The Province Of Monmouthshire.

THE PROVINCE OF MONMOUTHSHIRE .

The Province of Monmouthshire is neither a large one , nor has it on its roll any Iodge or lodges that can boast of an early constitution . According to thc Grand Lodge Calendar it was placed under the control of Bro . Sir R OBERT DE CORNWALL , Bart ., as Provincial Grand Master in the year 1753 , but the earliest lodge of which we have been able to trace any record was

svarranted by the " Ancients " on the 12 th June , 1764 , as No . 126 , and met at the Green Dragon in the town of Newport . Early in the present century a lodge holding under the same authority and bearing the same number met at Caerphilly in GIamnrTo- *> - - * re . At the Union it was renumbered as 150 , and was erased in 1828 . On the 27 th January , 1768 , the " Moderns "

svarranted a Iodge at Monmouth as No . 414 , which at the closing up of the lodges in 1770 became No . 351 , and was erased in 1773 . In 1 S 01 Bro . Col . HENRY HARNAGE was appointed Provincial Grand Master , while in 1809 and 1812 two " Ancient" lodges were held at Newport and Pontypool respectively , the one designated the Royal Cambrian Lodge , meeting at

the Parrot Inn in the former town as No . 135 , which was renumbered 162 at the Union , and erased in 1830 ; and the other , which was knosvn as the Hiram Lodge , No . 160 , meeting at the Red Lion Inn in the latter town . This in 1814 was renumbered 195 , and erased in 1830 . There is then this peculiarity about Monmouthshire as regards its career as

a Province prior to thc date of the Union—that its " Modern " Prov . Grand Masters had no lodges to preside over , while its " Ancient " lodges—as was the case throughout England generally—were not presided over by any chief . When , however , the Union of the rival societies of " Ancients" and " Moderns " was consummated , there would appear to have been a

considerable degree of activity among the Masons in the Province . Thus in 1814 there was constituted at thc Crown and Thistle , Monmouth , the Royal Augustus Lodge , No . 656 , which was erased in 1830 . In 1815 , the Philanthropic Lodge , No . 658 , was constituted at the King's Head Inn , Abergavenny , but this , too , was struck from the roll in 1828 ; while in 1818

there was founded at the Beaufort Arms , Chepstow , the Wellington Lodge , No . 707 , which in 1832 became No . 457 , and died a natural death in 18 37 . In the meantime , however—in 1831—a very able and popular member of the Fraternity in the person of Col . J KEMEYS TYNTE had been appointed Grand Master of the Province , and under his auspices

Freemasonry at length freely and firmly established itself . The Wellington Lodge , as wc have seen , ceased to exist in 1837 , but in December of the following year the present Loyal Monmouth Lodge , No . 457 , was warranted by H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , M . W . G . M ., as No . 671 . At the closing up of the lodges in 186 3 , it received the number it still bears ,

and from what we hear of its proceedings , there is little reason to doubt that it will enjoy for many years to come the prosperity which has been its lot for some time . In 1840 , the Silurian Lodge , No . 693 , Newport , was warranted , and in 186 3 was renumbered as 471 . For the next 16 years these two lodges represented the whole of Monmouthshire Freemasonry ; but in

1856 the Earl of ZETLAND was pleased to issue his warrant for the constitution of a third Iodge , which met at Newport under the style and title of the Isca Lodge , No . 983 , and ranks now as No . 683 . Again we have an interval during which no addition was made to the roll , but in i 860 was warranted the Philanthropic Lodge , No . 1120—now No . 818—at the Angel

Inn , Abergavenny , which beforetime had been the home of a Masonic lodge , in 186 3 , Col . KEMEYS TYNTE departed this life , leaving behind him in Monmouthshire the four lodges just enumerated , svhich by the present state of their fortunes bear eloquent testimony to the merits of that distinguished brother . Of Col . TYNTE ' S successor—Bro . J . E . W .

ROLLS —who ruled the Province from 1863 to 1870 , we have memorials in 'he two lodges established under his auspices—to wit , the St . George's Lod ge , No . 1098 , which was consecrated at Tredegar in 1865 , and thc Kennard Lodge , No . 1258 , Pontypool , to which the late Earl of ZETLAND ( "ranted a warrant of constitution in i 860 . In 1870 , Bro . Col . LYNE received

'" s patent of appointment as Provincial Grand Master , and during thc 21 " ¦ 'cars hc has presided over the Province there have been added to the roll the 'our following lodges , namely : A third Iodge at Newport—the Albert Edward j * mce of Wales , No . 1429—which dates from the year 1873 ; the Homfray J-odge , No . 1162 Riscanamed after the worthy Deputy Provincial Grand

,, , "' aster , and constituted in 1875 ; the Striguil Lodge , No . 2186 , Chepstow , which svas warranted in i 8 ; and the St . David ' s Lodge , No . 2226 , % 11- ney , constituted the . ear follosving . Thus with a muster roll of 10 ' .. » ... o .. ii . ui , » .- •¦¦— j ~ n . .-. — ..... . —

In u , ges and an aggregate membership exceeding 500 , this comfortable Pro-Vln ce of Monmouthshire , which is strong enough and zealous enough to "'" •der material service to the Craft and its Institutions , and yet not so r ° g but that its lodges and brethren may regard themselves as constitut-

