Nottinghamshire.

Bro . John Chapman P . P . G . D . Devon P . M . and- founder of the Jordan Lodge , No . 1402 , Torquay , and W . M . of the St John Lodge , No . 328 , Torquay , has just been honoured by- being installed W ^ M . of the Ghine Lodge , No . 1884 , Shanklin , Isle of Wight . Bro . Chapman , though a twenty

years resident : of Torquay , is well known and appreciated ia the Province of Hampshire , of which Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., is the Prov . G . M . and he readily assented to the special dispensation necessary for Bro . Chapman to be W . M of two Lodges at one and the same time . Bro . Chapman is

also ; a , munificent donor of the great Masonic Charities , in which he holds several hundred votes . His installation as W . M . of the Chine Lodge was attended by a large number of Brethren , prominent amongst whom were the Prov . G . M . of Aberdeenshire Bro . Colonel H . Lumsden , the Prov . G . Sec .

of Hampshire Bro . Captain H . G . Giles , and Bro . W . B . Chapman , Manitoba . The installation ceremony was admirably carried out , Colonel Lumsden impressively delivering

the charges , which were given for the first time in the Province by a Scottish Prov . G . M . The Prov . G . Sec . paid a high tribute 01 praise to Chine Lodge , which had been honoured by the installation of Bro . Charjrnan .

• m ,- * Bro . Charles Collette celebrates , next week , his five hundredth performance of the American " Commercial" in " What happened to Jones " in- which ; for some considerable

time he has been starring in London and . the provinces . He is . still associated with Mr . Herbeth Sleath's only company playing this piece , under the business management of Mr . Lilford Arthur .

» # * We sincerely condole with Bros . Lionel Brough and his son , Sidney Brough , upon the loss they have sustained by the death of Miss Daisy Brough , a sweet young lady of nineteen , which' occurred last- week .

The will of our late Bro . Sir Alfred Bevan Grand Treasurer for the year 1899 , who died at Mentone , on 6 th December last , aged 63 , has . been proved in London this week , the estate being valued at . £ 238 , 958 15 s 8 d .

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

''A SPRIG OF ACACIA . ''

ONE of the best known members of Grand Lodge , in the person of Bro . Thomas . Fenn- P ; G . W ., has been removed by the hand of death , and , considerable regret will be felt on all sides at his demise . Our worthy Brother died very

suddenly on Saturday evening , at- his residence in Down Street , Mayfair . ¦ Earlier in the day he had witnessed the funeral procession of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria , and being of a very sensitive nature it is probable the impressiveness of that ceremonial had a fatal effect upon him . Our

deceased Brother was in his eighty-second year , and had won for himself respect and renown both in Freemasonry and in the outside world . He was probably the most respected among the many , exponents of Masonic ritual , his association with the Emulation Lodge of Improvement placing him in

the foremost rank in this respect ; and he was also a great authority on the law and ' practice of the Order He was first appointed to Grand Lodge Office in 1864 , when the Earl ot Zetland honoured him . with the collar of Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , since which he has been

twice honoured by the King as Grand Master , his latest preferment being a Past Grand Wardenship , conferred on him in 1896 . His services to the- Charities of the Craft alone entitle him ¦ to the greatest esteem , and : in him the three Funds lose one of their most enthusiastic workers . In private

life Bro . Fenn also achieved prominence . He was the senior partner in the firm of Messrs . Fenn and Crosthwaite , and was one of the oldest ; as he was also one of : the most highly respected , members of . the London Stock . Exchange . He became a member there as long ; ago . as 1845 , and tied for

the honour of being the fifth oldest member of the " House . " His memory there will always be associated with the Settlement Department , the-admirable organisation and perfecting of which are entirely due to him , and over the Committee

of which Department he . presided for twenty years . On his retirement from that position a few months since he was the recipient of an address signed by upwards of a thousand members of the Exchange , expressing their deep sense of J ; he invaluable- services he had rendered , not only to the

