ... 52 10 0 1614 „ George Reynolds ... 157 10 ° 1 G 15 „ Lieut .-Col . G . E . E . . Blunt 10 10 0 1 G 23 „ Robt . F . Brickdale ... . 1 « 1627 „ Eugene Delacoste ... 43 1 ° 1635 „ Sir George D . Harris 8 3 n 0 l 6 57 » Alderman J . Renals 49 7 ° i 6 jo „ William H . Duckitc 35 . 1 16 71 „ Alfred P . Keeling ... 176 > ° 1 O 72 „ W . de B . Seagrave 10 10 ° 16 73 „ Arthur Adams ... 15 15 ° ! 579 » James William

Hembrow _ iS is " 1 OS 1 „ George Dickenson ... 1704 „ Charles Collard ... 3 S 17 ° 1716 „ William J . Rundell 21 0 « 1719 „ Richard Sandell ... 2 9 12 '' 1732 „ Charles S . Mote ... 38 fi ° 1791 „ Edward Austin ... 12 G ° ° 1 S 04 „ CharlesJ . J . Tijou ... C 6 18 " 1820 „ Edward Abram ... 20 5 ° 1928 „ Henry Massey ... So " ' 1949 „ Adolphus E . Albert 26 5 ° 1962 „ lames C . Tilt ... 73 10 ° 1962 „ Will . G . Lowe ... 3 6 ' 5 \ 1964 „ William Iron ... 41 9 ' 997 » C . J . Williamson- l

fimbury 4 ° » „ 2012 „ George Gardner ... 347 ° $ 2029 „ Thos . W . Richardson iz ' 20 3 2 ,, Edward Dare ... 15 '•'> ( t 2033 „ Charles Gross , M . D . 25 H Q 2060 „ Henri Bue ... 4 ° ° 2168 „ James P . Fitzgerald 13 ° ? 0 21 9 0 „ William S . Penley ... 37 21 9 „ John J . Woolley ( tee

21 9 2 ,, T . Hastings Miller ... 5 p i 0 „ 2206 „ James Thorn ... 7 " 7 0 2241 „ Frank Tayler , C . C . 6 9 °