Untitled Article

by Mrs . Oantrell , the worthy hostess of the Royal Hotel , and exhibited a display of her skill and the resources of the establishment . There were about forty Brethren present )

DURHAM . Sundeeland . — -Prov . G . L ., holden at the Freemasons' Hall , on Tuesday , October 2 , 1855 . Present . —Bro . John Fawcett , Esq ., R . W . Prov . G . M ., the Prov . G . Officers , the Masters and Wardens of the various Lodges in the Province . The Lodge was opened in due form . The Minutes of the Prov . G . L ,, held at the Borough Hall , Stockton-on-Tees , September 19 th , 1854 , were read and confirmed .

The Treasurers' accounts were examined , approved , and signed by the Prov . G . M ., when it was moved by the Dep . Prov . G . M ., and seconded by Bro . Cundell , P . Prov . S . G . W .- — " That £ 100 be placed at interest in the Northumberland and Durham District Bank , Sunderland , in the name of the R . W . Prov . G . M ., " which was carried unanimously . Bro . William Joseph Hodgson , P . G . J . D ., having sent in a written apology to the R . W . Prov . G . M . for his absence on account of ill health , it was accepted . Ordered that the fine be demanded in a case where no excuse has been received .

The roll of Lodges was then called , when all appeared by their representatives , except the Union Lodge , No . 667 , Barnard Castle . The Prov . G . Sec . was directed by the R . W . Prov . G . M . to write to the W . M . of that Lodge to-show cause why the Lodge was not represented at this Prov . G . L . The Fund Committee ' s Report was then read , wherein they recommended that a form of return for each Lodge be adopted , printed , and a , copy sent to each W . M . in June every year , for him to fill up and return with the dues from the Lodge to the Prov . G . L . Fund , and that the R . W . Prov . G-. M . and the Dep . Prov . G . M . decide upon such form , and that it be headed with the first rule of the Fund Regulations .

The Committee also recommend that the Prov . G . Sec . write to those Prov . G . Officers who were absent last Prov . G . Lodge , and have not yet paid their fines , to say the Fund Committee see no cause why their fines should not be paid forthwith . It having been suggested by the Dep . Prov . G . M . ( as Chairman of the Fund Committee ) , that if £ 5 . 5 s . instead of £ 5 was subscribed annually to the Girls ' School from the Prov . G . L . Fund Committee , such Committee would have much greater powers and privileges , it was unanimously agreed that in future the subcription be £ 5 . 5 s . Brother Reynolds was re-elected P . G . Treasurer .

The R . W . Prov . G . M . expressed his entire satisfaction with , and congratulated the Brethren on the state of Freemasonry in this Province ; he also alluded very feelingly to the loss Masonry bad sustained in this Province , by the death of our late Bro . Hardy , since last Prov . G . L ., whose example , both as a * man and a Mason , was worthy of imitation . The R . W . Prov . G . M . then appointed the following Officers for the ensuing

year , and invested them with the insignia of their Office : —Bros . Henry Fenwick , Esq ., M . P ., D . Prov . G . M . ; the Rev . Robert J . Simpson , Prov . G . S . W . ; Joseph Dodds , Esq ., Prov . G . J . W . ; the Rev . John Cundell , Prov . G . Chap . ; Robert Reynolds , Prov . G . Treas . ; Robert T . Wilkinson , Prov . G . R . ; John Crossby , Prov . G . Sec . ; George Watson , Prov . G . S . D . ; William Tiplady , Prov . G . J . D . ; George A . Middlemiss , Prov . G . S . of W . ; Edward D . Davis , Prov . G G . D D . C C . : John Smith . Prov . GO GO . : Mark Douglas . Prov . G G-P P . Croor ^ o Prov . ... ; John SmithProv . . ; Mark DouglasProv . -.. Georgo

, , ; Brown , Prov . G . Swordbearer ; William Martin Laws , Prov . G . Tyler . Grand Stewards for 1855 . — F . H . Rahn , No . 114 ; — Kent , No . 128 ; James Monks , No . 146 ; Robert Fell , No . 614 ; John James Wilson , No . 749 ; Thomas Marshall , No . 774 . The Prov . G . L . was then closed , and tjio Brethren retired to the Palatine Lodge Room , Bridge Hotel , where upwards of one hundred sat down to dinner ,