Provincial Grand Lodge Of Norths And Hunts.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTHS AND HUNTS .

The annual meeting- of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held under the banners of the Northampton Lodge , at the Masonic Hall , Prince ' s-street , Northampton , on trie 17 th inst . The meeting had been fixed for Whit-week by the Prov . G . M ., the Earl of Euston , in order to give a

welcome to any Masonic brethren who might be attending as delegates the A . M . C . of the Manchester Unity . There was the largest attendance of brethren ever known at an ordinary meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge , no less than 217 brethren having signed the list ot attendance . The Board of Benevolence met at one o ' clock .

Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in due form , at two o ' clock , by the Prov . G . M ., the Earl of Euston , who was supported by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . Butler Wilkins , P . G . Std . Br . Eng ., and other Provincial Grand Officers , past and present , including the Recorder of Northampton ( Bro . E .

P . Monckton ) . The usual business was transacted : amongst other things , it was resolved to give 20 guineas towards the fund being now raised to erect a stained glass window in Towcester Church , in memory of the late Bro . George Osborne , of Pattishall , for many years an honoured Mason in the

province . Bro . Alfred Cockerill was re-elected Treasurer of the province unanimously ; and Lord Euston appointed and invested the following as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year :

Bro . C . A . Markham , P . M . 1911 ... ... Prov . S . G . VV . „ F . Pinney , W . M . 466 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ,, Rev . W . S . Pratt , Chap . 1746 ... ... ¦) D n r , ' Rev . T . Hodgson W . M . 373 Prov- G' Cha Ps '

„ A . Cockerill , P . M . 3 60 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ H . W . K . Markham , Sec . 1911 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ F . G . Buckle , P . M . 442 ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . Sibley , P . M . 2283 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ C . E . Thorpe , W . M . 360 ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ G . T . Hawkins , J . D . 2431 ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ G . Ellard , P . M . 360 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ I . J . Hart , P . M . - , 60 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ F . Billingham , P . M . 2380 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . " T M " i w r \ ° v- G- Std . Brs ,, T . Merry , S . W . 360 ... ... ... j ,, W . Saunders , Sec . 737 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ J . C . Surman , W . M . 455 ... ... Prov . G . Purst .

„ VV . Arkell , 3 O 0 ... ... ... ] „ H . I . Walker , 378 ... ... ... ] ,, W . Elsey , 442 ... ... ... D ,-, c , , ; , T . Hart , 466 J . Prov . G . Stwds . ,, H . H . Packer , 737 ,.. ... ... | ,, R . A . Milligan , 1911 ... ... ... J ,, G . Robinson ... ... ... Prov . G , Tyler .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was subsequently closed , and was succeeded by a banquet . Lord EI ' STON presided , and gave from the chair "The Oueen and the Craft , " "The M . W . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " "The M . W . the Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , G . C . B .,

the R . W . Deputy Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Kdgcumbe , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Lord Euston said the thanks of the Fraternity were due to officers of Grand Ledge , who , by their services in ihe ' past , had made the w . crk of Masonry easier and more useful to-day .

Bro . RVLAN'I ) ADKINS , in proposing "The Health of the Prov . Grand Master , " said not Masons only , but those who dwell in outer darkness , know well the worth and dignity of the subject of the toast . Not Masons ° nly , but all Englishmen who lake an interest in the movements of their time , were aware of the great and solid service rendered to Freemasonry

ky the Earl of Euston . It has been a great distinction of ihe aristocracy of I ' -ngland as compared with lhat of other countries , that they take a greater and more active interest in public affairs than do the Aristocracies of other counlries . There is no greater subject of 'Merest in this country than that of Masonry , and no one had done

more to promote good government of Freemasonry than the Earl of I ' -uston . They were aware how , since Lord Euston came to the headship ° ' Ihe Province , the number of lodges had increased and the number of members of the lodges ; and he had been good enough to give his support

to every branch of Freemasonry . That which the Piince of Wales had done ' ° r English Freemasonry , Lord Euston had done for the Masonry of the 1 rovince of Norths and Hunts . He could easily and willingly dilate on this s "bject , but it was a wholesome English custom not to say one-tenth of what 0 r | e felt about him in his presence . Every Mason in the province was only

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Norths And Hunts.

too glad to have an opportunity of showing his regard and . respect for the Prov . G . M . They followed Lord Euston with enthusiasm and looked up to him with the greatest respect , and were prepared to drink his health with all the fervour and heartiness which Masons could command . The toast was honoured with enthusiasm .

