Provincial Grand Lodge Of Durham.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham held its annual meeting at South Shields , on Tuesday , September 8 th . The proceedings were conducted in the Royal Assembly Hall , and there was a large attendance of present and past officers of the province and of the officers and members of the various lodges . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand

Master , Lord Barnard , D . C . L ., P . G . W ., presided , and he was supported by the Very Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., P . G . Chaplain , and a very large number of Provincial Grand Officers and brethren .

The treasurers reports was submitted by Bro . J . W . Henderson , showing the funds to be in a satisfactory condition . —The report was accepted . Bro . Canon Tristram presented the report of the Funds Committee . The sum of £ do was recommended to three petitions , and the committee also recommended that

charitable donations be granted as follows : —Durham Masonic Education Fund and the Hudson Benevolent Fund , £ 105 ; the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , £ 52 10 s . ; the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , ^ 52 10 s . ; Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 52 10 s . These were conlirmed and

adopted . Lord Barnard , in the course of his address to the brethren , alluded to the progress which had been made by Freemasonry in the Province of Durham . He said that at the last Provincial Grand Lodge he took occasion io point

out that their members were 200 more than for several years previously ; but he noted this year there was a still larger increase . The increase was from 3 690 to 4057 , or about 350 above last year . That of itself indicated what rapid and steady strides the Craft was making in the province . In connection with this he could not overlook the fact that no fewer

than three new lodges appeared on the roll , and he had had the honour only quite recently of consecrating a fourth ; while he had then before him the petition for another new

lodge , and there were also indications of yet another reaching him . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master then proceeded to invest the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year , and much satisfaction was expressed at the re-appointment of the venerable Brother the Rev . Canon Tristram r

P . G . C , as Deputy Prov . G . Master , and of the appointment of the late Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . R . Hudson , P . G . S . B ., as Senior Grand Warden . Lord Barnard , in investing Bio . Hudson as P . S . G . W ., spoke in eulogistic terms of his ( Bro . Hudson ' s ) services to

the province as Secretary and to the Craft generally . Bro . Hudson , be said , had been a prominent member of the Craft for 40 years , and for 21 years had held the distinguishedhonour of acting as Provincial Grand Secretary . Although he would now retire from the responsibilities of that office ,

yet they should have the advantage of his ripe experience and advice for , he hoped , many years to come . He felt he should not let Bro . Hudson go without seme recognition of his services , and he moved that they place on record their very high appreciation of the zeal , courtesy and ability with

which he had discharged his duties , and their sense of the marked value of his services to the Craft in general and to that province in particular , at the same time expressing the hope that he might have many years of health , happiness , and prosperity , and that the province might long enjoy the advantage of his experience and kindly assistance .

Bro . Canon 1 ristram seconded the motion , and in doing so said Bro . Hudson had worked quietly and unobtrusively ; but he had had an influence over the Masonry of the whole province which he ( the speaker ) believed was unequalled in any other province by any one man . —This was agreed to . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed .

Subsequently the annual banquet was held in the spacious new King's Hall in the Golden Lion Hotel , the Prov . Grand Master , Lord Barnard , presiding .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire , was held on Saturday , September 5 th , and afforded the opportunity for the brethren to accept the very kind welcome of General Lord Methuen , G . C . B ., Past Grand Warden , to Corsham Court . Luncheon was served in a marquee in the grounds of

Corsham Court . The R . W . the Provincial Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Radnor ( P . G . Warden ) , presided , and he was supported by the Dep . P . G . Master , the W . Bro . Charles N . P . Phipps ( P . G . Deacon ) , and by other members of Grand Lodge , including R . W . Bro . General Lord Methuen ,

P . G . Warden ; R . W . Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . Warden ; W . Bro . Sir Prior Goldney , Bart ., P . G . Deacon ; W . Bro . F . H . Goldney , P . G . Deacon ; and the V . W . Bro . Rev . John A . Lloyd , P . G . Chaplain ; also by W . Bro . E . C . Sewell , P . P . G . Warden , Gloucestershire ; W . Bro . James Lemon ,

P . P . G . Warden , Hants and I . W . ; and the W . Bro . Harry Bevir , P . Asst . Grand Dir . Cer . ( Prov . G . Secretary and Prov . G . Charity Sec ) , and by more than two hundred brethren of the Province of Wilts . The speeches were brief , as was the toast list , for time had to be allowed for business as well as

pleasure . The P . G . Master associated the name of Lord Methuen with the toast of the officers of Grand Lodge , and alluded to the great satisfaction which they all must feel to see the distinguished soldier , kind neighbour , and hospitable brother with them that day restored to health after his late

rough experiences . I here were many close associations between his ( Lord Radnor ' s ) family and Lord Methuen ' s which he feelingly alluded to , and his expression of the thanks of the members of P . G . Lodge for the thoughtful kindness of their host in inviting them to gather at Corsham Court evoked a deep and unanimous response .

Lord Methuen , who was most enthusiastically received , in acknowledging the compliment paid him , extended to Lord Radnor and all the brethren present a very hearty welcome . Bro . Robert Grey , who also responded , gave some interesting reminiscences of his Masonic experiences .

The toast of the health of the P . G . Master , proposed by Bro . Mitchell , P . M . of the Lodge of Rectitude , No . 335 , meeting at Corsham , was most warmly received , Bro . Mitchell reminding his brethren that just 40 years ago Lord Methuen's father , then P . G . M ., installed him as a Prov . Grand Lodge

Officer . The health of W . Bro . Harry Bevir , the P . G . Secretary ,, was proposed by Lord Radnor , who said the thanks of the brethren were due to him for the very complete arrangements that had been made to secure the success of the

meeting . After the lunch , the business of the day was taken , the annual meeting being held in the Methuen Hall , where Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in due form , and the P . G . M . appointed and invested the P . G . Officers for the ensuing year .