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

subscribers but to the Stock Exchange generally . He was one of the most prominent members of the United Lodge of Prudence—the Stock Exchange Lodge—of which he was the Treasurer . IT is with great regret we hear that Bro . Thomas Lee

W . M . of the local Lodge , who was fearfully injured through the premature explosion of one of the Barnstaple borough chamberlains on the day when the Royal Proclamation was read , has died in the North Devon Infirmary . Bro . Lee had been foreman of works for- about fifteen years , and was

a very popular as well as efficient officer . He was captain of Barnstaple Cycling Club . He leaves a widow and two sons . At the inquest , James Burnell , an employee of the Barnstaple Town Council , deposed that they had fired the chamberlains about 130 times before the accident occurred ,

Mr . Lee . having successfully discharged them . The premature explosion was probably caused by a spark from the fusee with , which Mr . Lee was firing the fuse , being blown on to the touch-hole , thus igniting the powder . Witness heard , the explosion , and saw . Mr . Lee rolling on the ground , his hat

being blown into the air and shattered to pieces . Deceased had been in the habit of firing the chamberlains for several years . Edwin Rottenbury , another town employee ! , gave corroborative evidence . Dr . Roscrow , house surgeon , said deceased ' s face was severely lacerated , and both his

eyeballs were blown away . He was conscious and greatly concerned about his condition , chiefly with regard to his sight . He rallied . wonderfully , soon afterwards , but on , the Sunday he took no nourishment and was not so well . He

died from septic poisoning and exhaustion . The 1 jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death , " expressed sympathy with deceased ' s relatives , and gave their fees , supplemented by a further , sum , towards a wreath to be placed on deceased ' s grave .

BRO .. J BLENKIN , one of the best known journalists in the North of England , died at his residence , Yew Villa , Heworth , York , on : Tuesday , in his 73 rd year . Bro . Blenkin received his journalistic training in Sheffield , but removed to York more than forty years ago . In York he became chief

reporter of the Yorkshire Herald , and also acted as representative of nearly all the leading London and provincial newspapers , being assisted by his sons , all of whom have had successful journalistic careers . Bro . Blenkin was one of the earliest members of the National Association of Journalists

--now the National Institute—and for some years was , chairman of the York district Although " he retired from active journalistic work some years ago , Bro . Blenkin maintained his connection with the Institute up to the time of his death . Of a kindly and courteous disposition he was exceedingly

popular , not only with his Press colleagues , but also with the many political leaders and dignitaries of the Church with whom he came in contact in the discharge of his journalistic duties . In his earlier days Bro . Blenkin took an active interest in cricket and other outdoor pastimes , and was also an active member of the Craft .

THE funeral of Bro . Albert Naylor , of Cleckheatori , who died suddenly in , Providence Place Chapel on Sunday evening , took place , on Wednesday , at the Cleckheaton Cemetery . There was a very large attendance of fellowtradesmen and personal friends , including representatives

of the congregation and choir at Providence Place , the Friendship Lodge , of Freemasons , the Cleckheaton Cricket and Bowling and the Punch-bowl Bowling Clubs , the Tradesmen ' s Cricket Club , the Tradesmen ' s ; Association , the Philharmonic Society , the Heckmondwike Gun Club , the

Cleckheaton Gun Club , and the brokers of the district . The burial service was conducted by the Rev . C . H . Shane , and : the choir—of which Bro . Naylor was a member nearly forty years—sung at the graveside the hymn " When our heads are bowed with woe . "

ON Wednesday the remains of the late Bro . Osborne Blythe , of Alnmouth , a member of the Alnwick Lodge , No . 1167 , were interred in the cemetery on the hill at Alnmouth . Bro . Blythe was one of the oldest tradesmen in the building trade in the North of England . The funeral was attended

by many friends of the deceased , including tradesmen from Amble and Warkworth , and a large community of the members of the Alnwick Lodge were present to do honour to the deceased . The Rev . David Moore conducted the service , and the Masonic funeral musical service was per- ' formed by the members of the Fraternity from Alnwick ,