Prov. Grand Lodge Of Essex

beaded by the genial and popular Master of that Lodge ( Bro . J . H . Vaux ) , and were in every way complete and satisfactory . The Mission Hall made an excellent Lodgeroom , and when the brethren were assembled in the clothing of tho Order , with the banners of the Lodges hnng

on the walls , presented a most picturesque appearance . The Right Worshipful tho Provincial Grand . Master ( the Lord Brooke ) presided , and he was supported , by Bros . Fred Wood P . M . Treasurer 1000 P . P . G . S . W . acting P . G . S . W ., W . J . Crump I . P . M . 2006 P . G . J . W ., Rev . Thos . Lloyd

I . P . M . 2342 Prov . G . Chaplain , T . J . Railing P . M . Sec . 51 P . G . A . D . C . England Prov . G . Sec , C . H . Canning I . P . M . 2184 P . G . J . D ., H . Ffrench Bromhead I . P . M . 2518 P . G . Supt . of Works , A . Lucking P . M . Sec . 1000 P . G . P . England P . G . D . C ., Fred . Horsman P . M . 51 P . G . A . D . C ., M . L .

Sanders P . M . Sec . 650 P . G . Standard Bearer , W . Latter P . G . Organist , H . J . Day I . P . M . 1457 P . G . Pursuivant , W . H . de Caen P . M . 1024 P . G . A . P ., and many Past Provincial Grand Officera aud members of the Lodges in the Province .

On taking tho chair Lord Brooko said he had just received , with the most profound regret , a telegram from hia excellent Deputy . Bro . Fred . A . Philbrick , Q . C . ( Recorder of Colchester ) , to the effect that a terrible accident had happened to his daughter , and that she was

unconscious and suffering from concussion of the brain . His Lordship added that he had at once despatched a telegram to Bro Philbrick , expressing his own great grief and that of the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he felt sure his action would bo endorsed by the brethren .

In Bro . Philbrick s absence he called on Bro . Andrew Durrant , the senior Provincial Grand Officer present , to act as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . The minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand Lodge ( at Chingford ) having been read and confirmed , the

Provincial Grand Secretary stated that letters expressing regret at inability to attend had been reoeived from Bros , the Lord Henniker P . G . M . Suffolk , Lord Claud Hamilton , Colonel Noel Money P . G . M . Surrey , the Rev . C . J . Martyn D . P . G . M . Suffolk , Hamon Le Strange

D . P . G . M . Norfolk , A . H . Moyes D . P . G . M . Cambs ., Thomas Fenn Pres . B . of G . P ., E . Letchworth Grand Secretary , Sir George Harris , Colonel Somerville Burney P . G . D ., Capt . N . G . Philips P . G . D ., Matthew Clark

P . G . D . Past D . P . G . M . Essex , T . Courfcenay Warner Prov . G . S . W ., Dr . Lennox Browne P . P . G . S . W ., E . J . Acworth Prov . G . Treasurer , R . Clowes P . M . 650 P . G . Standard Bearer Eng ., V . P . Freeman P . G . D . Eng . P . G . Secretary

Sussex , N . Tracy Prov . G . Secretary Suffolk , and others .. The roll of Lodges was called by the Provincial Grand Secretary , and it was found that all , with the exception of

one , were represented . The Provincial Grand Master then addressed the brethren . His Lordship re-called the fact that the first Provincial Grand Lodge he held after his installation as

Provincial Grand Master was in this neighbourhood , and he had a very lively recollection of the happy day they spent under the auspices of the Star in the East Lodge . Parkeaton , when the meeting was heldhad only just been

, opened by the Great Eastern Railway Company , and they all knew what an important place it now was . Since that time Freemasonry in the Province had made great

strides . It was m 1883 when they met here last , and the Lodges on the roll were twenty in number . There were now 32 Lodges on the roll , and he had that

afternoon signed a recommendation for another Lodge , to meet at Leigh , and which it was proposed to call the «•>«•Clements , which would bring the Lodges up to 33 . J-he total membership had also correspondingly increased , for whereas

in 1883 they had 897 members , they now numbered 1 , 657 , and their income had increased from * ' 0 to £ 170 . This was most gratifying , but bo asked tnem particularly to bear in mind that in order to

mainram the united and prosperous condition in which they now were , they must be particularly careful not to admit » fl fT of their Lodges a ° y ^ those wh <> woaId reuect honour upon them . He was particularly pleased to

wm notwithstanding the general depression in agritnitnra and trade , Essex Masons were able to give such raostantaal support to the central Charities of the Order .

