The Province Of Somerset.—(Concluded.)

and John Pearson , as W . M . and Wardens , to hold a lodge at the " Bladud's Head Inn , " Bath , which was constituted in the following month by the aforesaid Bro . Plummet * , Past

BRO . CHARLES LUND FRY EDWARDS , PROVINCIAL GRAND TUEASUREH . Senior Grand Warden , who was a remarkable Mason in many ways . Tlie Grand Master then was His Grace the Duke of Atholl , who was in the chair from 1791 , and retired in 1813

in favour of H . R . H . the Duke of Kent . FREEMASONS' HALL , 1819 . Its name was selected about 1817 , and the lodge had met in many taverns and halls until it reached the Masonic

Hall , Orchard Street , where its assemblies are held as with those of the Royal Cumberland , No . 41 , the Honour , No . 379 , and the Royal Albert Edward , No . 906 , all of Bath . Its members have long taken a very active part in the Provincial Grand Lodge . The present hall was once owned by the Roman Catholics , and the old Freemasons' Hall is now in the possession of the " Friends . "

THE MASONIC HALL , HATH . An especial Grand Lodge of England was held at Bath , 23 rd September , 1819 , H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , M . W .

Grand Master , in the chair , supported by His Grace the Duke of Leinster , M . W . Grand Master of Ireland , and several Present and Past Grand Officers . The Grand Lodge was opened in the Guildhall for the installation of the R . W . Bro . Arthur Chichester , Provincial Grand Master . It was most unfortunate that this brother was unable to be present by

reason of severe indisposition , so the procession was formed and proceeded to the new Freemasons' Hall , York Street , of which the lirst stone was laid on 28 th July , 1817 . The architect was Mr . Wilkins , and the cost of the building was ^ 3000 . In a contemporary notice it is declared that the

structure was " in strict Masonic appearance , even lo the very knockers , which are triangular . " The Duke of Sussex dedicated the hall " in ample form . " Sir George Smart , Grand Organist , officiated on the occasion , and conducted " a grand musical performance , " after which

some 500 brethren dined in the Kingston Rooms . A fine medal was struck as a souvenir , of which but few have been preserved , and these until 1880 were unrecognized . I succeeded in finding the building by the date on the reverse and examining the printed transactions of the Grand Lodge . It was issued in three metals—silver , bronze , and white

DEDICATION MEDAL , MASONIC HALL , BATH

metal—and one of silver was presented to Lodge No . 41 , in the following year by Bro . E . L . Hill , P . M . 906 , Bath . A bronze impression is in Bro . G . L . Shackle's great collection of Masonic medals and one or two other cabinets . It is Marvins , No . 259 , and No . 302 in Band , III . of the Mcdailleinverk published by the Hambiirgiselie Zirkcl Corrcspondcnz

( from which the illustration is taken ) or No . 15 in the English edition of 1901 . The third on the roll is the Perpetual Friendship , No . 135 , which was chartered as No . 326 on December 4 th , 1764 , at Bridgwater . It was so named in 177 8 , has had eight

numbers , but has only assembled in three places of meeting for considerably over a hundred years . Its centenary warrant is dated 22 nd December , 1868 . The fourth lodge is the " Unanimity and Sincerity , " Tauntonof March 7 th , 1788 , originally granted for Ilminster

, , but transferred to Taunton in 1797 , when its full name was selected , the title previously being " Unanimity" only . The centenary warrant is dated exactly 100 years from its start in 1788 , but the celebration was not held until the 16 th May in the Masonic Hall , occupied from 1879 . Divine service

was celebrated in the church of St . Mary Magdalene , and afterwards the lodge was opened by the R . W . Bro . Colonel A . \ V . Adair ( Past Provincial Grand Master ) the W . M ., who occupied the chair during the interesting proceedings . The late Bro . T . G . Williams , P . M ., read an able sketch of the lodge , which was published in the " Somerset County Gazette . "

The Love and Honour , No . 285 , Shepton-Mallet , the fifth on the list , has still its old warrant of 4 th June , 1792 , and its centenary warrant bears date 25 th July , 1892 . The sixth and last lodge of the 18 th century is the Rural Philanthropic , No . 291 , of 21 st January , 1793 , which first of all met at Huntspill ( but once at Taunton in 1798 ) until it found a resting

place at Highbridge in 1859 . The centenary warrant was issued in 1893 , and a brief history of the lodge was written and published that year by its efficient Treasurer , Bro . Thos . Floyd Norn ' s , P . M . The charter was signed by the R . W . Bro . Thomas Dunckerley , Prov . G . M . It was the custom for

brethren on their marriage to present the members with white gloves . Brt - > . Henry Bridge , Deputy Provincial Grand Master , was