Masonic Tokens.

MASONIC TOKENS .

Bro . W . Watson , P . M ., W . M . 2069 , Librarian of the West Yorkshire Masonic Library and Museum , has lately acquired a rare and valuable little book , entitled "A Descriptive List of the Provincial Copper Coins or Tokens , arranged alphabetically by Samuel Birchall of Leeds ; from the Orig inals in his own Possession . Leeds : Primed for S . Bircha . ll and Sold by Henry Young , Ludgate Street , London , 1796 . " This title-page is

engraved , and also has the obverse and reverse of the " Leeds Commercial Haltpenny" [ Token ] of 1795 . The second , or inner , title is printed , and reads— " An Alphabetical LUt of Provincial Copper Coins or Tokens , issued between the years 1786 and 179 6 . Leeds : Printed by Thomas Gill , 1796 . " The siz is small octavo , and there are 141 pages of printed matter , besides a short introduction , dated " Leeds , January 30 , 179 6 . "

Page 35-24 , Grinstead ( East)—O . Cypher ( I . H . B . ) and a pair of scales . S . East Grinstead half-penny . Ex . 1795 . R . Masonic arms , crest , supporters , and motto . S . Pro bono publico . £ . Payable at I . H . tioorman ' s . Page Sr .

22 , Masonic—O . Arms , crest , supporters , and motto . S . Prince of Wales elected G . M . 24 Nov ., 1790 . R . Emblems of Masonry in a triangle . S . Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty . "Sit Lux et Lux fuit . " E . Masonic half-penny token , MDCCXCIV . 23 , Masonic—O . and R . The same as last . E . Masonic token , I . Scetchley , fecit , 1794 . 24 , Masonic—O . and R . The samelas last . E . Masonic token , I . Sketchley , R . A . and P & S „ Birmingham , fecit .

25 , Masonic—O . and R . The same as last . E . Halfpenny , payable at the Black Horse , Tower-hill . 26 , Masonic—0 . The same as last . R . Head ( full Face ) S . Geo . Prince of Wales , Halfpenny . E . Payab ' e in Lancaster , London , or Bristol . 27 , Masonic—O . The same as last . R . Head ( side Face ) S . Fredk . Duke of York . Halfpenny , 1795 . E . Payable in Dublin or London .

Page 134 . 835 or 35 s . Masonic—O . and R . The same as No . 22 . E . Payable at London or Dubhn . 836 or 36 s , Masonic—O . and R . The same as last . E . Brother Sketchley , Birmingham . 8 37 or 373 , Masonic—O . and R . The same as No . 26 . E . Payable at London or Dublin .

The capitals used refer to initial letters of the following words : 0 . —Obverse . R . —Reverse . E . —edge , S . superscription . Ex . —exergue . The Masonic Halfpennies are carefully and almost exhaustively treated by Bro . Marvin , in his " Masonic Medals , " 1880 , at pp . 42-44 , under the numbers LXII . ( a ) to ( h ) , for the ordinary kind , struck in 1794 , to commemorate the Grand Mastership of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , elected in 1790 , and installed in 1792 . No . 22 of the foregoing is Marvin ' s LXU .

( h ) , the No . 23 being his ( e ) , which , however , has "fucit" on the edge , and so is virtually another variety . No . 24 in Marvin ' s ( t ) reads " Masonic Token I ., Sketchley , S . A . and P . G . S . Birmingham , Fecit , " not " P . and S ., " the latter being Birchall ' s mistake . Bro . James Newton has one of this kind , ( and most of those known ) , having " P . G . S . " as Marvin ' s . * The No . 25 is Marvin ' s ( a ) , and is quite common , 35 is his ( c ) , and possibly 363 is meant for his ( g ) .

The East Grinstead Token , is Marvin's LXVI 1 I ., and is much rarer than the foregoing kind , and those relating to the Prince of Wales ( 26 ) and Duke ol York ( 27 ) are quite as scarce , and numbered by Marvin as LXIH . to LXVI . in several varieties ; the edges exhibiting fanciful readings as tho ^ e of the ordinary kind .

It is singular that Birchall does not mention any Masonic Pennies , for though they are but little known , and very few to be met with now , one would have thought such a collector would have known them in 1796 , unless indeed , which is probable , they were not circulated until the year his interesting work was published . These Tokens are very fine specimens and more noble in st \ le than the smaller kinds .

Bro . Newton exhibited one . f and I have also a beautiful specimen of this scarce coin . J One variety has the obverse similar to No . 22 of Birchall's , and another i * similar to his No . 26 , the lormer having the reverse of No . 22 , save as to the legend which read- > Pro Bono Publico , and the edge has the words " Manufactured by VV . Lutwycne , Birmingham . " The reverse ol this one dedicated to " Geo . Prince of Wales , " is after that of the usual halipenny design , only has the year 1795 .

