Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST LANCASHIRE .

One of the most successful gatherings in the history of the above Prov . G . Lodge tcok p lace at Lancaster , on Wednesday , the 19 th inst ., under the presidency of the popular P . G . M ., the Earl of Lathom . Numerous trains were run from various districts , and a large number availed themselves of the accommodation . Fully Son brethren assembled in the Palatine Hall

lo receive the P . G . M . and Past and Present Grand Officers , and the capacity of the building was tried to the utmost . The P . G . M ., on entering , was saluted with the usual honours , after which the roll of the lodges in the province was called , when it was found that all wererepresented . There were present :

Bros , the Right Hon , the Earl of Lathom , P . G . M . ; Robert Wylie , D . P . G . M . ; N . Simpson , P . S . G . W . ; Rev . S . G . B . Bradshaw , P . G . Chap . ; G . R . Lloyd , P . G . T . ; H . j . Jones , P . G . R . ; W . Goodacre , P . G . S . B . of Eng ., P . G . Sec . ; Thomas Wilson , P . S . G . D . ; W . Roberts , P . P . A . G . D . C , P . G . D . ; B . Hainsworth , P . J . G . D . ; C . O . Fothergill , P . J . G . D . ; G . A . Myers , P . G . D . C ; W . G . Beachley , P . G . D . C , J . Simpkin , P . G . P-, Rev . J . Barton Spencer , P . G . C . England ; J . Piatt ,

P . G . D . ; Robert Cain , P . P . G . Std . Bearer ; Richard Walker , P . P . G . D . ; William Piatt , P . P . G . Treasurer ; John J . Tickle , P . P . G . S . B . ; S . M . Harrison , P . J . G . W . ; C . H . Garnett , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . Adams , P . G . D . ; J . Cantor , P . P . G . O . ; J . F . Newell , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . P . M'Arthur , P . P . J . G . W . ; T . Windebank , P . P . A . G . P ., W . W . Elton , P . P . A . G . D . C ; W . George Proctor , P . P . G . D . East Lanes . ; W . Blackhurst , P . P . G . R . ; B . Williams , P . P . G . S . B . ; W . Comer ,

P . P . G . D . C . ; W . H . Baynes , P . P . G . D . C . ; C . Cooper , P . P . G . P . 1 C Heywood , P . P . D . G . D . C ; J . N . Patterson , P . P . G . D . C ; W . Dean , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; G . A . Harradon ' , P . P . G . Treas . ; Wm . J . Martin , P . P . G . D . ; R . Armitage , P . P . G . R . ; R . Foot , P . P . G . T . ; T . H . W . Walker , P . P . G . T . ; J . Pittaway , P . G . S . B . ; W . Troughton , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . M . McLeod , P . P . S . G . W . Derbyshire , Sec . R . M . I . B . ; James Grindle , P . P . G . S . of W . ; John Slyman ,

P . P . G . D . ; J . L . Lambert , P . P . G . D . C . ; J . Chadderton , P . P . G . Sec . ; H . Hiram Wakefield , P . D . G . S . B . ; i T . A . Hopewell . P . P . G . D . © ; W . C Freeman ; -P . P . G . S . of W . ; T . Wood , ' P . P . G . D . C ; W . J . Sly , P . P . G . J . D . ; . J . L . Houghton , P . G . Stwd . ; L . R . Rowbotham , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . W . Burgess , P . P . G . D . ; T . Salter , P . P . G . D . ; Eli Brooks , P . P . G . D . ; J . Pilling , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . B . Mackenzie , P . P . G . Treas . j W . Turvey , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . E . ' Oglesthorpe , P . P . G . Reg . ;

