Installation Of H.R.H. The Duke Of Connaught And Strathearn

Installation of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn

as Brand < Mark cMasfer of Sngland , Wales , and the Golonies and 'Dependencies of the cBritish Grown .

THIS important and interesting function , which took place in the King ' s Hall , Holborn Restaurant , on Tuesday , June 3 rd , was one of the most brilliant meetings ever helcl in the history of the Degree . Brethren from all parts of the country and from distant parts of the Empire assembled to witness the installation of the brother of the

late Grand Alaster ( now King Edward VII . ) as AI . W . Grand Mark Alaster , and long before the appointed time the Hall was filled . Among those present were : —Bros , the Earl of Euston , Pro Grand Alaster ; the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , ALP ., Deputy Grand Alaster ; the Marquis of HertfordPast Grand Alaster ; the Viscount Dungarvan , Past

, Deputy Grand Alaster ; Lieut .-Col . Charles Hunter , Provincial Grand Alaster for North Wales ; Charles Letch Alason , Provincial Grand Alaster for W est Yorkshire ; Sir A . Frederick Godson , ALP ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Worcestershire ; Right Hon . Thomas Frederick Halsey ,

ALP ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Hertfordshire ; the Lord Bolton , Provincial Grand Alaster for North and East Yorkshire ; Abraham Woodiwiss , Provincial Grand Alaster for Derby ; Col . W . E . Brymer , ALP ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Dorsetshire ; John Owen Marsh , Provincial Grand Alaster for Monmouthshire ; Sir Edward Stock Hill , K . C . B ., Provincial Grand Alaster for South Wales ; the Earl of Lathom ,

Provincial Grand Alaster for Lancashire ; Sir Reginald Hanson , Bart ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Middlesex ; Josiah Frederick Pepper , Provincial Grand Alaster for Staffordshire and Shropshire ; the Rev . Frederick William Alacdonald , ALA ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Wiltshire ; the Very Rev . Edward Currie , D . D . ( Dean of Battle ) , Provincial Grand

Alaster for Sussex ; Richard Loveland Loveland , K . C ., Provincial Grand Alaster for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ; J . W . Woodall , Past Provincial Grand Alaster , N . and E . Yorks ; the Rev . W . Alortimer Heath , ALA ., Past Provincial Grand Alaster , Dorset ; H . E . Idris Bey Ragheb ,

District Grand Alaster for North Africa ; Emanuel Xavier Leon , District Grand Alaster for Jamaica ; the Hon . Air . Justice H . J . Parsons , Past District Grand Alaster , Bombay ; Lieut .-Gen . J . Fletcher Owen , R . A ., Past District Grand Alaster , Alediterranean ; H . H . the Alaharajah of Cooch Behar , G . C . I . E ., Past District Grand Alaster , Bengal ; and many other Present and Past Grand Officers .

The Pro Grand Alaster , the Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , opened the Grand Lodge , and the business on the agenda was disposed of . A deputation , consisting of Past Grand Alasters , Past Deputy Grand Alasters , Provincial Grand Alasters , Past Grand Wardens , and other Grand Officers , withdrew , and

returning introduced H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , who was conducted to a seat at the left of the AI . W . Pro Grand Alaster . The Grand Chaplain offered a prayer . The Earl of Euston then said : Alost Worshipful Grand Alaster , allow me to congratulate you , Sir , on having been

elected unanimously as Grand Alaster of Mark Alaster Alasons of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown , and I am speaking on behalf of one and all of them that we were only too proud and pleased to learn that you had consented to rule over us

in succession to your illustrious brother . It is not for me to dictate to you what your duties are in this position . They have been performed by you in your position of Provincial Grand Alaster and District Grand Alaster , with which you have already been connected . His Royal Highness then took the obligation , was invested , and enthroned .

R . W . Bro . Frank Richardson , acting as Grand Director of Ceremonies , then proclaimed His Royal Highness as Alost Worshipful Grand Alaster ; and His Royal Highness was saluted according to ancient custom . After withdrawal of the Grand Alaster and Pro Grand Alaster , the chair was taken by the Hon . Alan de Tatton

Egerton . Deputy Grand Alaster , and Grand Lodge was duly closed . The banquet was held at Freemasons' Tavern , presided over by the Pro Grand Alaster , at which a large number of the brethren were present .

The toast of " His Majesty , our Patron , " was duly honoured . In proposing the toast of " The Grand Alaster , " the Earl of Euston congratulated the members of the Degree in having secured such an admirable successor to their beloved

King . In the Duke of Connaught they had got the right man in the right place . Whatever he had clone had been done well and with all his might , and among his other actions which commended themselves to them all was the fact that he resigned his right to become a German Grand Duke that he might remain an Englishman . He was one they could all admire , respect and love .

R . W . Bro . Viscount Dungarvan , Past Deputy Grand Alaster , proposed the toast of "The Pro Grand Alaster . " Nothing he was sure had given the Grand Alaster greater pleasure than that his first official act had been the reappointment of the Earl of Euston as Pro Grand Alaster . The Pro Grand Alaster , in reply , thanked Lord

Dungarvan for the complimentary remarks he had made , and hoped he deserved even a part of it . He had tried to do his duty to the Degree , and derived a large amount of pleasure in doing so . He had been well backed up by Lord Dungarvan and many other Grand Officers , which made his

labours in carrying on the Degree quite easy . The Earl of Euston then proposed a toast which he was sure would be well received although not on the list . The splendid arrangements which had made the installation that day such a success had been carried out by a committee of

three—Bros . Frank Richardson , J . C . Fitzroy Tower , and C . F . Alatier . Day after day they had met and puzzled out details , and to-day was the consummation of their work" perfect success . " Bro . Frank Richardson , in reply , thanked them for the

llattering appreciation of the work of his colleagues and himself . Nothing succeeds like success , and he thought the festival had been a success . It had entailed a vast amount of work , but he had been ably seconded by Bro . Tower and Bro . Alatier , and every plan had run smoothly off the reel , as they

had worked upon the principle of never leaving till tomorrow what could be clone to-day . They had met and worked as a committee of three , and had always been

. In proposing the toast of " The Visitors , " the Pro Grand Alaster remarked that they had guests from the Emeraid Isle ( the Rev . Bro . S . C . Hughes ) and from Victoria , Australia ( Bro . Frank Davies ) , both of whom had clone much to smooth over difficulties , and , thanks to Bro . Davies' labours , the Alark

Alasons in Victoria were now in harmony with us . Bro . the Rev . C . S . Hughes , LL . D ., replying , said he was frequently in England , but this was the first Alasonic function he had attended here , and he should ever remember it with pleasure as an epoch in the Coronation year , and he was gratified to find a strong fraternal feeling between those who were striving to arrive at a mutual agreement