Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire .

r pHE Right Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., Provincial I Grand Master , presided on the 20 th September over the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Cheshire , which was held at ( he Union Club , Alderley Edge . In the unavoidable absence of His Honour Judge Sir Horatio Loyd , Bro . F . Broadsmith acted as Dep . Prov . Grand Master , and

the Wardens' Chairs were occupied by Bros . George Sillivan , P . G . S . W ., and W . Booth , P . P . G . W . The general attendance crowded a room which was quite inadequate for the occasior . It was reported by the Committee of Benevolence that there had during the last year been a greater call on its fund than for some years past . Grants in relief amounted lo £ 60 .

against £ 25 in the previous year , and in addition £ 50 had been granted by the Board of Benevolence to petitioners from Cheshire for the benefit of Grand Lodge benevolence . Two girls had been elected lo the Royal Masonic Institution for Gin ' s , and a woman to the Royal Masonic Institution for

Aged Freemasons and Widows . The province has now seven boys , seven girls , and nine aged Freemasons and widows on the funds of the various London institutions . A balance

of . - £ 125 stood to the credit ol the Fund of Benevolence . The Committee of Management of the Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution reported that . £ 329 had been paid to seventeen annuitants on its funds , and that there was a balance to credit at the bank of X 431 . The educational institution of the province expended . £ 571 in the education ,

clolhing , and advancement of recipients , and a balance of nearly that sum remained in the bank . Bro . Lilley Ellis , in moving the adoption of the various reports , spoke of the desire which existed that the charities of the province should be extended , and of the great

importance therefore of all the lodges subscribing two guineas yearly to the Benevolent Institution , by which course in live years each lodge could qualify one of its officers as a governor in perpetuity of the institution .

Bro . J . F . May seconded the motion , and it was carried . The Provincial Grand Master said the work ( hat had been done in the province in the last few years had been beneficial iu the highest degree , and the untiring energy which had been exhibited in relation thereto was worthy of the highest praise , while the principle ol " Masonry in its

truest sense was so steadily advocated in their lodges that it was not to be wondered at that their numbers steadily increased . An increase had been made to the roll of lodges during the year , bringing up the number to sixty-six , and a further addition was to be made shortly . He noticed that ( he perpetual presentation which ( he province held of a boy

to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys had fallen vacant , and would be filled up in November next . It was thirty years since the foundation of the perpetual presentation was decided on . The great strides which the province had made iu Masonry was perhaps best shown by the number of votes which the province held in the London Masonic Institutions .

Forty years ago , when Lord de Tabley became ( he Provincial Grand Master , the province only held ten votes ; in September , 1885 , when Lord de Tabley resigned his office , it had 600 boys' votes , 400 girls' votes , 400 aged Freemasons ' votes , and 200 votes for the widows of Freemasons . At the present time the votes held in the province were : for the

Boys' Institution 2 , 178 , ( he Girls' Institution 1 , 093 , f ° aged Freemasons 1 , 766 , and for the widows of Freemasons 1 , 117 votes . In addition , they had their local institutions , the educational and the benevolent , and they had that day confirmed a certain alteration of rules which , would be further

beneficial to the cause of charity in the province . He congratulated the province on its flourishing Benevolent Institution , which was steadily supported and doing a good and noble work . He appealed for further hel p from the lodges on the lines referred to by Brother Ellis , and expressed his satisfaction ( o find that ( heir local education Institution was steadily progressing in reputation and in the scope of its

powers . He suggested that in the respective lodges there might be a discussion as to the advisability of the province holding again , about July next year , a festival in aid of the funds of their local institutions , and that the charity representatives and other qualified members might be authorised to meet the Board of Benevolence in November , and arrive

at a unanimous decision on the subject . The Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year were then appointed and invested . Stalybridge was fixed on by the Provincial Grand Master as the place for next year's meeting . Chester and Birkenhead also gave cordial invitations , but stress was laid on the fact

that at Stalybridge the Moira Lodge will be on the eve of its centenary and the Unanimity Lodge will have completed its third jubilee—the one hundred and fiftieth year of ils existence .

At a meeting of the York Lodge , No . 236 , held on the 18 th September , Bro . G . Potter-Kirby , W . M ., presided , and was supported by a large number of brethren . After the usual routine business a ballot was taken for Mr . George Arthur Potter-Kirby and Mr . John Wm . Potter-Kirby , and they were unanimously elected . The ceremony of their initiation was

very carefully and feelingly performed by the W . M . who is their father . It may be mentioned that the W . M ., Bro . G . Potter-Kirby , occupied the position of W . M . of the lodge twenty-one years ago , and at the earnest request of the brethren consented to again occupy the position during

this year , and it is a most unique event in Masonry and certainly in the annals of the York Lodge , that a W . M . should after such a long interval again occupy the chair , and also during his year of office be privileged to initiate his two only sons as members of this lodge . The large number of brethren who were present testified to the appreciation which they have for the W . M . and his faithful association with the York Lodge , and the many ways in which he lias supported it .

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