Provincial Grand Priory Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND PRIORY OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

A meeting of the Prov . Grand Priory of West Yorkshire of the United Order of the Temple and Malta in England and Wales was held at Haworth on Saturday , the 26 th ult ., under the banner of the Plains of Mamre Preceptory , No . Sg . In the absence of the Very Imminent Prior , Sir Knight

Thomas Wm . Tew , J . P ., through sickness , the Eminent Sub-Prior , Sir Knight J . Dunning Kay , wilh the Great Officers and officers , opened the priory in ample form . The muster roll was called , when all preceptories in the province were r < presented ; 54 sir knights signed the attendance book . The Eminent Sub-Prior was saluted .

The EMINENT SUB-PRIOR responded , and delivered an address as follows Worthy Knights , —It is with sorrow that I have to inform you that all the bright anticipations of our Very Eminent Prior and ourselves being with us is not at this meeting at any rate to become fact . I have a letter from which the following are extracts : " By all means hold a priory summer meeting at Haworth on the 26 th May . I would most gladly , if well enough , attend . On Wednesday last I

had another operation , which went amiss . I have been ill since . I beg of you to take my place , and act on the 26 th May for me . I can only ask you to convey my sir . ctie ngrtts to the knights for their forbearance to their Prior , and that 1 still hope sometime to be able to come again . I heartily wish them a most enjoyable meeting under your able command . My fervent wish is for the success of this most beautiful and Christian Order . We must , as Christians , try and defend the

Church and Cross of Chiist from spoliation . —Yours ever faithfully , THOS . W . TEW . " Beautiful sentiments , breathing resignation with just a murmur of regret at his enforced absence by reason of his painful illness . Let us continue our prayers for his convalescence . In acccrdance with my usual custom I give you a report of the progress of Templary in this province—The number of knights in the province is gradually , though slowly , increasing . The returns for

January , 18 93 , show 211 subscribing knights ; for January , 1894 , 226 , being an increase of 15 . During the year 1 893 , 28 companions have been installed knights in our preceptories , viz .: Three in Preceptory No . 3 , Keighley ; two in No . 4 , Huddersfield ; two in No . 13 , Bradford ; four in No . 18 , Eastwood ; two in No . 21 , Halifax ; two in No . 66 , Sheffield ; eight in No . 89 , Haworth ; two in No . 114 , Leeds ; and three in No . 158 , Heckmondwike . We hive lost four by resignation

and four in arrears , and five by death , the only preceptory without an installation during 1893 being Dewsbury . This has , however , been remedied , and this year has begun with an addition , which I trust will be still further increased . Death has again been busy in our ranks , and I have to mention that of Thomas Ruddock , who died 28 th February , 1894 . He was installed a knight in the Hope Preceptory , No . 4 . in 1874 , but resigned in 1891 ; also of Knight Whipp Craven , solicitor , of

Steeton , who died in March last . He was installed a knight on the 28 th February , 1893 , in the Plains of Rama Preceptory , Keighley . During the year 1894 , nine companions have been approved as candidates for Templary . I trust that it will be satisfactory news that our worth y Knight Reuben Williamson , Provincial Prelate , has been appointed Sword Bearer in Great Priory , showing that West Yorks is not forgotten at head-quarters . May I urge

each of you to bring the singular merits of this Degree prominently to the notice of your Arch friends . Some time ago the Great Sub-Prior , the Earl of Euston , whilst visiting on Masonic matters at Eastwood , mentioned that it would give him pleasure to attend at some priory meeting of West Yorks . In order to afford an opportunity for the purpose I wrote and mentioned that our annuil meeting would be held in Sheffield late in November or early in December , and I received

a reply that at this distance of time he could not fix a day certain unless a Saturday would be convenient . The Sheffield knights will , of course , be consulted , and the fixture made to suit them . In order to keep ourselves in touch with Great Priory our indefatigable Brother Knight J . W . Monckman volunteered to attend Great Priory in London on the nth inst . and represent the Very Eminent Prior and myself , both of whom were unable to attend . He there saw the Great