R . A . Townley , P . G . Std . Br . y C Nelson , P . P . G . Purst . ; J . Hatch , P . G . Org . ; C . P . Richards , P . P . G . D . C . ; ] . Winn , P . P . G . D . C ; A . Beatie , P . G . S . B . ; ' J . Wray , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . H . Robinson , P . P . G . D . C . ; Thomas Forrester , P . G . Std . Br . Eng . ; Rev . W . G . Terry , P . G . Chap . ; George H . Whittaker , P . P . G . Org . ; E . H . Cookson , P . P . G . Supt . of Wks . ; T . R . Jolly , P . P . G . T . ; T . W . Barker , P . G . S . ; R . Pearson . P . P . G . Reg . ; T . Hassall , P . A . G . D . C . ; J . M . Ashurst , P . G . S . B . ; J . Patten , P . G . P . ; C . Stammers , R . White , and j . Lees ,

P . G . Stwds . ; J . J . D . Murray , P . G . P . Eng . ; A . Cotter , P . P . S . G . D . ; E . Johnson , P . P . G . D . ; J . H . Hughes , P . P . G . D . C . ; John Bradshaw , P . G . D . : J . N . Hounsell , P . P . G . D . C . ; J . W . Barrow , P . P . G . D . ; A . Kirkpatrick . P . P . G . S . B . ; » - Jones , P . P . G . D . ; J . Hogg , P . P . G . Supt . of Wks . Cumberland ; John Christie , P . P . G . W . ; J . Willings , P . P . G . D , ; W . H . Bucknall , P . P . G . D . C . Stafford ; R- Sharrock , P . P . G . D . C ; R . A . Taylor , P . P . G . D . C . ; John Hayes , P . P . S . G . D . ; A . Cross , P . P . S . G . D . ; Isaac Platts , P . P . G . S . W . ; and others .

The accounts of the Provincial Grand Treasurer were presented , and dul y passed . They showed a prosperous condition of financial affairs . The minutes of the last annual meeting were also passed . The PROV . GRAND SECRETARY , in his annual report , stated that the last year was one of steady prosperity . Four new lodges had been created in the province , and 647 candidates initiated during the current year . The

numbers on the roll now amounted to 7261 . All the lodges had made satisfactory returns , and had paid their fees . The Benefits and Charity Committee had distributed- ^ 95 during the past term , and also given £ 65 during the last week . . The library had been increased by very valuable donations , and one brother had been elected on the funds of the Royal Masonic benevolent Institution . The West I . ancashire Masonic Institution continued

to do excellent work . Its income for the year was £ 1988 , and expenses just under , £ 16 50 . The invested capital was increased by £ joo . There were now 212 children being educated and otherwise cared for by the managers of mis Institution . The Alpass Institution had had a most successful year . Us income was ^ 1950 , and this pleasing result had been largely due to the tilorts of the Stewards of the Festival in October , which had been presided oyer b y Lord Skelmersdale . The Stewards themselves contributed £ 1500 . } he annuitants had been increased to to . When the occasion arose the

i . . t Lancashire lodges were not unmindful of outside claims . At the festival in aid of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , Lord Skelmersdale presided , and the province nobly responded by contributing £ 2500 . In conclusion , the report acknowledged the excellent work of the officers of Ihe rovinciai Grand Lodfje , special mention being made of the services of Bro . u - Simpson , P . S . G . W .

Ihe Earl of LATHOM said it was very p leasing to have heard such a avourable report as that just read . He congratulated the brethren on aving received so good an account of the slate of the lodges and the L ovm e generally . The report relating to the Charities was , indeed , excelri ' rhf •^ ^ " seemecl to be in a Very flourishing condition , which was only 111 t l ^ e c'rcumstancc < > under which this provincial lodge was placed . He anked Ihem most sincerel y for the way in which they came forward to Q ^ P 01 " 1 him at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . ln g to a sudden bereavement he was himself unable to be present on that

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Lancashire.

occasion , but he was happy to have heard , as he did on all sides , that his son took his place extremely well . Respecting the increase of lodges , to which the report had alluded , he was , of course , glad to hear that Masonry was progressing ; but , at the same time , he hoped no petition for a new lodge would be sent in unless there was very good ground for wishing an additional lodge to be established in this or that place . It was useless to multiply

lodges . It might take young Masons a long time lo pass the chair , but they ought to have the patience which their predecessors possessed . He hoped , therefore there would be no more petitions for the mere sake of promoting young Masons to office . Having personally thanked Bro . Simpson for his services , the P . G . M . said he wished the present meeting to make a new departure by taking up a collection , as he found to be the ctislom at many provincial meetings which he had attended . The contributions could be

devoted to the Masonic Charities or to some Institution belonging to the town in which they were assembled . On that occasion he proposed the collection should be given to the Royal Albert Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles of the Northern Counties . The Provincial Grand Lodge would then obtain votes enabling them to place candidates on that foundation . In conclusion , he moved that an address be engraved and forwarded to the M . W . Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , congratulating him upon the birth of a grandson and ultimate heir to the throne .

