At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

from its formation until a year before his death , when he resigned . In the Mark Degree he was a distinguished member , having been advanced in the Duke of Connanght Lodge on its consecration in 1879 , and passed the chair in the Derby Lodge , No . 302 , in 1883 . He afterwards received several Prov . Grand offices , and in 1886 was made by Bro .

W . Kelly , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and continued to hold that office until 18 94 . He was a Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and a good general supporter of the Charities . It is given to few men to attain the Masonic standard which Bro . Cox had reached , and all must deplore

his loss . Bro . Cox died at Ockbrook , Derbyshire , on the 26 th ult ., and was interred in the parish churchyard on the 29 th December .

© © ® Freemasons generally , as well as the brethren of the Province of Derbyshire , will be interested in noting that the Duke of Devonshire has attained his Masonic Jubilee , having been initiated into the mysteries on December 12 ,

1853 , whilst under age , and an undergraduate at Trinity College , Cambridge , of which University he is now the Chancellor . He went through the three Degrees of the Craft in the Scientific Lodge , No . 88 , which will celebrate its 150 th anniversary next March . The Cavendish family has

long been associated with Cambridge Masonry . The late Duke is reputed to have been a member of the Cambridge " New " Lodge , which has been extinct for many years , and to have endowed it with some very fine glassware , whilst the heir to the present Duke was introduced into the Fraternity in the Isaac Newton ( University ) Lodge .

© © © The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire was held on the 7 th December at the Masonic Hall , Derby . There was a large attendance , every lodge of the province being represented . The Duke of Devonshire

( P . G . M . ) was to have presided , but at the last moment he telegraphed that owing to a severe cold he was unable to fulfil the engagement , his doctor having ordered him to remain at Chatsworth . In his Grace's absence the chair was taken by the Deputy P . G . M . ( Bro . H . C . Okeover ) . The

business of the P . G . Lodge included the reading of the annual reports by tlie W . M . ' s of the various lodges in the province , from which it appeared that the Craft was making steady but satisfactory progress . Reports were also presented by various committees , and the appointment and investment of officers for

the ensuing year was made as follows : —Bros . John Hassall , P . G . S . W . ; J . E . Steward , P . G . J . W . ; the Rev . J . L . Knowles , P . G . Senior Chaplain ; Rev . C . C . Nation , P . G . Junior Chaplain ; S . C . Wardell , P . G . Registrar ; J . Lingard , P . G . Treasurer ; W . Naylor , P . G . Secretary ; E . Coates , P . G . S . D . ;

J . Roden , P . G . J . D . ; A . F . Pine , P . G . S . of W . ; W . J . Piper , jun ., P . G . D . of C . ; S . E . Short , P . G . Asst . D . of C . ; W . R . Bryden , Swd . B . ; H . R . Proctor and C . E . Birch-Thorpe , P . G . Std . Bearers ; E . Ely , P . G . Organist ; Percy Wallis , P . G . Asst . Secretary ; W . Woodiss , P . G . Pur . ; A . Wadsworth , P . G . Asst . Pur . ; and Bro . A . Slinn , P . G . Tyler .

« s > < s > © The annual banquet was presided over by Bro . H . Fitzherbert Wright , to whose candidature for the office of Grand Treasurer of England suitable reference was made . His own Province of Derbyshire has already pledged him its undivided support , and Bro . Fraser , who recently nominated

him for the office in Grand Lodge , and who was present as a visitor , stated that many lodges in London and the South were also solid in his favour . An authoritative denial was given to the statement that his opponent for the office ( Bro . George Edwardes ) retired a year ago in favour of the present Grand Treasurer ( Bro . Penley ) .

< s > « s » < g > By invitation of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire , the Earl of Lathom , a general meeting of the brethren of the province over which he presides , including the Present and Past Provincial Grand Officers , Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of

the various lodges in the division , was held on Wednesday , December 9 th , at the Exchange Station Hotel , Liverpool , for the purpose of considering and deciding upon the best method of carrying out the Provincial Grand Master ' s wish that the brethren should erect some special portion of the Liverpool Cathedral . The chair was occupied by the Earl

of Lathom , and the very numerous attendance included representatives from nearly every part of the province , especially from Liverpool lodges . The Provincial Grand Secretary submitted his report with regard to the sectional meetings which had been held , from which it appeared that

the feeling was almost unanimous in favour of erecting some portion of the cathedral by the Masons in the West Lancashire Division .

© © © The noble chairman referred to the vast importance of the work of erecting a cathedral in Liverpool , and he trusted as Masons they would take some part in indentifying themselves with a building which would be essentially for the glory of God and the good of mankind . He hoped that all

the brethren would feel it incumbent upon them , so far as their consciences would allow , to contribute towards the object in view , and he trusted that where brethren did not see their way to devote any part of the lodge funds to such a purpose , they would individually contribute to the scheme , the payments to be spread over a period of five or seven years if desirable .

< 3 : O © After considerable discussion it was unanimously resolved that the money subscribed during the next five years be devoted to the erection of a chapter house as a memorial to the late Earl of Lathom , Pro Grand Master and Right

Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire , the building to be known as the " Lathom Chapter House . " A resolution was also passed pledging those present to use their utmost endeavour to secure subscriptions towards the scheme . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( Wor .

Bro . R . Wylie ) and Wor . Bro . G . A . Harradon , P . P . G . Treas ., were elected honorary treasurers of the fund , and the Prov . Grand Secretary in association with Wor . Bro . Burrows were unanimously appointed honorary secretaries . Subscriptions to a considerable amount were announced at the close of the meeting .

<© < s > <© So far as expressions in clubs and trains indicate , the province appears to cordially endorse the decision of the Provincial Grand Lodge to make the Masonic contribution to the Cathedral in the form of the Chapter House . Two considerations influenced the meeting—first , the probable cost ;

and , secondly , the prospect of speedy completion . The cost of the Chapter House is estimated at £ 10 , 000 , an amount at which the Masons of the diocese , together with neighbouring brethren ( of whom the Lord Mayor of Manchester was a welcome representative , his lordship being a Grand Warden of the Province ) , have aimed and virtually guaranteed . The building should be completed in about seven years .

< 2 > « 2 < < 5 J Lest the idea should spread among non-Masons that the brethren have waited so long before proposing a memorial ( it is hoped to obtain the title " Lathom" Chapter House ) of the late Earl of Lathom , the public may be reminded that a Lathom Masonic Fund was promptly raised . A handsome

amount was devoted to the sustenance of the West Lancashire Masonic charities , which are munificent and unique . < g > <® < s > At the Annual Provincial Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Cornwall , held at Falmouth on December 14 th

, E . Comp . P . Colville Smith , Prov . G . H ., acted as Grand Superintendent in the absence of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe . The officers for the ensuing year were invested as under : —Bros . B . F . Edyvean , Prov . G . H . ; W . Hammond , Prov . G . S . E . ; R . P . Crouch , P . G . S . N . ; S . Tresidder , P . G . Treas . ; .

T . J . Smith , P . G . Reg . ; W . F . Clarice , P . G . Soj . ; W . Hall , 1 st Asst . G . Soj . ; S . Trehane , 2 nd Asst . G . Soj . ; T . GHolder , P . G . Swd . B . ; A . E . Webber , P . G . St . B . ; J . W