Province Of Northumberland.

Province of Northumberland .

rpHE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge I of Northumberland was held on November 21 st , at the Grand Assembly Rooms , Newcastle , under the presidency of the Worshi pful Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Aid . Richard Henry Holmes , J . P ., P . M ., P . Z ., P . G . D . of England . There was a large attendance of

brethren of the province , and in addition there were present , from the Province of Camberland , Bro . W . Cowcll , J . P ., W . M . of Alston Lodge , No . 2794 ; and Bio . Dr . Carson , S . W ., and Bro . Arthur Lee , J . W ., of the same lodge . The usual reports were presented and adopted , showing

the province to be in a satisfactory condition . After the appointment of the officers for the ensuing year , a presentation was . made to Alderman Holmes , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , of an illuminated address and

casket , and silver salver , suitably inscribed , and a silver cigar case , together with a silver tea and coffee service , a silver kettle , and afternoon tea service for Mrs . Holmes , in commemoration of his twenty-five years service as Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master . Bro . T . Pickering , in the course of an interesting address ,

referred in high terms to the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ' s valuable services to Freemasonry , and the lodges oi the province in particular . The brethren throughout the province expressed a general desire to commemorate the event of his twenty-filth year of office , the outcome being

the gifts before them . So great was the desire of the brethren to testify in a practical manner their high approval and esteem of their Deputy Grand Master , and so numerous were the subscriptions , that it was determined by the committee of management to form the nucleus of a fund with the

sanction of Provincial Grand Lodge , to be known as the Holmes Benevolent Fund , the benefits of which could easily be obtained by those for whom the } - were designed . And ( bus the name of their beloved chief would ever be held in

remembrance . The full text of the address was as follows : — "To Alderman R . H . Holmes , J . P .. D . P . G . M , Northinuberfand . P . G . I ) . Fug .. P . G . Soj . of tin : Supreme Chapter ¦ ' ¦ Worshipful Sir—This being the 25 th occasion on which you have occupied the position of D . l ' . G . M . at the annual meeting of the province , we , the officers and ' hretlireii . desire to celebrate

that event by conveying- to you our warm congratulations , and by asking you to accept , as a mark of our esteem and appreciation , this address and casket , together with a service of plate . To further mark the occasion the brethren propose —subject to permission being granted by the Provincial (" irand Lodge—to found a special fund for the relief of distressed Masons of the province

ami their families , to lie called the Holmes ' . benevolent Fund . It may lie interesting to record the material prosperity of the province since you were appointed D . P . G . M . At that time there wore 21 lodges and 1 . 710 members on the roll : there , are now 42 lodges and 4 , 4 'S q members . Your brethren heartily congratulate you on

the great harmony which has prevailed in tile province during your deputvship . In that period yon have acted for two Provincial ( irand Masters , viz , his Grace ( lie present Duke of Northumberland and the late revered Right Honourable Viscount Ridley , since whose decease you have been in sole charge . In conclusion , vour brethren wish that , under the providence of T . G . A . O . T . U .. YOU may

be long spared to hold the high office which you have so ablv filled . " The Deputy Provincial Grand Alaster ( Bro . Alderman Richard Henry Holmes ) , who was received with rounds of cheers , suitably replied , and referred to the progress of Freemasonry in the province during the past quarter of a

century . A great deal of his time , it was true , had been spent in visiting lodges throughout the county , as far as Berwick at one part , and Tynemoulli , Shields , and Whitley at the other , as well as at Alnwick and else i \ here , in helping to raise the standard of Masonry as high as possible . The kindl y reference made respecting Mrs . Holmes had deeply touched his heart . She always took a keen interest in his

endeavours to do what he could for hreemasonrv , and , therefore , the gifts to her would , he was quite sure , be cherished and preserved for many years to come by his family . A motion was afterwards moved , seconded , and adopted to the effect that the fund referred to should be known as the ' Richard Henry Holmes Fund . ' '

Province Of Northumberland.

1 lie next place of meeting was left in the hands of the De Ogle and Blagdon Lodges , along with Bros . Pickering and Corder , to arrange whether it should be at Morpeth , Blyth , or Newcastle . In the evening the annual dinner was held at the Grand Hotel , presided over by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , at which a large number of the brethren were present .

The Royal Arthur Lodge, No. 1360.

The Royal Arthur Lodge , No . 1360 .

rpIIFi Ladies' Night of this old established lodge at Winible-I don was recentl y held at the Masonic Hall , Kingstonroad . A goodly number of ladies and brethren were present , and few vacant places were to be seen either at the banquet table , the concert , or the dance that followed . Previous to the entertainment of the fair sex , a meeting of the

lodge bad been held , at which Bro . W . J . Dann , the W . M , very successfully performed a somewhat full programme of work . This , however , robbed him of none of the necessary energy for the duty of presiding at the subsequent proceedings , all of which reflected great , credit on him and his able officers . Founded in 187 . 1 , Ihe Royal Arthur Lodge has eontinously

held its meetings at the Prince of Wales Hotel , Wimbledon . For some years past the ladies had been forgotten , but with the assistance of the capital accommodation at the . Masonic HalK

IlliO . w . . 1 . DA NX . Kingston-road , which had been specially engaged for the occasion , the revival of what will not improbably form a leading feature of many of the future years of the lodge ' s existence was crowned with all the success the promoters could have

wished . The toast of the " Royal Arthur Lodge " was proposed battle W . M , who referred to the many prosperous years of the lodge ' s life , the presence that evening of the oldest founder of the lodge , tiro . Reeves , as well as that of Bro . Butter , P . M , the preceptor of the lodge of instruction .

In acknowledging the compliment , Bro , Rutler congratulated the officers of the . lodge on their assiduity in the performance of their work . Bro . Reeves also replied , and the toast of the " Ladies and Visitors" was afterwards done full justice to . There ! were present Bro . and Mrs . Daws , Bro . Ihitler , P . M .,

Sec ; ., Bro . and Mrs . Mayo , Bro . and Mrs . l'armiler , Mrs . Dann , Miss Christine Larkin , Bro and . Mrs . Bodly , Bro . and . Mrs . Jliggs , Bro . Nightingale and Miss Nightingale , Bro . and . Mrs . Way , Bro . and Mrs . Tanilin , Bro . Hill and Miss Hill , Bro . and Mrs . Reeves , Miss Ifagon , Bro . Burgess and family , Bro . and . Mrs . Gibbs , Bro . and Mrs . Kennedy . Bros . Cockbiiri ) and Woolgar , and a large number of other visitors and brethren .