The Province Of Monmouthshire.

ing one united and harmonious body , bids fair to continue in the path of undivided loyalty to its rulers and the rulers of the English Craft , and to go on enhancing the prestige it has enjoyed uninterruptedly for many years . No wonder , then , that at the recent annual meeting of its Provincial Grand Lodge the opportunity offered by thc completion by

Bros . Col . LYNE and Capt . S . G . HOMFRAY of 21 years' service in their respective offices of Provincial Grand Master and Deputy Provincial Grand Master should have been eagerly seized by our Monmouthshire brethren to present some token of their respect and regard to those worthy Masons . Col . LYNE and Capt . HOMFRAY have the gratification of feeling not only

that they have earnestly striven to discharge themselves faithfully of their many and important duties , but likewise that their efforts are to the fullest extent appreciated by the brethren under their charge . They have also the satisfaction of realising that the interest they have exhibited in our Masonic Institutions has been followed by the best results , and that Monmouthshire ,

in proportion to its numerical strength , is one of the most regular and generous benefactors of those valuable Charities . But there is no need to prolong these remarks . Not only in Monmouthshire , but throughout English Masonry generally , are the services rendered by these distinguished brethren amply and deservedly recognised , while for ourselves we most cordially

echo the hope expressed in the addresses which were presented to them severally , that " the Great Architect of the Universe may spare " them " for many years to continue to be shining lights in Freemasonry , " and " ruling over this province with the same zeal and assiduity " they " have shown for the last 21 years . "

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF ESSEX .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Mission Hall , Dovercourt , on Thursday , the 4 th inst ., when there was a very large and representative gathering of members of the lodges from all parts of the county . The arrangements for the meeting were made b y

the members of Lodge Star in the East , No . 650 , headed by the genial and popular Master of the Iodge , Bro . J . H . Vaux , and were in every way complete and satisfactory . The Mission Hall made an excellent lodge room , and when the brethren were assembled in the clothing of the Order , with the banners of the lodges hung on the walls , presented a most

picturesque appearance . The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Lord Brooke , presided , and he was supported by Bros . Fred Wood , P . M . and Treas . 1000 , P . P . S . G . W ., acting P . S . G . W . ; W . J . Crump , I . P . M . 2006 , P . J . G . W . ; Rev . Thomas Lloyd , I . P . M . 2342 , Prov . G . Chap . ; T . J . Railing , P . M . and Sec . 51 , PiA . G . D . C . England , P . G . Sec . ; C . H . Canning , I . P . M . 2184 , P . J . G . D . ; H .

Ffrench Bromhead , I . P . M . 2318 , P . G . S . of W . ; Albert Lucking , P . M . and Sec . 1000 , P . G . P . England , P . G . D . C ; Fred . Horsman , P . M . 51 , P . A . G . D . C . ; M . L . Sanders , P . M . and Sec . 650 , P . G . Std . Br . ; Walter Latter , P . G . Org . ; H . J . Day , I . P . M . 1457 , P . G . P . ; Walter H . de Caen , P . M . 1024 , P . A . G . P . ; and many Past Provincial Grand Officers and members of the lodges in the province .

On taking the chair , Bro . Lord BROOKE said he had just received with the most profound regret a telegram from his excellent Deputy , Bro . Fred . A . Philbrick , Q . C . ( Recorder of Colchester ) , to the effect that a terrible accident had happened to his daughter , and that she was unconscious and suffering from concussion of the brain . His lordship added that he had at once despatched a telegram to Bro . Philbrick , expressing his osvn

great grief and that of the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and ne felt sure his action would be endorsed by the brethren . In Bro . Philbrick ' s absence he called on Bro . Andrew Durrant , P . P . S . G . W ., P . P . G . Treas ., the senior Provincial Grand Officer present , to act as D . P . G . M . The minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand Lodge at Chingford having been read and confirmed ,

The PROV . GRAND S ECRETARY stated that letters expressing regret at inability to attend had been received from Bros . Lord Henniker , P . G . M . Suffolk ; Lord Claud Hamilton ; Col . Noel Money , P . G . M . Surrey ; the Rev . C . J . Martyn , D . P . G . M . Suffolk ; Hamon Le Strange , D . P . G . M . Norfolk ; A . H . Moyes , D . P . G . M . Cambridgeshire ; Thomas Fenn , Pres . Board of General Purposes ; E . Letchsvorth , G . Sec . ; Sir George Harris ;

Col . Somerville Burney , P . G . D . ; Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D . ; Matthew Clark , P . G . D ., Past D . P . G . M . ; T . Courtenay Warner , Prov . S . G . W . ; Lennox Browne , P . P . S . G . W . ; Ii . } . Acworth , Prov . G . Treas . ; R . Clowes , P . M . 650 , P . P . G . Std . Br . England ; V . P . Freeman , P . G . D . England , Prov . G . Sec . Sussex ; N . Tracy , Prov . G . Sec . Suffolk ; and others .

The roll of the lodges was called by the PROV . GRAND SECRETARY , and it was found that all were represented with the exception of one . The PROV . G RAND MASTER then addressed the brethren . His lordship recalled the fact that the first Provincial Grand Lodge he held after his in-