In the " Notes and Corrections" to Bro . Marvin ' s splendid volume area number of other variiies enumerated , mainly as to the edges , one reading '' Payable by I . Simmons , Sample House , " which is quite unknown to me , and quite a number of mules were also circulated , based on the halfoenny , but not on the Penny . Marvin speaks of one in silver of the ordinary kind , but none such have ever been noted in this country . One was mentioned as

struck in gold , owned by the R . W . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Burdett , Prov . G . M . Middlesex , but that worthy Craftsman wrote to the Freemason to say it had been gilded , which just made all the difference . I wonder if the other has been silvered ? Batty ' s work on " The copper coinage of Great Britain , " contains a large number of varieties of the Masonic Tokens . 1 hope , ere long , Bro . Watson will meet with some more curios of interest and value . W . J . HUGHAN .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Derbyshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DERBYSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire was held , on Tuesday , the nth inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Gower-street , Derby . There was an exceedingly large attendance of brethren , every lodge in the province being represented . In the absence of the P . G . M ., the Marquis of Hartington , the universally esteemed D . P . G . Master , Bro . H . C . Okeover , presided over the gathering , and was supported by the following , amongst other Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past :

Bros . Thomas Cox , P . G . Treas ., P . P . S . G . W ., as D . P . G . M . ; E . R . Ward , P . S . G . W . ; Douglas Upton , P . J . G . W . ; the Revs . Herbert Price and C . W . Groves , P . G . Chaps . ; Edgar Home , P . G . Reg . ; Wm . Naylor , P . G . S . B . Eng ., P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Sec . ; T . N . Turner , P . S . G . D . ; W . Fletcher , P . S . G . D . ; H . Arnold Bemrose , P . G . D . C ; E . J . H , Hoskins , P . G . S . B . ; J . Cholerton and J . McLeod , P . G . Std . Brs .: VV .

toiman , P . G . Org . ; W . Silver Hall , P . A . G . Sec ; J . Cupestick , P . G . Purst . ; Sir John bmith , P . P . S . G . W . ; VV . H . Marsden , P . P . S . G . W . ; G . T . Wright , P . P . S . G . W . ; Percy Wallis , P . P . S . G . W . ; Coulson , P . P . S . G . W . ; F . Binckes , P . G . S . B . Eng . ; Chadwick , P . G . S . B . Eng ., Prov . G . Secretary East Lancashire ; Boden , Thos . Roe , M P ., P . M . ; F . J . Robinson , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; J . Hassall , P . P . G . S . of W .: J . Bland , P . P . G . D . ; VV . L . Dodd , P . P . G . O . ; Worsnop , P . P . G . P . ; Jno . Howell ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Derbyshire.

P . P . G . W . ; H . Tw ' gee , J . W . 850 ; A . G . Gray , W . M . 884 ; J . H . Richardson , P . P . A . G . Sec ; H . F . Drkin , P . M . 1179 ; J . H . Law ~ on , P . P . S . G . W . ; Geo . Day , P . P . G . D ; Jas . Whitehead , P . P . G . D . of C ; A . E . Cockayne , P . M . 2129 ; " J . P . Fearfield , W . M . 2224 ; and others . The reports read by the W . M . 's of the various lodges were , on the whole , most satisfactory , indicating steady numerical growth , and much material prosperity . It was a peculiar source of gratification to note that

the brethren in every part of the province have been active vn promoting the cause of Charity , it being demmstrated by the various returns that , apart altogether from local and private benefactions , a sum approaching £ tooo had been contributed during the past year by the Derbyshire brethren in support of the three great Charitable Institutions of the Order . The evidence of harmonious working which the reports afforded was also an exceed * ingly pleasant feature of the proceedings .

The statements presented by the Charity Committee , by the Masonic Hall Trustees , and the Audit Committee were uniformly satisfactory . References to the removal of brethren by the hand of death were rather more numerous than usual . Cordial tributes of respect were paid to the memory of the late Bro . H . Hillam , P . P . S . G . W ., who for many years was Secretary to the Hall Trustees , and to that of the late Bro . George Johnson , W . M . of the Hartington Lodge . The D . P . G . Master appointed the Provincial Grand Officers for the