aid ,. meetlD S last year he recommended to their con'oerafcion the Jubilee Festival of the Royal Masonic thiTp - In 8 titafci ° n > and he was gratified to find that and , 1 Dce Ascribed over £ 2 , 000 to that Institution , ue was oul y sorry that abauncc abroad provoutod his

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Essex

joining with his brethren on that occasion . Having expressed hi 3 thanks to the members of tho Charity Committee for the good work they had done , especially mentioning Bros . Dehane , Shedd , Wood , and Clowes , and expressing his approval of a recommendation of the Board

of General Purposes that the Provincial Grand Secretary should be relieved of the personal responsibility of the publication of the Calendar . His Lordship announced , amid much applause , that he had acceded to an invitation that had been made to him to take the chair at the annual

Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . Ho had a pleasant recollection of the great support given tohim when he presided on a similar occasion for the Girls ' Institution , and he felt quite sure he should have tho help of his brethren when the Boys' Festival took place . He

had , with some regret , consented to the application of ono of their Lodges to change tho locale of its meetings . The reasons which had been put before him were no doubfc reasonable , but the view he had when he recommended the

granting of a warrant , the spread of the benefits of Masonry in a district in which no Lodge had before existed , were now frustrated . In conclusion , his Lordship announced that the meeting for 1893 would be held at Southend .

The report of the Board of General Purposes was then presented by Bro . John J . C . Turner , Chairman . The report set forth that afbar payment of all outstanding claims there was a balance in hand of £ 175 on the general account , and £ 51 0 s 8 d on the Charity account . The Board also recommended the f olid wing grants—From the General Fund : fifty guineas to the Boys' School , five

guineas to the Dovercourt Mission Hall sick fnnd , and fifteen pounds to the local Committee towards the expenses of the meeting ; and from the Charity Fnnd : ten guineas to the Boys' and Girls' Schools respectively . The Board also recommended that a certain rate of subscription should

be made by the Lodges towards the expenses of the publication of the Calendar . The report was adopted unanimously , with an addition , proposed by Bro . the Rev . Thos . Lloyd , that the next Calendar should contain the portrait of tho Provinoial Grand Secretary .

The report of the Charity Committee was next read aud adopted . It stated that the Committee had been enabled to secure the election of four candidates for the Benevolent

Institution ; and specially thanked several brethren and Lodges for the handsome support given to the Committee in the way of votes . Only the required number of brethren ( four ) having been nominated for election on the Board of General

Purposes , the Provincial Grand Master declared them duly elected , as under : —Bros . A . Buck P . M . 453 P . P . G . S . W ., the Rev . Thos . Lloyd P . M . 2342 P . P . G . Chaplain , W . D . Merritt P . M . 1000 P . P . G . S . W ., and John J . C . Turner P . M . 51 P . P . G . S . W .

For the office of Provincial Grand Treasurer Brother A . S . B . Sparling , P . M . 51 , was unanimously elected . The Provincial Grand Master then , amidst applause ,

announced his re-appointment of Bro . Philbrick as Deputy Provincial Grand Master , renewing his expression of regret at his enforced absence . His Lordship then appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year as under : —

Bro . J . H . Vaux 650 . _ . ... Senior Warden J . H . Salter 2342 . _ ... Junior Warden Rev . J . P . Noyes 1280 . „ ... Chaplain Thomas Hood 1000 ... ... Registrar T . J . Railing 51 ( sixteenth year ) . Secretary H . G . Hobson 214 ) 0 . „ W . Ernest Dring j Senior Deaoous S . D . C . Ablitt 51 ... ... ) T . _ , A . J . Arthy 160 J Jamor Deacons

W . T . Christian 453 ... ... Superintendent of Work * A . Lucking 1000 ( nineteenth year ) . Direotor of Ceremonies J . Brnton 2006 ... ... Dep . Dir . of Ceremonies P . J . Meggy 276 ... ... Assistant Dir . of Cers . Robert Jennings 1437 ... ... Sword Bearer E . J . Horncastle 697 ... ... 7 a , , , , > M . T . Tack 1343 ... i Stai ) anrd Bearers

James P . Haskins 2374 ... Organist Sutton Abbott 2077 ... ... Assistant Secretary Wm . Cox 1817 ... ... Pursuivant G . Davis 1977 ... ... Assist . Porsuivant A . W . Martin ... ... ... Tyler Caleb Pisher 433 ... „ . " | W . P . Reed 2063 ... ... j G . T . Helsdon 650 " . P . C . H . Jones 51 ! «« " » nfo J . R . Batler 2339 ... ... I

Harold Gurney 650 ... ...J Bro . J . H , Vaux haviiig beeu elected a rnembe