Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , was held in the Thorngate Memorial Hall , Gosport , under the presidency of Bro . VV . VV . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , and was attended by upwards of 250 members of the Craft , including a large number of Present and Past Provincial Grand Officers , amongst whom

were the following : Bros . J . E . Le l < euvre , J , P ., P . G . D ., Eng ., Deputy Prov . G . M . ; Major G . H . Newcombe , Prov . S . G . W . ; Henry Durrant , Prov . J . G . W . ; Richard Eve , P . G . T ., P . P . S . G . W . ; Rev . C . E . Crowley , P . G . C . ; E . Goble , P . G . S . B ., Secretary ; John VV . Gieve , J . P ., Treasurer ;

G . F . Lancaster , P . P . G . Registrar ; R . VV . Lees , P . S . G . D . ; G . Ward , P . S . G . D . ; W . M . Outridge , P . J . G . D . ; H . Lehmann , P . J . G . D . ; Dr , E . T . Crouch , P . G . D . C . ; R . Hodges , P . G . S . B . ; H . T . Deacon , P . G , Std . Br . ; J . S . Wickens , P . G . Std . Br . ; J . Miles , P . G . Purst . ; and many other distinguished brethren from the province .

Upon Bro . J . E . LE FEUVRE , D . P . G . M ., devolved the pleasurable duty of notifying to the assembled brethren the presence of Bro . Ellice Hicks Beach , a son of the respected and popular Prov . G . M . The D . P . G . M . expressed his belief that their young brother would appreciate the hearty reception which had been accorded his father .

The roll of the provincial lodges was called over , when all but four responded . The Prov . Grand Master having opened the Provincial Grand Lodge , was saluted by the brethren under the guidance of the Prov . G . D . C . The Deputy Prov . Grand Master and the Grand Officers of England who were present were also saluted .

The minutes of the annual Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Ba singstoke on 8 th August , 1 S 93 , and of the special meeting , held at Bournemouth on 27 th December , 1 S 93 ( when the foundation-stone of the Church of St . John the Evangelist was laid with Masonic honours ) , were read and confirmed . The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed that the report of the

Auditor and the accounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer , which were printed and in the hands of the brethren , be accepted . He considered the accounts were of a most satisfactory character , and though there was only a small balance of £ 68 , it should be remembered they had given 250 guineas to the Masonic Charities , and £ 114 in grants to widows and distressed brethren during the year .

The proposition was seconded by Bro . RICHARD EVE , and carried unanimously . Bro . J . W . Gieve was re-elected Prov . Grand Treasurer for the seventh year in succession , and was congratulated by the Prov . Grand Master on his popularity in the district .

The usual ex-officio members were appointed to act as the Audit Committee for the year . The PROV . GRAND SECRETARY read the report of the Provincial Grand Lod ge Committee , from which it appeared that during the year two boys , two girls , and one widow had been elected for the respective Masonic

Charities , although the province were deeply in debt for votes required to secure this good result . An extra 50 guineas had been subscribed to the Charities , raising the total to 250 guineas . Five grants had been made to distressed brethren . Only one lodge had been added to the provincial roll during the year , but the number of brethren had increased by 128 to a total of 337 8 members .

The PROV . GRANW MASTER congratulated the brethren on the satisfactory position of the province , and also on the good service rendered by the Committee , who he considered were entitled to the thanks of the brethren for the great assiduity with which they peiformed thtir duty . He thought all the lodges should combine and hand their votes to the Charity Committee , in

favour of those cases recommended , and the result would be generally successfu l , while individual efforts were as a rule wasted . He found the Order was also making satisfactory progress , and the increased number of brethren enrolled during the year proved that interest in Freemasonry was not diminishing . Only one new lodge had been added to the roll , but hi was not

'" ' vour of extending the number beyond the absolute requirements of the ^ - aft . Before he proceeded to invest his officers for the ensuing year he esirea to state that it was not possible to promote officers , already invested , ° a higher position , except under very urgent and special circumstances , and , e trusted there would be no heart burning in consequence . Every consi-

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight.

deration was given to each case placed before . him , and a careful selection of officers had been made . The Prov . Grand Master then appointed and invested the Provincia Grand Officers as follows : Bro . T . A . Bramsdon , 257 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ B . Harfield , 130 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W .