ensuing year in the following order : Bro . Abraham Woodiwiss , Arboretum Lodge .,. Prov . S . G . W . „ J . H . Orme , Buxton Lodge ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Herbert Price , Tyrian Lodge ... ) prov . G . Chaps „ E . Morris , Dorothy Vernon Lodge ... ... j ' * „ Thomas Cox , P . P . S . G . W . ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ W . Silver Hall , Tyrian Lodge ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ., William Naylor , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . S . B . Eng . ... Prov . G . isec . „ J . D . Wragg , Carnarvon Lodge ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ R . Knowles , Royal Alt red Lodge ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ Raymond Slater , Lodge of Repose ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ Elphinstone , Mundy Grove Lodge ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ W . J . Piper , Lodge of Repose ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ J . C . Webb , Royal Sussex Lodge ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ H . B . Boag , Arkwright Lodge ... ... ) prQVi GiStd # Brs ,, J . F . Donegani , St . Oswald Lodge .., ... ) „ H . N . Biggin , Scarsdale Lodge ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ S . Warhurst , Devonshire Lodge ... .,. Prov . G . Purst . „ J . D . Simpson , High Peak Lodge ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . ,, H . V . Edwards , Tyrian Lodge ... ... "" ,, E . Mclnnes , Tyrian Lodge „ A . Brown , Lodge of Repose ^ prov _ Q Stewards „ r . U . Huggins , Lodge or Kepose ... „ Gray , Derwent Lodge „ Hardstaft , Royal Altred Lodge ... ... J „ T . Day ,,. .,. ,., ... Prov . G . Tyler . „ W . Stone ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Tyler . A large number of the brethren subsequently dined together , their

comforts being exceedingly well looked after by Bro . Day . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and heartily received . The toast of " The Visitors " was acknowledged by Bro . F . BINCKES , the Secretary of the Boys' School , who eloquently pleaded the cause of the Masonic Charities , and who gratefully acknowledged the liberal support which he had always received from the Derbyshire brethren on behalf of the Institution with which he was more particularly associated .

It is highly probable that , in view of the special effort made last summer on behalf of tne Girls' Institution , the Boys' School will next year receive a goodly measure of local assistance . At all events , we hope so .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

A specially summoned meeting of the above Prov . Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Cheltenham , on Tue-day last . Its special object was " to consider resolutions of the Committee appointed at the last meeting on the subject of the decoration of the reredos in Gloucester Cathedral . " The rtredos , it should be stated , was erected 15 years ago by the brethren of the province , at a cost of ^ 1300 , the work having been

executed by Redfern , irom designs by the late Sir Gilbert Scott . It is a beautiful structure of white stone , divided into three principal compartments , in which are groups of figures representing the Nativity , the Entombment , and the Ascension of our Saviour ; figures of Moses , St . Peter , St . Paul , and David occupy the minor niches at the sides ol these

compartments , and under the canopies formed by the tabernacle work above are nine figures of angels bearing the emblems of Our Lord ' s Passion . In connection with a general redecoration of the interior of the Cathedral , and as an improvement in the appearance of the structure itself , the Cathedral authorities were advised that a certain treatment of the reredos with colour

was desirable , and at the usual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge at Stow-on-the-Wold , in May last , a communication on the subject from Bro . Dr . Spence , Dean of Gloucester , was referred to a Commiitee , consisting of the Prov . G . M . and his Deputy , Bro . Vassar-Smith , Bros . Gwinnett , Nelson Foster , Baron de Ferrieres , Winterbotham , G . Norman , Dr . Needham , and the Masters of the various lodges in the province , and to which

Committee the name of the Dean himself was subsequently added . The Committee was authorised " to take steps to ascertain the views of the brethren ^! the province , and to take such action in the matter , by sanctioning the work or otherwise , as may seem to it desirable ; " but having had a section of the reredos tentatively treated in the manner proposed by the

architect , Bro . Waller , the Committee , while itself approving of the experiment , decided to ask the Prov . Grand Master to relieve it of further responsibility by again referring the question to Prov . Grand Lodge . The gathering of Royal Arch Masons for the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Chapter was considered a suitable opportunity for consulting the province generally , and the meeting on Tuesday was accordingly called for the

purpose . Prov . Grand Lodge having been opened , there was a large attendance of members . Those present included—Bros . Sir M . E . Hicks Beach , Birt ., Prov . G . M . ; R . V . Vassar-Smith , D . Prov . G . M . »

T . G . Seymour , Prov . S . G . W . ; A . V . Hatton , Prov . J . G . W . ( pro tem . ); R ! , ' the Dean of Gloncester , Prov . G . Chap , ( pro tem . ); T . Nelson Foster , Prov- «; Treas . ; T . Albin Roberts , Prov . G . R . ; James B . Winterbotham , Prov . G . aec *' E . Dening , Prov . S . G . D . ; General Vizard , Prov . G . D . C ; B . London , Pr ° : . Stwd . j Baron de Ferrieres , Prov . G . D . of England ; W . H . Gwinnett , P . P . S . G . W ..