Sub-Prior , who repeated verbally to him what he had written to me . We are in a district which has been the cradle of Masonry in most of its Degrees since the latter part of the last century . In the very early part of this century there existed two Craft lodges , one Arch chapter , and two Knight Templar encampments working in Haworth at the same time , viz ., from 1806 to 1812 . The Lodge of the Three Graces was consecrated at

Barnoldswick on 25 th September , 1792 , and numbered 506 and moved to Haworth ( the present rooms ) and erased from the Grand Lodge roll 4 th December , 1822 . The present Lodge of Three Graces was warranted at Haworth , 24 th Agust , 1831 , ori ginally numbered 862 now 408 . The Lodge Prince George , whose minute book begins with an entry dated 2 nd March , 179 6 , and ends 16 th November , 1812 , when it sensibly amalgamated with , and merged the Prince into , and now forms a

component part of Three Graces . The Brunswick Chapters old warrant was dated the 12 th July , 1802 , and the last minute recorded in the then minute book is the Gth March , 1831 , after which time there appears a considerable gap as the present warrant is only dated 28 th January , 18 93 . All these are now working well , but you will probably say this has nothing to do with Templary . Granted . Still I hope the information may be useful as a matter of statistics if not of

pleasure . But now to our own domestic affairs . The warrant of the Plains of Mamie Preceptory , No . 89 , Haworth , is dated 17 th February , 1806 , and was granted to John Barraclcugh , John Sutcliffe , and T . Bancroft . The first meeting recorded took place April 26 th , 1807 ; 11 knights were present and they installed line knights . Thev held meetinps in 1807-8 . o . in . 11 . 1 . 1 . ifi and 11 In ^ allinor in

these years 21 knights , making a total of 32 knights . The next meeting was in 829 and the one lollowing on November 30 th , 1835 . In the month of December , ° 3 Si our good friend and Knight John Craven Taylor was installed . He died ™ ay 19 th , 18 91 , having been 56 years a Knight Templar . Two meetings took Place in 1836 and the next 29 th day of October , 1867 , under a resuscitation warrant dated 1 st March , 1867 . Success not having crowned their efforts this resuscitation was returned to London July ist , 18 70 , the old warrant of 1806 remained at Haworth , On the ist of March , 1892 , a petition signed by 15 knights and approved

Provincial Grand Priory Of West Yorkshire.

by Very Eminent Prior Knight Thomas William Tew , J . P ., was sent to the Right Honourable the Earl of Lathom , the Very High and Eminent Great Prior , asking that the warrant of March ist , 1 S 67 be re-issued to them . This petition being granted , the first meeting took place on the 5 th of September , 1892 , when F . W . Turner was installed Eminent Preceplor , and John Spencer was appointed Constable , and Joseph Smith , Marshal . Three companions were installed knights and one in November the same year . Eight knights were installed in 18 93 . One

knight has resigned leaving the present number on the muster roll 16 . rrom a Grand Conclave circular ( this circular is now in possession of our Chancellor ) dated Monday , April ioth , 1809 , we learn that there was at Haworth another Preceptory ( or Encampment ) as at the above-mentioned meeting a letter was read from Knight Stephen Paslow , dated Haworth , January 23 rd , 1 S 09 , annexing a petition for holding an encampment at Bradford to be called the Encampment of Faith . It was recommended by Stephen Paslow , Principal of the Plains of Brunswick

Encampment , Haworth , and on the ist of April , 1 S 09 , a return of the number of the same encampment was sent to London by the same knight , with the sum of 3 s . 6 d . This encampment has ceased to exist , and no record of it , with the exception of the above , can be found . You will notice that our priory banners have been supplemented by one for the Plains of Mamre and the other for the Amphibious , these , as are all the others , are the generous presentation of Knight Monckman . I tender him , on behalf of myself and all the other knights , our

warmest thanks for this and all his other ever thoughtful considerations for the decoration and well-being of our Priory . In addition to the apologies for absence which will be read by the Chancellor , I have special ones from the venerable Knights T . W . Tew , who repeats his good wishes ; from the Rev . Joseph Senior , who says : " That he should have had much pleasure in being with you , but deeply regrets that extreme debility with age—87—will not permit him to leave home . He hopes you will have a most gladsome meeting , and adds : ' May the

