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THERE are not many even of our most active lodges which take upon themselves the responsibility of sending representatives to the Festivals of all our three Institutions in one and the same year . This , however , is what the St . Martin ' s-le-Grand Lodge , No . 1538 , has resolved on doing in 1885 .

Bro . GREGORY , P . M ., has offered himself as a Steward for the Benevolent Festival in February next . The W . M ., Bro . J . P . PARK . ES , will represent it at that of the Boys' School , and Bro . ROBERTSON , I . P . M ., who , at the Boys' Festival in 18 S 3 , had the satisfaction of handing in the highest individual list , will do duty in May next for the Girls' School . We congratulate the lodge on this further evidence of its zeal for our Institutions .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cambridgeshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE .

The annual Provincial . Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire was held under the banner of the Isaac Newton University Lodge , at the Lion Hotel , in Petty Cury , Cambridge , on the 20 th inst ., for the appointment of officers and the despatch of other business . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . J . Neal York , presided , and about 50 brethren from the various lodges in the province attended . The lodge having been opened , the report of the Masonic Charities' Association was read and confirmed .

Although the Association had not many members , great assistance had been rendered to the Masonic Institution for Girls during the year 1883 hy the W . D . P . G . M ., Bro . J . N . York , then W . M . of No . 88 , taking up £ 130 4 s ., which represented some 26 Life Votes ; and during the present year by Bro . C . A . Vinter , of No . 441 , taking up for the Institution for Boys the sum of ^ 174 6 s ., which represented some 35 Life Votes . The Association contributed £ 15 15 s . to Bro . Vinter ' s list . The report further stated : —

" The Association has now at its disposal some 2 S 7 Boys' votes and 124 Girls' votes , 16 Male votes , and eight Female votes for the' Men and Widows' Institution ; and the half-yearly votes at the command of the Committee are 72 Boys' and 42 Girls '; the annual votes for Men and Widows at present are 16 Males and eight Females . The Committee return their thanks to the lodges and individual brethren for contributing

harmoniously and unreservedly all their votes for the benefit of the province in general , and hope the Masters , Past Masters , and brethren generally in the province will , in their respective lodges , do all they can to increase the number of subscribers to the Association , as it is only by unity of action and by liberal donations and subscriptions to the Masonic Charities that brethren in the province of Cambridgeshire can hope in the future to secure the election of any deserving case which may arise in the province . "

The following officers were then appointed : — Bro . Rev . J . H . Gray , 859 ( Queen ' s College ) ... Prov . G . S . W . „ E . H . Jennings , 441 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . W . .. Rp . v . Wm . Cunningham . 8 sQ fTrinitv Collee'ei ... Prov . G . Chan .

,, Rev . A . E . Wanton , 809 ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ T . Nicholls , 88 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ B . Anningson , 859 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ J . Bonnett , 859 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ John Vail , 441 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . D .

,, George MacCulIum , 88 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . D . „ W . I . Pashler , 88 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ O . Papworth , 88 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ C . H . Peck , 809 ... ... ... Prov . G . A . D . C . „ S . H . Sharman , 441 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ F . Frier , 809 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . O .

„ A . A . Weldon , 859 ( Trinity College ) ... Prov . G . Purst . „ A . J . Burling , 809 ... ... ... Prov . G . A . Purst . " £ •w Q •J " * ( T " nity HaU ) } Prov . G . Stwds . „ E . W . Swain , 441 ... ... ... i „ Collier and Wood ... ... ... Prov . G . Tylers .

The brethren afterwards proceeded to banquet , at which Bro . Dr . Anningson , VV . M . of the Isaac Newton University Lodge , presided , and the evening was spent in true Masonic harmony .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Dorset.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF DORSET .

On Wednesday , the 19 th ult ., the annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Bridport , under the banner of St . Mary's Mark Lodge , No . 121 , the officers and brethren of which had made admirable arrangements to receive it , it being the first occasion on which the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge had been held in that town .

