Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

allude to her as your patroness , and I am sure that you could not get a more graceful one . ( Renewed applause . ) Brethren , I would therefore ask you to join with me in drinking " The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M-W . G . M ., Patron and President of the Institution , H . R . H . the Princess of Wales , Patroness , and the other members of the Royal Family . " ( Cheers . ) The toast having been drunk ,

The D UKE OF CONNAUGHT said : Brethren , I give you "The health of the Earl of Carnarvon , Most Worshipful Pro . G . M ., the Earl of Lathom , Right Worshipful Deputy G . M ., and the Grand Officers Present and Past , " and with this toast I am happy to couple the name of Bro . Sir Francis Burdett , Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex .

Bro . Sir F . BURDETT : May it please your Royal Highness and Brethren . —I assure you it gives me the greatest pleasure , especially on this particular occasion , to have to respond for so excellent and powerful a bod y of brethren as we have in our Grand Officers . In responding for the Earl of Carnarvon and the Earl of Lathom , I may say we thoroughl y appreciate their services ,

and I believe the whole of the Grand Officers are highly appereciated for the services they perform during their term of office . I believe every Grand Officer has been duly appreciated during the time he has been in office , and after having left office almost every Grand Officer has left it in the regret of all those with whom he has served . Generall y speaking , the Grand

Officers are ready and anxious to do everything they can , and not only during the time they are in office but also ever afterward ; when they are able to assist their brethren they are ready to do so on every possible occasion . On the present occasion , perhaps , I ought to feel it a very high honour in having to respond to this toast because among our Grand Officers we have

a . Past Warden of the Grand Lodge , His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , present . Vou are all perfectly well aware that when he took the office he came and performed his duties which everybody appreciated

thoroughly . We are always anxious , as every Grand Officer is , to do our duty to the brethren in general , and with the whole of Masonry at large ; and therefore , with further trespassing upon your time , I return our thanks for the manner in which you all have drunk our health . ( Hear , hear . )

LORD LEIGH , Prov . G . M . Warwickshire : May it please your Royal Hig hness and Brethren—I feel it to be a very high honour indeed to be called upon to propose the next toast , which may be said to be almost the toast of the evening . The toast which I have to propose is that of " His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , Past Grand Warden of England . " ( Cheers ) .

It is a very pleasing duty , and it is an easy duty as well as a pleasing duty , because His Royal Highness is so deservedly beloved , not only by every Mason in England but by every man and woman in the country . ( Applause ) . It is an easy duty because I know that it is one which needs not for me to make any remarks to call for it the most hearty response . ( Cheers ) . I

consider it to be a very pleasing fact that we have a member of the royal family occupying the chair this day . ( Cheers ) . Upwards of ninety years ago this grand Institution was founded , when a member of the royal family , the Prince of Wales—a former Prince of Wales—was Grand Master of England . It is therefore most satisfactory tc find a member of the royal house now

occupying the chair of an Institution which was founded b y a former member of the royal family . ( Cheers ) . Whenever there is any good work to be performed we always have one of the members of the royal family ready to come forward to perform it . Brethren , we have this day one of the most popular princes of the house in the position of Chairman ; loved , not only by

the whole nation , but by the whole army of England . ( Cheeers ) . I give you with the greatest pleasure the health of His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , and allow me to take this opportunity , on behalf of myself and the Province of Warwick which I represent , to offer to His Royal

Highness our heart ) ' congratulations that we are about to have a new Prince joined to the royal family , who is to be the next Grand Master of the Province . 1 can onl y say that on behalf of my own Province I wish them long life , health , and happiness . ( Cheers ) . " I give you The health of the Duke of Connaught , and long may he live to occupy the position . "

The Duke of CONNAUGHT , who was received with loud applause , said Brethren , I assure you I feel very much flattered and very grateful to you for the cordial manner in which you have drunk my health . I am also excessively thankful to my friend the Prov . Grand Master of Warwick , on my ri ght , for the kind words that fell from him in proposing this toast . It

is very gratify ing to me to find the hearty reception that I have met with from you all this evening . It is a great gratification to me that I have been enabled to perform the duties of chairman , to come amongst you and assist , in however small a way , to promote the good and the welfare of the Royal

