Freemasonry In Cheshire*

first time we read of the Prov . G . Officers being invested with their respective badges of office . In 1765 , R . Salusbury Cotton , father of Viscount Combermere , was initiated in thc Senior Lodge in the presence of the P . G . M . and his officers , while in

the following year the Star Lodge was constituted . Other matters of moment arc also recorded , including certain correspondence which passed between the P . G . Lodge and thc Grand Lodge and when in 1771 , thc P . G . M . found . it necessary on the

score of health to resign his office , and the Hon . John Smith Barry , who had been made in thc Senior Lodge in 175 S , was unanimously recommended to the Grand Master to be his successor , there can be no question as to the marked progress thc Craft had made under his alile guidance .

During the Prov . G . Mastership of Bro . the Hon . John Smith Barry—whicli lasted until his death in 1784—thc Craft maintained ils position , without , however , making any further advance , the chief events during this period being tin * death of

Bro . Edward Orme in 1777 , after occupying the responsible office of Dep . P . G . M . for 35 years ; and the laying the foundation stone of the new " Bridge Gate" at Chester , in 17 S 2 , by Bro . Philip Egerton as Prov . G . Master . It may also be mentioned

that a proposal for forming a Charitable Association witli a view to raising a fund for thc relief of distressed Masons within the Province was made at the meeting of Prov . G . Lodge

in June , 17 80 , and that the office of Prov . G . Orator was created , and the Rev . Bro . Crane appointed to / ill it in 1782 . As regards Bro . Orme—who was succeeded bv Bro . Pattison Ellamcs—the

loss created by his death was indeed a serious one . He had served as Deputy to three Prov . G . Masters , and it is due to him , in Bro . ARMSTRONG ' S opinion , that Masonry was able to survive the dark days which marked its career during the closing years of Bro . Newton ' s rule .

On the Hon . J . Smith Barry s death , Sir R . Salusbury Cotton was unanimously recommended , and in 17 S 5 was appointed , his successor , to the great advantage of the Province . The number of lodges on the roll was considerably augmented , and when thc

P . G . M . died , early in 1 ^ 09 , there were upwards of a dozen in active working . His successor was Bro . John—who , in 1814 , succeeded to 'the baronetcy , and so became Sir John—Egerton , who , though apparently very popular with the Craft as well as

throughout thc county , does not seem to have busied himself greatly abont the affairs of his Province , lie died and was buried with Masonic honours in 1825 , but during the 15 years he was in office lie onlv attended Prov . G . Lodge three times , the

first time in 1810 , when he was installed , and tlie second time in 1 Si fi . In September of ( lie latter year , however , lie laid the foundation stone of Delamere Church , and a special Prov . G Lodge was held at Kelsall , whence the brethren were driven to

within half a mile of the church and then walked in procession to thc spot where the ceremony was appointed lo take place . When the proceedings werc over , the Prov . G . M . invited the brethren ( o refreshment at Oulton Park , where they and their

friends were most hospitably entertained . But if Sir John Egerton was not over zealous in the performance of his duties he had a most able Deputy in Bro . Charles Hamilton , who had succeeded Bro . Ellamcs in 1708 , and remained in office till his

death 111 181 S . lie seems to have done his best to settle the difficulties and dissensions which from lime to time arose . His successor was Bro . IC . V . Townshend , in respect of whose installation what might have proved a serious trouble appears lo

have arisen . It was , in the first instance , arranged that it should take place in the Loyal British Lodge , No . 148 , meclin ** - at the Coach and Horses , Chester , instead of in the Royal Chester Lodge , No . 80 , as on all previous occasions . Lodge So ,

however , waxed indignant , and would probably not have been represented at the ceremony , but the arrangements were * ultimately left in its hands , and on the 9 th November , at : a I ' rov . Grand Lodge at which Sir John Grey Egerton , Bail ., P . G . M .

presided , Bro . Townshend was duly obligated and installed in office , after whicli the Prov . G . * Officers were appointed , and a resolution unanimously adopted for the formation of a I ' rov .

