The Province Of Gloucestershire.

only i \ 'as the number of lodges acknowledging allegiance tc the Duke of Beaufort as Provincial Grand Master increased by the adhesion of the Royal Lebanon Lodge , Avhich took its rank in the United Grand Lodge as X 0 . 401 , and of the Royal Union Lodge Avhich Avas founded at Cirencester just before

the Union in 1813 , under the Athol rite , and took its rank in the United Grand Lodge as Xo . 4 61 , but four years later there returned to Gloucestershire that lodge , which is older than all the present existing lodges or any that are recorded to have existed , except the first one of all , founded in 173 8 . We refer

to the Foundation Lodge , Avhich Avas founded in 1753 , at Cheltenham , as Xo . 226 , being contemporaneous therefore Avith the original Provincial Grand Lod ge , out of Avhich the present province Avas carved . It Avas , liOAvever , removed the same year to Burton ' s Coffee House , in Crane Court ,

Doctor ' s Commons , in London , Avhence it again removed to Abingdon in 1805 . On its return to Cheltenham , in 1817 , it first met at Sheldon ' s Hotel on the 7 th of August of that year , Bro . Lindsay , of Abingdon , AVIIO had been largely instrumental in procuring the transfer of the lodge to Cheltenham

THK MASONIC HALL , CHELTEXH Alt ( THE 1 SAXQUET ROOM ) .

to meet the Avish of the brethren , being in the chair . He at once proceeded to instal his successor . It had been the practice in this lodge , Avhile at Abingdon at any rate , to have two Masters a year , AvhoAvere respectively elected on the lodge nights preceding the festivals of St . John the Baptist and St . John

the Evangelist , and this meeting in August Avas probably the first opportunity the brethren had had of assembling since St . John the Baptist ' s Day , owing to the removal of the lodge . Only twelve brethren Avere present on that occasion , but the number rapidly increased , and lodges of emergency were

frequent . On December 27 th , 1817 , St . John ' s Day , the next installation took place . After this date , liOAvever , installations became animal , instead of half yearl y festivals , and the Master in future held office for a year . There Avere many old customs still surviving in the lodges of that time which Avould

considerably puzzle and astonish the Mason of the present day . For instance , in the Royal Gloucester Lodge the Master Avore a special hat Avhile the Tylers had their peculiar cap . This custom in the previous century had been very general , as maybe seen from old prints , and AV ; IS not peculiar lo this particular lodge . It is possible that from this custom

arose the peculiar question Avith reference lo the Master s hat , Avhich used to be put to strangers who applied for admission to the lodge to prove them , and which many of our older readers will no doubt remember , though the reason for it may have been lost sight of even bv them . Then again ,

each lodge had its seal Avhich it was bound to produce for inspection to the Prov . Grand Master or his Deputy , together with its warrant and by-laAVs , Avhenever called upon . It would be interesting to know IIOAV many of the old lodges Avhich existed at the Union still have their seals . Probably

feAV modern Masons , too , have heard read the Ancient Charges which used to be read at the opening and closing of every lodge on the ground that " a recapitulation of our duty cannot be disagreeable to those Avho are acquainted with it and to those AVIIO knoAv it not , should any such be , it must be highly

proper to recommend it . " The members of the Foundation Lodge very early became dissatisfied Avith their quarters , and being of an ambitious nature decided to put up Avith tavern accommodation no longer , but to build a Masonic Hall for themselves . Designs and estimates

were prepared and approved , and in 1823 , on Xovember 5 th , the lodge met for the lirst time in the Masonic Hall , in Portland Street , Cheltenham , Avhere it has met ever since . There also the Royal Union Lodge , Avhich had removed from Cirencester to Cheltenham in 1822 , Avas some time after taken in by the

Foundation Lodge , and permitted to hold its meetings to the mutual benefit of both lodges , Avhich are IIOAV joint owners of the hall with the Royal Arch Chapter attached to Foundation Lodge . It is remarkable that the good example set by the Foundation Lodge has not been more extensivel y followed

by the other lodges of the province , which ( with the exception of the Prince of Wales' Lodge at Stow-on-the-Wold , and St . John ' s Lodge at Durslev , both of which lodges have provided themselves Avith Masonic Halls ) still continue to meet in taverns or on premises not their OAVII . The Masonic

Hall of the Prince of Wales' Lodge is itself an ancient memorial of other clays , being the old Grammar School of StoAV-011-the-Wold , founded in 1594 b y one Richard Shepham a citizen of London . The school having greatly declined , the Charity Commissioners put the buildings up for sale in 18 91 , and a few of the local brethren , to preserve so ancient a building