Masonic Institution for Girls . I hope that the result of the meeting will be one which will be satisfactory and which will be gratifying to all the brethren . I thank you again for the honour you have done me in drinking my health . ( Cheers . )

The Duke of CONNAUGHT : Brethren , I must now bring to your notice the toast of the evening , "Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " ( Cheers . ) It is now nearly a century since its formation and has at all times , from its name , been one of the Charities which has been most liked and most helped by the Craft in general . As I already mentioned , it

has received considerable Royal support , which has been very much added to to-day on account of its connection with Her Majesty the Queen . ( Cheers . ) Brethren , the Institution is one which is thoroughly worthy of the Craft . It is carried out in the most admir able manner , and is conducted

in every way so as to benefit to the utmost those girls who are admitted to it . Some 1300 g irls have been through this school and home , and it has now within its walls 238 . At the last election it was necessary and found convenient to admit without any poll all those who were candidates for it . ( Cheers . ) This was done on account of the increased

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

accommodation , and on account of the necessity to promote its welfare among the Craft . But this was done as an exceptional measure , and with the hope of increasing its funds . The building , which I am sorry to say I have not had the pleasure of inspecting personally myself , is , I am told , thoroughly satisfactory in every way . It contains ' not only the home and s : hooI , but it has large gardens and pleasure grounds for the benefit of the

girls . It likewise has a laundry and an infirmary . I am sure you will all recognise how important all these adjuncts are , and how they promote the happiness and welfare of those who are living there . There is one peculiar feature which I should mention , and which I am grateful to Lord Lei gh for telling me , that is that many of those who have the chief management of the School have been bred and brought up in it . ( Cheers . ) It is very gratifying ,

and we can understand how it encourages those in the School when they see those set above them have b ; en in similar positions to themselves . Miss Jarwood has been sixty-six years in the Institution . And I should not forget Miss Davis , the head governess . The success of the School is largely due to her unswerving kindness and admirable management . I am sure that I should be wanting in my duty to you as your Chairman were I not to

mention her name . Brethren , all charities have to be kept up on the funds that we can raise , and it is always one of the unpleasant duties of the Chairman to point out how much is required to keep up the good work that is to be done . By careful and good management I believe £ 4 . 2 , 001 ) was invested in Government securities ; but this onl y gives a yearly sum ( which is the onl y fixed income )

of £ 1268 . It therefore requires between £ Stioa and _ £ io , ooo , which we raise on similar occasions to the one we are assembled at this evening-. Anion " the Craft , where Charity is our watchword , I am sure that I will not have to speak to you in vain . No members of the Craft , and no brethren have ever turned a deaf ear to the supplications of those who wish to promote the food and the welfare of their fellow brethren . I feel , therefore , confident that the few words that have fallen from me this evening will not fall on deaf ears ,

but that you will heartily respond to this toast by showing , by the subscription list , that we shall be able to continue the good work that has alread y gone on for the last century . I will ask the brethren to join with me in drinking ' * Success to the Royal Masonic Institufion for Girls , " and I have great pleasure in coupling with this toast the name of Col . Creaton , Grand Treasurer , to whom we are all greatly indebted for the energy he has shown and the trouble he has taken in the Institution . Brethren , I propose to you "Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " ( Applause . )

Colonel CREATON . May it please your Royal Highness , my lords , and brethren—I beg to thank you very sincerel y for the honour you have done me in drinking this toast , and associating my name with " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " I have been connected with the Institution for many years , and have watched its progress , and I am prepared to tell you that I endorse every word that has fallen from His Royal Highness as to the efficiency and the care and everything that is good in that

Institution . I may mention that having increased our number at last Quarterl y Court , we shall require in the future , as in the past , the support which we have always had , which 1 do not fear will remain . Should we fall off in our subscriptions and donations , of course you will perfectly understand that vacancies cannot be filled up , but f do not fear that for one moment . Now , brethren , I know that you are all anxiously waiting for the lists to be read out , therefore , I will not detain you , but will thank you again very sincerel y for the honour you have done me in coupling my name with this toast .