Bridport is situated at the extreme western borders of the province , and the railway arrangements are so inconvenient as to render it a matter of some difficulty for brethren residing in the eastern parts of the county to visit it and return the same day . A goodly number , however , showed their respect for the Order and for the Provincial Grand Mark Master by their

attendance . Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was opened by R . W . Bro . the Rev . W . Mortimer Heath , P . G . M ., assisted by V . W . Bro . R . N . Howard , D . P . G . M ., and the following : Bros . I . M . P . Montagu , P . G . J . W ., P . G . Supt ., and P . G . Prior of the Order of the Temple for Dorset , P . D . P . G . M ., Grand Chancellor , S . G . C . 33 ; C . J . Hambro , D . P . G . M . Dorset ; W . S .

Gillard , P . G . Steward ; T . R . Charles , P . P . G . S . D . ; A . Maclean , P . P . G . S . D . ; A . Graham , P . P . G . O . ; S . A . Vickery , P . G . Treas . ; R . Cox , P . G . D . of C . ; J . S . Webb , P . P . G , Inspector of Works ; together with many other brethren of the province . After the minutes of the last Prov . Grand Mark Lodge held at Port- , land , 1883 , had been read and confirmed , the roll of lodges and officers was

called over . The R . W . the PROV . GRAND MARK MASTER then addressed the brethren , and alluded in feeling terms to the great loss which the Order had sustained by the death of H . R . H . the Duke of Albany , and of W . B . D . M . Dewar , both of which had occurred since the last meeting , while he mentioned , as a matter of congratulation , the acceptance by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales of the rank of P . G . M . M . In

submitting certain financial details of the Charities of the Order , which had been given him by the kindness of VV . Bro . F . Binckes , G . Sec , he dwelt especially on the institution of the Educational Branch of the Benevolent Fund , enlisting the sympathy of the brethren in its behalf , and recommending them to give it a cordial support . Referring more immediately to the

Province of Dorset , he congratulated the brethren on the steady and satisfactory progress made . All the Mark lodges within his jurisdiction were in full work , and showing great activity , and he hoped that at some not distant time it might please the G . M . M . M . to hold a Moveable Grand Lodge within the province . The Treasurer ' s accounts were received and passed , and Bro . S . A . Vickery re-elect ed to the office , after which the rest of the business on the

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Dorset.

agenda paper was transacted , and the usual votes anc ? resolutions submitted and passed , including a vote of thanks to the Treasurer for his past services . The R . W . the P . G . M . M . appointed and invested the following brethren as officers for the ensuing \ 'ear :

Bro . R . N . Howard ... ... ... D . P . G . M . „ J . S . Webb ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . W . „ A . Graham ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . W . „ T . R . Charles ... ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ W . H . Hay ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . O . „ G . J . Brady ... ... ... .. Prov . G . J . O .

„ j . n . Bowen ... ... ... ... rrov . o . oec . „ S . A . Vickery ( elected ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ W . B . Morgan ... ... ... Prov . G . R . of M . „ T . Giles ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . D . „ E . Nantes ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . D . „ L . Bartlett ... ... ... ... Prov . G . I . of W . „ A . Maclean ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ W . T . Dunman ... ... ... Prov . G . A . D . C . ,, R . Burns ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Ore .

„ C . James ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ R . Hodder ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ F . Turner and E . Mills ... ... ... Prov . G . Stwds . „ R . Simmonds ( re-elected ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The Prov . Grand Mark Lodge was closed at 1 . 45 , and the brethren sat down to a banquet presided over by the R . W . P . G . M . M ., at which the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and received with much harmony and cordiality .

Some Ancient York Masons And Their Early Haunts.

SOME ANCIENT YORK MASONS AND THEIR EARLY HAUNTS .

BY BRO . T . B . WHYTEHEAD , YORK . Continued from page 529 . The Sotherons remain with us even unto this day , and have been engaged in commerce in York for centuries . This Wm . Sotheron was born in 1692 , and was buried in Pontefract in 1762 , and married a daughterand co-heiress

of Edward Thompson , of Marston . The Sotherons for two or three generations at this period were booksellers and publishers at the sign of the Golden Bible , in Stonegate , and from them is descended the family owning Hutton Bonville . One of the family still carries on the bookselling business in Coney-street .