Bro . R . WYLIE , D . P . G . M ., seconded the motion , which was adopted unanimously . The next business was the election of Provincial Grand Treasurer , to which considerable interest was attached . Bro . Dr . J . D . Crawford , P . M . 6 S 0 , and Bro . E . R . Latham , P . M . 594 , were proposed . The latter , however , very gracefully withdrew , and Bro . Crawford was elected ' nem . con ., with cheers .

On the motion of Bro . WYLIE , seconded by Bro . the Rev . J . B . SI-ENTER , 100 guineas was voted to the Royal Masonic Institution for ' Girls . It was announced that the collection for the Royal Albert Asylum was £ ifi 2 s . 6 I .

The following brethren were invested Prov . G . Oliicers for the ensuing year by the Prov . G . M .:. Bro .-Lord Skelmersdale . ,., ; ¦ ¦ . '' * ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ .. N . N . Helme ... Prov . J . G . W . . . „ Rev . C . O . L . Riley •> „ r- ' n „ R . S . Stoney . ~ . j Prov . G . Chaps . ,, Dr . Crawford ... Piov . G . Treas .

„ R . Robertson ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ . J . M'Carthy Pi ov . D . G . Reg . „ W . Goodman ... Prov . G . ' Sec . „ J . W . Wearing ... ... ... •) „ F . G . Hubbard ... [ Prov . S . G . Ds . „ J . Fletcher ... ... ... ... ) „ T . MVVean ... ... ) „ J . Hatch ... ... Prov . J . G . Ds .

,, Joseph Lee ... . ; . ... ... ) „ C . Skinner ... .... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . ,, Roger White ... ... . ¦' ) r > r * i- > n ¦ v 1 i ^^™ o „ 1 Prov . G . D . Ls . >¦ t . J . Jarman ... ... ... ) ,, W . Roberts ... ... ... ... ) „ Lewis Peake ... ... ... [ Prov . A . G . D . Cs . „ J . H . Thomas ... ... ... ) „ C . A . Arden ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B .

„ M . Alexander ... ... ... Prov . D . G . S . B . ,, J . Tarbuck ... ... ... ... ) „ r . , D „ J . Kilby ... ... ... J Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, G . S . Smith ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ T . Mason ... ... .. ... Prov . A . G . Sec . ,. G . Bolton ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . .

„ J . Ellershaw ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . ' ,, J . Cunliffe ... ... ... ,.. "" ] „ J . MiIne ... ... ... ... 1 „ J . H . Smith ... ... ... ... In r c . j „ j Rigby j- Prov . G . Stwds . ,, 1 . Vtrnon ... ... ... ... I „ W . J . Worden ... ... ... J

„ W . H . Bali ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER .

A meeiing of the Prov . Grand Chapter of West Lancashire was alterwards held , Comp . the Earl of Lathom , Grand Superintendent , presiding . After the transaction of ordinary business it was resolved that the sum of 25 guintas should be voted from the funds of the chapter to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . Comp . Fletcher , 1070 , was elected Prov . Grand Treasurer . The Prov . Grand Oflicers were invested as follows : Comp . Councillor E . H . Cookson ... ... Prov . G . H .

,, J . Christie ... ... ... Prov . G . J . ,, W . Goodacre ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ H . Stones ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ G . Duselield ... ... ... Prov . D . G . Reg . „ G . A . Hignett ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ Eli Brooks ... ,.. ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ C . Skinner ... ,,. ... p rov . 2 nd A . G . S .