The Freemasons' Calendar.

THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR .

The " Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket-Book for the year 1892 " is a most welcome publication , because so accurate and so useful , and certainly never more so than now . . Thc editor 01 * compiler has done his work most thoroughly , the result being that the Grand Lodge of England possesses the most complete Calendar of the kind issued by authority of any governing body of the Craft in the universe .

Various improvements have been added form time to time , and now it would seem as if it had arrived at the form it will take for many years to come . In fact , to preserve its handy size as a pocket-book for reference , its bulk cannot be increased with advantage , and already the information is so varied and extensive , that unless its pages are carefully examined , many of its details and valuable lists are likely to be overlooked .

The Grand Lodge of England is still the oldest and largest in the world ( notwithstanding thc enormous number of lodges that have left its fold since the year 1863 , to unite in forming new Grand Lodges ) and on the day of publication of the Calendar there were 2014 lodges on its roll . During 1891 only three lodges were erased , whilst 31 new warrants were granted , there being 3 S 7 in the Metropolitan District ; 1182 in the Provinces ; 12 in the Channel Isles ; three in Military Corps , and 430 in the Colonies and Foreign Parts .

Several of the provinces are inconveniently large , though some are only portions of counties , and contain many more lodges than are to be found on the register of not a few Grand Lodges . West Lancashire heads the roll with 105 , closely followed by East Lancashire with 103 , and West Yorkshire makes a good third with 75 . The other provinces , with 30 or more lodges ,

are Kent , 5 S ; Devon , 52 ; Hants , & c , 47 ; Cheshire , 44 ; Middlesex , 40 ; Durham , 35 ; Surrey , 35 ; Essex , 32 ; Warwick , 31 ; North and East Yorkshire , 31 ; and Cornwall , 30 , making 14 in all , with an average of fully 51 lodges to each . The increase from 1890 has been practically the same in London and the provinces .

I wonder that the five largest provinces do not combine m seeking an extension of the privileges conferred by Rule SS of the " Constitutions , " for the proportion of " collars " at the disposal of their Provincial Grand Masters must be small indeed compared with the membership , and especially so when such small provinces as Bedford , Bristol , Cambridge , Hereford , Isle of Man , and Jersey , even put together , number less than the smallest of the five . Yet each one has nearly as many Provincial Grand Officers to appoint as the provinces with over 100 lodges each .

The same remarks apply to District Grand Lodges with even more force , such as Bengal and Queensland , because their members are never selected for Grand Office like those occasionally in the provinces , and hence the coveted " purple " would bea still rarer sight . The " Jubilee Honours " must have come as a most welcome addition in all such cases .

I have for some time been engaged in seeking to discover from local Masonic Calendars the number of members in the larger and other provinces , and where such very useful publications are not issued , have had recourse to the figures supplied by Provincial Grand Secretaries at the

annual meetings during the year 1891 . Of these 27 exhibit the following results : Durham has the largest average per lodge , viz ., 72 ; North and East Yorkshire being next with 70 ; those above 50 being Hants 68 ; West Lancashire , 65 ; Cambridge , 60 ; Kent , 59 ; Devon , 57 ; Leicester , 54 ; Oxford , 53 ; and Cornwall , 52 .

The 27 provinces thus tested , had in 1891 some 897 lodges and 46 , 457 members , being an average of nearly 52 to each lodge , which is a larger proportion than I anticipated . Eighteen Royal Arch provinces exhibit a total of 202 chapters , with 6940 companions , or 34 to each chapter , so that if these averages may apply in like manner to others not enumerated , there are over 60 , 000 subscribing members in the provinces , of whom over 8000 have become Royal Arch Masons .

It is very satisfactory to find that thc proportion to each lodge is so large ( because so many new warrants have been granted of late years ) , but there is still much room for improvement as respect ? the attention paid to the Royal Arch . The official Calendar contains 744 chapters , being an increase from thc previous issue . They are distributed under London , 153 ; Country , 475 ; and Colonial and Foreign , 116 ; the Metropolis and the Provinces being about the same proportion of chapters to lodges .