Lord EUSTON , on rising to respond , was received with quite an ovation , a manifestation of feeling which evidently much touched his lordship . He said the toast had been proposed in too Mattering terms by his friend , Bro . Ryland Adkins . He knew that Bro . Adkins could generally speak to the

point and well . He did not know that he could be flowery as well as punishing . They knew it was a great pleasure to him to come amongst them all , for they always received him so kindly that he felt like coming home when he came to them . The reception they had given him was far above his deserts . Whatever he could do for them , whatever he could do for the

Craft , he would do ; and he would do his best to advance Freemasonry in the province to the best of his ability . They could not compete with Lancashire and Yorkshire in point of numbers , but he thought the record of lhat province for the past few years would compare most favourably , in proportion to numbers , with the provinces to which he had referred . He again thanked them , and assured them that as long as God gave him health and strength his services would be at their disposal . He then gave ' ¦ The Health

of the D . P . G . M ., Bro . Butler Wilkins , " whose name was a household word in the Freemasonry of the province . They were heartily glad to see him again after his one absence , in the course of many years , which was caused by his illness last year . Bro . Butler Wilkins for years bore the responsibilities and the work of the province on his own shoulders , and did it well . They were grateful for his services , and they looked up to him with respect and affection . ¦

Bro . BUTLER WILKINS was received with much cheering . He could not , he said , forget that that day he entered on his twentieth year of office as Deputy . He was conscious of his own shortcomings , but he had always received the kind and cordial co-operation of the brethren in the province . He then proceeded to give some excellent and practical advice as to the working of the lodges , which was warmly appreciated by the brethren . He also advised lhat when a lodge got to a certain size a new lodge should be started , and the result would be a benefit to old as well as to new .

Lord EUSTON next proposed " The Provincial Grand Lodge Oliicers , Present and Past , " coupling with it the name of Bro . C . Markham , Prov . S . G . VV ., who briefly responded . "The Worshipful Masters of the Province" wis also given from the chair . Bros . THORPK , W . M . 360 ; PIXNRY , W . M . 467 ; and HY . MANTIKI . I ) , W . M . 1764 , responded .

Bro . COCKERILL , Prov . G . lreas ., gave " Ihe Masonic Chanties , and urged their claims upon the assembled brethren as what should be Masonically nearest their hearts . The power of the province in supporting the Charities and in securing the election of suitable candidates had greatly increased in recent years , and he attributed this in great measure to the assiduity and energy of the brother whom the Prov . G . M . had appointed to be the Provincial Steward of the Charities , Bro . Ellard . With the toast he also coupled the name of Bro . Buckle , the Provincial Grand Secretary .

Bro . El . r . ARn , Prov . G . D . C , [ described some of the ways in which the financial and voting power of the Province had increased , and alluded to the gratifying way in which they had been able to elect their candidates . On Friday he should be able to take enough votes to make the election of their candidate a certainty and to spare a thousand for somebody else . Bro . BrCKl . K also responded .

"The Visitors was next given , for whom Uro . I ' .. Nay lor , P . P . G Sid . Br ., of the Isle of Wight , and a P . P . G . M . of the Hampshire I ) . strict of the Manchester Unity , responded .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Berkeley , on the 16 th inst ., under the arrangements made by the receiving Lodge , No . 270 , Royal Faith and Friendship . About 20 : 1 brethren of the province attended , a considerable proportion of whom arrived in the morning , and after having been entertained to luncheon by the receiving lodge at the Berkeley Arms Hotel , they were conducted in parties ov . r the interesting

Church of St . Mary , with its fine 13 th century nave and perpendicular stone screen , and containing the tomb of Edward Jenner . The vicar , the Rev . J . L . Stackhouse , kindly took the brethren over the church and the Berkeley chapel , and explained the points of interest . Afterwards , Berkeley Castle , replete with historical associations , was open to inspection , by permission of Bro . Lord Fiuhardinge , P . P . S . G . W .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened by the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Sir Michael E . Hicks Beach , Bart ., M . P ., P . S . GAV . of England . The Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . Vassar Smith , P . S . G . D . of England , was unable to be present owing to indisposition , and his place was taken by Bro . the Rev . C ,