Grand Lodge Fund of Benevolence . In connection with Bro Townshend ' s installation , we note a most unusual circumstance Before the hour fixed for the Prov . ( irand Lodge meeting , the Royal Chester Lodge , No . 80 , met , " when the W . M . resinned

Freemasonry In Cheshire*

his office , ancl at once ' Bro . Townshend was installed his successor as R . W . M . of Lodge 80 / the new qualification for a D . P . G . M . being that he must previously have been installed and served the office of Master of a regular lodge . "

Only one more meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge after tbat at which Bro . Townshend was installed Deputy , was held durino * the remaining years of Sir John ' s rule , and that was on the 20 th June , 1820 , when Bro . Townshend presided , and an address

of congratulation to his Majesty King GEORGE IV . was agreed to . Sir John died on thc 25 th May , 1 S 25 , and was buried , as wc have said , with Masonic honours , thc number of lodges summoned to attend the meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge bcino *

17 . Three years passed before any steps wen ; taken to secure a successor , and then the Royai Chester Lodge addrcsssd a letter to H . R . H . the Duke of SUSSEX , Grand Master , in which they recommended Sir John ' s brother , the Rev . Sir Philip Grey

Egerton , Bart ., a Past Master of their lodge , to fill the vacant office . But his Royal Highness seems to have ignored the letter and its recommendation , and on the 21 st October , 18 31 , appointed Viscount Combermere to be the new Prov . G . M . of Cheshire .

A New Departure.

A NEW DEPARTURE .

The esteemed honorary Librarian of the celebrated and valuable Masonic Collection of West Yorkshire , Bro . William AVatson , of Leeds , has inaugurated an excellent plan to permanently record the . services of eminent Craftsmen connected with that great province .

I believe no one else has ever done , such a thing for any other province , though , now that the system has been started , it seems simplicity itself , provided competent brethren can be found to write the memoirs .

With the cordial sanction and warm approval of the esteemed D . Prov . G . M . ( Bro . Richard Wilson , P . G . D . of England ) , there was circulated this week with the summons for holding the ensuing Prov . Grand Lodge at Bradford on the 30 II 1

instant , two brief , but appreciative and excellent memoirs nf the late Bro . William Gaukroger , P . Prov . G . D ., and Bro . Charles Lingard , P . Prov . G . Std . Br ., prepared and edited by Bro . William Watson , a portrait of each accompanying the welcome biographies .

This is another new departure by this progressive and enterprising Provincial Grand Lodge , and one , I think , that will soon be imitated by other Provincial authorities , tin *; plan beint ; so useful in providing a means to preserve particulars - > l

departed worthies , locally or generally prominent , and alike valuable as souvenirs for the brethren who have warmly appreciated their devotion to the Fraternity , and as faithful records for the I'rov . G . Lodge of zealous (' raftsmen , who have " been called upon to join the majority . "

I congratulate thc D . I ' rov . ( i . M ., who is always so ready and anxious to advance , the best interests of the Province , and also the indefatigable Honorary Librarian , on this excellent method being started , and I feel assured it will meet with general and hearty acceptance . W . J . HUGHAN ,

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held 011 Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . D . D . Mercer , Senior Vice-President ; Bro . Henry Garrod , Junior Vice-President ; and Bro . C . J . KTijou , P . G . Std . Br ., occupied the chairs of President , and Senior run ' Junior Vice-Presidents . Bros . E . Letchworth , G . S . ; VV . Lake , Asst . ' *• Sec . ; VV . Dodd , G . S . Recknell , and Henry Sadler , G . T ., represented the official department . The other brethren who attended were :

Bros . W . Fisher , E . W . Nightingale , James Block , F . W . Hancock , R . W . Kc * . Imre Kiralfy , G . M . E . Hamilton , H . Hyde , Thomas Jones , S . J . Notley , S . H . Gold-r-hmidt , Charles Henry Stone , E . W . I'il . 'inger , John Ellinger , Major Hug 1 ' W . H . Gary Elwes , F . Rossiter , William Chapman , C . Wakefield , Step hen Knight , jun ., C . H . Webb , Thomas H . Hobbs , 1 . P . Forman , George Bartlett ,

Henry Smith Syer , T . 11 . Thompson , H . Massey , J . S . Fointon , E . C . Symmons , Alfred C . Bradley , William H . Storks , J . W . Malculmson , H . Hudson , Edward Bennett , F . T . Karkman , T . Napoli , ° T . C . Dyer , W . Busby , John Freer , I ' . Demstan , F . Stu ' . zcr , Zodiac Sir . ders , S . J . Cowley , C . Gray , George Edwards , W Cleghorn , and A . G . Duck .

The brethren first confirmed grants recommended at last meeting for the approval of the Grand Master to the amount of £ 140 . One grant ol ^ 30 recommended at lhat meeting had lapsed by the subsequent death ot the grantee . Thc new list contained | S petitions—a very large number for the commencement of the Masonic season . Tlie petitioners were authen - ticated through lodges in the London district , and at Sidcup , Enneloi Newcastle-upon-Tyne , Halifax , Hull , Hastings , Sunderland , Feltham . Bodmin , Hampton . ' Court , St . John's , Antigua , Newbury , Calculi ' 1 ,