The Roll of Grand Masters 1717—1813 , and 1753—1813 , and then 1813--1891 , is a most valuable out , and so that of the Acting Grand Masters and Deputy Grand Masters extending over a period nearly as long . Still more valuable , however , i : > thc Register of Grand Officers from the " Union " ( 1813 ) to the year 1891 , including also those of thc United Grand Chapter , and the succession of Provincial Grand Masters and Grand Superintendents for the same period , as well as the present Provincial Grand Masters and

Grand Superintendents , with their Deputies and Provincial Grand Secretaries and Scribes , and all their subordinate lodges and chapters duly arranged . The dr / cs of the appointments of local Rulers of the Craft , List of Lodges removed from the Roll since 1863 ( with full particulars ) , and much informatron also of a most interesting nature might be also mentioned , but so much is given and so ably arranged that those who want to know more about the

contents of this very handy Masonic guide should expend a florin and secure copies for themselves . Bro . George Kenning is the printer and publisher , and I congratulate him on doing his part so satisfactorily . W . J . HUGHAN .

FRANCIS DHAKE , M . D ., F . R . S . —A learned antiquary at York . He is said to have b « eii initialed inio Masonry at Yurk on September 6 , 1725 , at a private loitge , Star Inn , Stonegate . On the 27 th of Di-cembc-r , 1725 , Bro Chas . Bathurst was chosen Grand Master , and Dr . Krancis Drake , J . G . W . of the Grand Lodge of All England as it was termed . On the 27 th of December , 1726 , he delivered a famous address , which was printed by Gent at York , 1727 , for the benefit of the

lodge , with this motto , " Olim meminisse juvabit , " but he had better not have suppressed the " h . ec . " On the 17 th of March , 1761 , the Grand Lodge of All England , which had become apparently dormant , was revived , Bro . Francis Drake being elected Grand Master , George Reynardson , D . G . M ., and George Coates and Thomas Mason Grand Wardens . But after this , as Bro . Hughan points out , Bro . Drake is seldom mentioned . —Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Nottinghamshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Nottingham , on Thursda }' , December 10 th , when there were present — Bros . His Grace the Duke of St . Albans , Prov . Grand Master ; Rev . F . Vernon Bussell , M . A ., Past Grand Chaplain , Deputy Prov . Grand Master ; C . B . Truman , P . P . J . G . W ., Prov . S . G . W . ; A . T . Mitchell , P . P . G . D ., Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . T . B .

B . Ferris , Prov . G . Chaplain ; S . G . Johnson , P . P . G . R ., Prov . G . Treas . ; H . R . Hatherly , P . P . G . W ., Prov . G . Sec ; Geo . Baxter , Prov . S . G . D . ; Geo . Marshall , Prov . J . G . D . ; J . Wright , Prov . G . S . of W . ; W . J . Gardner , P . P . A . G . D . of C , Prov . G . D . of C . * , C . A . Bolton , Prov . A . G . D . of C . ; C . H . Gascoyne , Prov . G . S . B . ; S . Reay , Mus . Bac , Prov . G . Org . ; A . Stubbs , P . P . G . W ., Prov . A . G . Sec . J . Severn , Prov . G . Purst . ; F . C . Parker , Prov . A . G . Purst . ; T . Roberts , J . Gall ,

E . G . Loverseed , and J . H . White , P . G . Stwds . ; C . H . Benham , P . G . Tyler ; J . Comyn , P . P . G . W . ; Jno . Hack , P . P . G . W . ; ] . M . Perry , P . P . G . W . ; Geo . Baxter , P . P . G . W . ; J . T . Spalding , P . P . G . W . ; R G . Hanson , P . P . G . W . ; Rev . F . G . Lys , P . P . G . W . ; Rev . Jas . Farmer , P . P . G . Chap . ; Rev . E . S . Morse , P . P . G . Chap . ; Rev . C . W . Butler , P . P . G . Chap . ; Rev . J . Raine , P . P . G . Chap . ; A . Lawson , P . P . G . T . ; Chas . Rogers , P . P . G . T . ; Jno . Housley , P . P . G . R . ; A . J . Butler , P . P . G . R . ; Samuel Jackson , P . P . G . D . ; R . C . Sutton , P . P . G . S . of W . ; J . J .

Gee , P . P . G . S . of W . ; Hy . George , P . P . G . D . C . ; R . C . Wills , P . P . G . D . C ; W . J . Rogerson , P . P . G . D . C ; J . P . W . Marx , P . P . G . D . C ; Jno . Townrow , P . P . G . D . C ; Wm . Hickling , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . A . H . Hirst , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; H . J . Hobson , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . A . Howitt , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; A . H . Bonser , P . P . CO . ; J . Taylor , P . P . G . Purst . ; R . F . Watson , P . P . G . Purst . ; Jno . Walker , P . P . G . Purst . ; Wm . Sibley , P . P . G . Purst . ; Thos . Fisher , P . P . G . Purst . ; Jas . Dooly , P . P . G . Tyler ; R . Noon , P . P . G . Tyler ; Jno . Moody , P . P . G . Tyler ; and a numerous attendance of brethren of the province .

Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened , the minutes of the last Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Retford June 25 th , were read and confirmed .

The Provincial Grand Lodge statement of accounts for the past year was received and passed . The Prov . Grand Secretary presented his annual report of thc state of Masonry in the province up to June 30 th , 1891 . The D . P . G . M . reported that , in reply to his circular letter , he had received promises of donations to the Educational Fund of the province to the amount of £ lS 13 s .

The P . G . M . nominated Bros . John Comyn , P . P . G . W . ; R . Fitzhugh , P . P . G . W . ; and II . R . Hatherly , P . P . G . W ., to represent Provincial Grand Lodge on thc Committee of General Purposes , and Bro . C . B . Truman , P . S . G . W ., to represent Provincial Grand Lodge on the Benevolent and Educational Committee .

Bro . Rev . F . V . BUSSELL , D . P . G . M ., moved , and Bro . R . C . SUTTO . V , P . P . G . S . of VV ., seconded , " That the alterations of the Prov . Grand B ylaws suggested by the Committee appointed at the last meeting of the Grand Lodge be approved and adopted . " This was carried , with the exception that the Secretary of the Benevolent and Educational Committee should be appointed by that Committee instead of by the Prov . Grand Lodge .

Bro . E . M . KIDD , P . P . G . Treas ., stated that it was the feeling of many members of Provincial Grand Lodge that the office of Prov . Grand Treasurer should not be confined to the Nottingham lodges , and proposed " Bro . J . A . IT . Hirst , P . P . G . S . B ., P . M . of the Vernon Lodge , No . 1802 , Retford , as P . G . Treas . for the ensuing year . " This was seconded by Bro . J . T . SI'ALIMNG , P . P . G . W ., and carried unanimously . Thc following officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested :

Bro . Henry George , P . P . G . D . C . ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Robt . C . Wills , P . P . G . D . C . ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . T . B . B . Ferris , P . G . C . ... ... ]„ „„ ot „ Rev . Hy . VV . Wynne Ffoulkes ... j Prov . G . Chaps .

„ Jno . A . H . Hirst , P . P . G . Std . Br .... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ " K . H . Nicholson , P . G . Stwd . ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Arthur Stubbs , P . P . G . W . ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ R . F . Watson , P . P . G . P . ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ J . G . Dimock ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . " ¦

„ Herbert Walker ... ... ... frov . ti . S . of VV . „ Thos . Roberts , P . G . Stwd . ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Jno . H . White ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ ' Edwin G . Loverseed ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B .

;; crater ::: ::: : ;; jp « v . G . std . B ™ . „ Geo . Essex ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Jacob Levy ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ ' Hy . E . Wilson ... ... ... ' Prov . Asst . G . Purst .

„ G . b . lMSll ... ... ... ... ] „ G . VV . Dominy ... ... ... j ,, VV . II . Farmer ... ... ... ( „ n ~ . „ H •E . Hartshorn \ Prov ' ' Stewards .

„ S . Ironmonger ... ... ... | „ J . Townrow , P . P . A . G . D . C . ... ... J „ C . H . Benham ... ... ... Prov . G . T yler . ,, Jas . Dooly ... ... ... ... Prov . Asst . G . T yler .

Invitations to hold the summer meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge under their banners were received from the Worshipful Masters of the Forest Lodge , No . 1852 , and thc Newton Lodge , No . 1661 . Bro . Rev . F . V . BUSSELL , D . P . G . M ., stated his very great regret at the resignation by Bro . 11 . R . Hatherly , P . P . G . W ., of the office of Prov . Grand Secretary , the duties of which he had discharged so abl y and to the

satisfaction of thc Prov . Grand Master and himself for the last seven years . At a meeting of the General Purposes Committee it was unanimously decided that a testimonial should be presented to Bro . Hatherl y in recognition of the very valuable services he had rendered to Freemasonry , and he moved that a sum ol ^ 20 be voted from Prov . Grand Lod ge Fund towards that testimonial , and that a vote of thanks to Bro . Hatherly be recorded on

the minutes of Prov . Grand Lodge . This was seconded by Bro . H . GEORGE , P . S . G . W ., and cordially approved of and supported by thc Prov . Grand Master , who wished to add his testimony to that of his deputy as to the able manner in which the late Secretary had discharged his duties . On being put to the meeting the motion was carried with acclamation by the brethren present . There being no further business , Prov . Grand Lodge was closed .