Bro . HEDGES ( Secretary ) then read the following lists of subscriptions , announcing that there were 343 Stewards , with a total of £ 13 , 232 , and several lists yet to come in :

HOUSE COMMITTEE . £ s . d . Bro . Col . J . Creaton , J . P . ... 10 10 o „ H . A Dubois 10 10 o „ C . Hammerton 10 10 o „ W . Hope , M . D 10 10 o „ E . Letchworth ... ... 10 10 o „ P . de Lande Long ... 10 10 o „ E . C Mather 10 10 o „ Joshua Nunn 10 10 o „ Lieut .-Col . James Peters ... 10 10 o „ Frank Richardson 10 10 o „ J . A . Rucker 10 10 o „ Griffiths Smith 17 17 o „ A . H . Tattershall 10 10 o

Lodge . LONDON . Grand Stewards , Bro . Hugh Mackintosh ... 16 16 o 1 Bro . John W . Fuller ... 15 15 o 2 „ v . Lasseter 2100 Chap . 2 Comp . E . Letchworth ... 105 o o Lodge . 4 Bro . Rev . G . W . Weldon 15 15 o 5 „ F . Woodhouse Braine 44 3 o G „ j . R . F . Claridge ... 63 o o S „ Thos . Skewes-Cox ... iG 16 o

Chap . 8 Comp . Frank Green ... iS iS o Lodge . n Bro . S . Cosre 40 o o 10 „ Thos . Weller-Poley 54 1 6 14 „ W . Jarvis 27 6 o iG „ Rev . C . J . Martyn " ) ( Includes a donation of 25 ( , _ guineas from the H . R . H . f 4 J 0 o the Duke of Connaught . J iS „ F . H . Williams ... 15 15 o 19 „ Henry Glenn j \„ H . Brunning ... 37 5 G 22 ,, R . W . Coulcher ... 2 G 5 6 23 „ Henry Venn 32 11 o 25 „ M . D . Loewenstark 24 o o

I-odge . £ s . d . 2 fi Bro . E . Beaumont ... 15 15 o 2 S „ John E . Lloyd ... 21 o o 29 „ C . Crofton Black 33 „ R . C . Hallowes ... 3 < i 4 6 55 ,, T . B . Linscott ... SG 1 fi Go „ George Penn ... 15 15 o f ) G „ G . A . Roivbotham ... 42 o o 72 „ Augustus Darch ... 101 o o 73 . 1 George Frei 141 15 o 79 „ Henry Roberts ... 141 15 o 90 „ W . A . Adams ... 67 4 o 91 „ Benjamin Bull ... 3 6 15 o 92 „ H . F . Auldjo ... 19 19 o U 4 » Joshua Nunn ... 86 2 o 140 „ W . F . Dennant ... 22 6 o I 43 „ James Tatlock ( see Lodr / e 132 SI .

Chap . 142 „ Comp . C . E . Atkinson G 6 o Lodge . 143 Bro . W . E . Stewart ... G 5 2 o iCa „ F . B . Wiiliams ... 15 15 o if ) 2 „ Major W . E . Williams 13 13 o 1 G 5 „ C . Belton 42 o o 172 „ W . O . Beazley ... 30 9 o 1 G 25 J" Charles Lacey ... 83 o o 179 » H . C . Green 50 S o 1 S 0 „ C . J . Wade 51 iS o , Qf VV I * * Qf . nfnn nO - ~ f iO

. U . ,, ... . U . HIIIUII ... . / U Chap . 1 S 5 Comp . T . C Walls ... 28 7 o Lodge . 197 Bro . W . H . Stranger ... 40 o o 198 „ George Cowell ... 2 S 7 o 217 „ J . M . Hodder ... 43 o o 222 „ G . Drysdale G 5 2 o 22 S „ F . J . Hunt 23 12 6 ^ 59 » John Aird 52 10 o 43 S » William Ball 15 15 o 507 „ Jonas Duckett ... 47 s o 53 S „ E . Humphrey ¦) Chap . J . 90 0 o 53 S Comp . John Elvin ... )