„ Rev . C . E . Crowley , 2 57 ... ... \ p „ „ Rev . T . VV . Fair , 175 ... ... ... j 1 rov - U ' P * ,, John W . Gieve , 309 ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . ,, Lieut . H . G . Giles , R . N ., 1903 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ,, Edgar Goble , 309 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ,, Dr . B . H . Mumby , 1060 ... ,.. i n e ,- , .- ^ „ W . H . Riddell , 69 S ] Prov . S . G . Ds .

„ C . VV . Bevis , 1 S 34 ... ... ., , . „ E . H . Buck , 2153 ... ... jlrov . J . G . Ds . „ J . E . Aklis , 359 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of Wks . „ H . Scarle , 7 6 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . Leftwich , 35 ... ... ... Prov . D . G . D . C . „ A . VV . Hewitt , 342 ... ... ... 1

„ R . E . Buckle , 1776 ... ... ... [¦ Prov . A . G . D . Cs . ,, H . Cooke , 309 ... ... ,.. ) „ G . H . Rolls , 132 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ E . Warren , 1780 ... ... ... J D r- C . J n " Joseph Maling , 903 j Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ G . D . Loveerove . 2- ^ 7 ... ... ... Prov . G . O .

„ G . F . Lancaster , 903 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ G . E . Sprigins , 804 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ G . Isles , 1 331 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ J . J . Webber , r - J „ E . Boorman , 20 74 ... ... ... j „ M . F . Curtis , 1461 ... ... ... ' ¦ / - c . 1 U A . R » nfr « , = [ -PrOV . G . Stwds .

„ , ,, . . . . . . » . _ .... ~~ , . / -j ,, G . Boyse , 206 S - ... ... - ... j ,, F . A . Dunsford , 394 ... ... ... J „ J . Exell , 4 S 7 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The minute books of the provincial lodges were duly signed by the Provincial Grand Master and returned to the Masters . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the India Arms Hotel , High-street , where an excellent cold collation was

served by Bro . Goodman , of the Prince of Wales Lodge . It will be interesting to state here that the site of the India Arms Hotel was the cradle of the Craft in Hampshire , as it was here that the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 26 , was founded in the year 1724 . Unfortunately the lodge dwindled down to 26 members , when it was erased on 5 th September , 1858 .

The speeches were considerably few and short , so as to enable the brethren to return to their respective districts in good time . In proposing " The Queen and the Craft , " the PROV . GRAND MASTER referred to the fact that her Majesty was the only English Sovereign who had seen a great-grandson born in direct succession .

Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . Treas ., responded for "The Officers of Grand Lodge " in a few happy remarks , and then proceeded to propose " The Health of the Provincial Grand Master . " He stated that Bro . Beach had now compltted 25 years as Grand Master of the province , and he was sure that no one had done more to further the interests of Freemasonry , or who

was better able to perform his duties . He filled the office with a great amount of zeal , and the brethren were quite safe in being led by one who knew what was right . Bro . Beach was held in the highest esteem , regard , and love , and his name would live again in his son , who had recently joined the Craft .

The toast was drunk with enthusiasm amid cheats for the Prov . Grand Master and his family . Bro . BEACH , in returning thanks , said he was most gratified to be amongst , the brethren again , especially in Gasport , the home of Freemasonry in Hampshire . It always afforded him thc greatest gratification to use his

abilities for the benefit of the Order , as hj considered that it was calculated to improve and benefit mankind . How many friends did they meet , whDm they had never known except for Freemasonry ? There was only one matter for regret , and that was that Continental Freemasonry , especially the

French , was not on a par with our own . He had great pride in presiding over the province , but his rule was made easy by the great assistance he received from his officers . He concluded , with some emotion , with the wish that he might be long spared to rule and direct them .

Bro . K . GOBI . E , proposed "The Health of the Provincial Grand Ollicers , " and referred to the immense amount of assistance rendered by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , whose knowledge of Masonic law enabled him at once to decide any point at issue , and who paid the utmost attention to the details of the Craft ,