blessing of the Most High be with you all '; " also from the late Vice-Chancellor Knight W . Tinkler , who writes : " I received the copy of the summons for the provincial meeting at Haworth on the 26 th instant . 1 beg to thank you for so kindly remembering me , for , although I am no longer officially connected with the Order , I have not ceased to take a lively interest in its concerns . I am pleased to note the increase in the number of your members ; in fact , there appears to have been a considerable addition to the Order all round . It certainly

merits all the support it receives , and I would fain hope that its numbers imy be increased yet more and more . I am extremely glad to learn that the Very Eminent Provincial Prior , Knight T . W . Tew , is so far restored to health , that he purposes attending the meeting . May he long continue to preside over the province . If opportunity serves ' , kindly express to the Provincial Sub-Prior , Very Eminent Knight J . D . Kay , my knightly good wishes . I hope that you are in the enjoyment of good health , and that you may have abundant blessings here and hereafter

is the heartfelt wish of yours very fraternally , Wm . Tinkler , K . C . T ., ex-Vice-Chancellor . " Historically , I may mention that the Rev . Patrick Bronte , with his talented family , came to Haworth in February , 1820 . His son , Patrick Branwell Bronte , born , I think , in 1818 , held important offices in the Craft , and was for a considerable time Secretary to the Craft lodge , and generally look great interest in Masonry , he died 24 th September , 1848 . Under one of the seats in Whalley Abbey , not far from here , is this verse : " Who mells wi' what another does ,

Had best go home and shoe his goose . An inhabitant of the neighbourhood being asked what sort of a clergymin they had at Haworth , said " a rare good one , he minds his own business , and ne ' er troubles himself with ours "—/ . < ¦ ., he was not a meddler , although a good and careful pastor . This is , I believe , the character of our Haworth friends at the present day , they are not meddlers , whilst at the same time they worthily uphold the tents of Templary . Some of you have , I

believe , taken the opportunity this day of becoming acquainted with the precincts of the beautiful heathery moors and will have found what a healthy , charming spot it is at which to spend a happy day or days . It now only remains for me to thank the Preceptory for our reception this day , for the knightly care taken for the observance of our rites and ceremonies , and in fact for the great attention given to every point which can minister to our improvements as knights and our comfort as men . Some other knights will put this in form that our minutes may bear record of the fact .

The roll of Great Officers and officers was called , and the minutes of the meeting held at Huddersfield , on Saturday , December 9 th , 1893 , were presented for confirmation . It was proposed , seconded , and carried that the minutes be taken as read and confirmed . It was also proposed , seconded , and carried that " The best thanks of the Priory of West Yorkshire be given to the knights of the Plains of Mamre Preceptory , No . 89 , for their cordial reception this day . " The Almoner and Chaplain collected the alms which amounted to £ 1 ns . ( id .

The Priory was then closed , and the Knights , numbering 54 , proceeded to the banqueting room and partook of refreshments kindly provided by the knights of the Plains of Mamre Preceptory , No . So .

Provincial Grand Priory Of Northumberland, Durham, And Berwick-On-Tweed.

PROVINCIAL GRAND PRIORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND , DURHAM , AND BERWICK-ON-TWEED .

The annual meeting of Provincial Grand Priory was held at West Hai tiepool , under lhe banner of Mount Grace Preceptory , on Monday , the 41 I 1 inst . The Provincial Grand Prior , Sir Knight the Kev . Canon Tristram , I ) . I ) ., F . R . S ., and the Provincial Great Oflicers and officers were received under an arch of steel . The Prov . Grand Prior of Lancashire and Warwickshire , Sir

Knight C . Fendelow , K . C . I ., visited the Provincial G . Pnory and was received wilh the honours due to his exalted rank . There was a large attendance of sir knights . The Provincial G . Priory was opened and the muster roll called . The minutes of the last Provincial Grand Priory , and also of the Special Priory held last June for the installation ofthe Provincial G . Prior , were read