On December 8 th a meeting was held at the Star Inn , and " Christop . Coulton , Thos . Metcalfe , Francis Lowther , George Coates and William Day" were admitted . Two of these persons , Coulton and Coates , were of Drake ' s party at the revival . Coulton was a brother of Samuel Coulton , a " Millener , " who was an Alderman in 1725 .

A private lodge was held again on the 24 th December , at the Star Inn , when " Matthew St . Quintin , Thompson , Francis Thompson , William Hendrick and Rd . Bean " were admitted .

Matthew St . Quintin was a brother of Sir Wm . St . Ouintin , Bart ., of Scampston , in the East Riding . The old stock of the St . Quintin's has died out , although the name remains . The family was of great antiquity , and the baronetcy was created in 1642 , but became extinct in 1795 , for want of male heirs . Bro . St . Quintin lived in Micklegate , which indeed was at

that time the aristocratic quarter of the City . The names of Bourchier , St . Quintin , Selby , Radcliffe , Bedingfield , Bathurst , Pierse , Fairfax , & c , are found amongst the owners of houses in this quarter , and these families always made the City their winter residence at a period when the old place was a sort of minature London in the north .

I do not know who Bro . Bean was . There was a very wealthy family of the name , the principal member of whom John Beane , an innholder , lived in Micklegate , in the reign of Henry VIII ., and from whom are descended the Whartons of Skelton Castle , but there is nothing to connect Robert Bean with the family . On 27 th December , 1725 , a lodge was held at Mr . Philemon Marsh ' s in

Petergate , when Charles Howard , Richard Thompson , and Leonard Smith were admitted , and , on the same occasion , visiting Bro . John Hann , and Isaac Scott were " admitted , and acknowledged as members . " I cannot identify Howard , but he may have been a member of the noble Yorkshire family of that name . One Charles Howard , of that House , who was born at the end of the seventeenth century , died in 1738 .

Alderman Richard Thompson played an important part in York history . He was twice Lord Mayor , in 1708 and 1721 , and was the son of Alderman Edward Thompson , who was Lord Mayor in 1683 , and represented York in three Parliaments . These Thompsons were great wine merchants , and their town residence was the very handsome mansion in Lower Micklegate , opposite St . John's Church , and now the Queen ' s Hotel . The Eboracum

Lodge , 1611 , now meets at this house , and in some of the rooms , which are extremely handsome , the crest of the family—a cubit arm in armour , holding a truncheon of a broken lance—appears on the cornices . Bro . Richard Thompson ' s father purchased the estate of Sheriff Hutton Park , near York , and was the great great great grandfather of the late Leonard

Thompson , of Sheriff Hutton Park ; whilst his brother , Sir Stephen Thompson , was the great , great , great great grandfatherof Sir Henry Meysey Thompson , Bart ., of Kirby Hall . Both these heads of Houses were sons of old Richard Thompson , of Kilham , from whom is also descended the present Lord Wenlock , of Escrick . This was a very important meeting , for it is recorded as follows :

This day , Dec . 27 , 1725 , being the festival of St . John the Evangelist , the Society went in procession to Merchants' Hall , where , after the grand feast was over , they unanimously chose the Worshipful Charles Bathurst , Esq ., their Grand Master , Mr . Johnson , his Deputy , Mr . Pawson and Mr . Drake , Wardens , Mr . Scourfield , Treasurer , and Jno . Russell , Clerk for the ensuing year .

This is the first record we have of a regular election to office , and it was on the next anniversary that the Junior Warden delivered his famous oration , which went through at least two editions , and of which several original printed copies still exist . At a meeting held on the 31 st December of the same year , " at Mr .

Luke Lowther's . at the Starr , in Stonegate , " some " gentleman " was made , but unfortunately the Secretary has neglected to secure the new member ' s signature , so that we are quite in the dark as to who he was . He was some one of consideration , for the word "gentleman" is used as distinguished from " person . "