History Of Freemasonry In Leicestershire And Rutland.

ampton and the abovo named town wero several French officers , who had beeu taken prisoners of Avar , and were residing thero on parole , and that somo Masonic Lodges appear to have been formed among them . One of these brethren , Louis Jean , a sub-lieutenant in the 11 th

demibrigado of Light Infantry , married a native of Ashby , AVIIO , after her husband's death , settled at Leicester , and this has enabled Bro . Kelly to furnish transcripts of the deceased officer ' s certificates as a Master Mason and member of the

Rose Croix degree . Nor does he furnish them only , but adds likewise a full and interesting description of their appearance and the signatures they bear respectively . Both these have for their heading

" A . - . L . \ G . \ D . \ G . \ A .-. D . \ L'n . \ " Au Norn et sons les auspices fin Civ . Or . * , do France . " Et sous la protection immediate do sa Seignenrie T . \ P . . T . \ 111 . * , et T . * . 11 . ' . F . ' . LordMoira , agissant Commo G . . Maitre do toutes lea LL . \ Kegnlieves da Royaumo de la Grande Bvetague . "

After the Union in 1813 , St . John ' s Lodgo became 525 on the Roll of tho United Grand Lodge , while Lodge No . 91 , " ancients" of tho same town , became No . 114 .

The latter , however , ceased to exist about 1818 . At an emergency meeting of the former , held on 12 th February 181 G , the R . W . M . commenced the business by stating that the " Lodo-e of St . John " was " the Provincial Grand

Lodge , " and as Lord Rancliffe had appointed no one to act as Deputy , it was duly proposed and seconded and agreed to that Bro . Alderman Fox , who had been Mayor in 1812 , be recommended to his lordship for appointment to that important office . At the next , his lordship ' s reply in

the affirmative was read , and a deputation having waited on Bro . Fox , he accepted tho ofiioe , and retiring with the deputation to the Lodgo , was dnly installed and appointed his officers . On the 4 th December , the St . John ' s Lodge returned from the White Swan to the Three Cranes , and

then , on the 27 th of the same month , the Dep . P . G . Master Fox opened a Prov . G . Lodge , and consecrated tho same . However , on the 17 th April of the year following , the Lodge again changed its quarters to the George Inn , and on this occasion recorded a vote of thanks to the brethren

of Lodge No . 114 for the handsome manner in which they had come forward for their accommodation ; and this is the last we hear of the elder of the two Lodges , which must have ceased to meet shortly after , though it was not erased from the list of Lodges fill some years later . On

the 21 st November " 1817 , at a meeting of Sfc . John ' s , we read that Bros . Abraham Smith and Thomas Turner were " 'admitted Masters of Arts and Sciences in order to their exaltation to tho sublime degree '—then a necessary preliminary to the Royal Arch , otherwise termed ' passing the

chair . ' " Up to this time , too , wo are informed that it was usual for a regular proposition to bo made in open Lodgo before a brother could be raised from one degree to another . On the 29 th December Sir Fred . Gustavus Fowke , Bart ., of Loseby Hall , joined the Lodge , and

became a most useful and active member . On 17 th April 1820 , an address prepared b y Sir F . G . Fowke , to be presented to George the Fourth on his accession to tho throne , was adopted by the Lodge , and at the meeting on the 3 rd May , a letter from Lord Sidmouth acknowledging

the address was read . At the latter meeting , also , the warrant of confirmation was produced by Bro . W . Cooke , who was cordially thanked for his zeal in procuring it . We now come to several remonstrances against the utter inattention to his duties of Lord Rancliffe , who , from the

date of his appointment , had never once taken any part in the Masonic duties of the Province , but the remonstrances had no effect ; or , to speak moro precisely , no notice was taken of them . Early in 1821 , the Lodge moved to the Bell Inn , and in the autumn of the same year Sir F . G . Fowke

initiated Mr . George Pochin , of Barkby Hall , and passed and subsequently raised Earl Howe , initiated in the Tyrian Lodge , Derby , on 25 th September 1815 . The latter was also made a member of the Lodge , and gave £ 10 towards its funds . The former became the Master in 1824 , and Hio-h

Sheriff of the County in 1828 , when he presented his official Banner of Arms , which is still preserved by the Lodge . Further petitions were transmitted to the Grand Master as to the inattention of Lord Rancliffe ,

and m April 1822 , Sir F . G . Fowke and Bros . Pochin and Cooke had an interview with his Royal Highness at Kensington Palace , and saggested that Earl Howe should be appointed to tho office of P . G . M . To this the Grand Master assented , but still nothing whatever was

History Of Freemasonry In Leicestershire And Rutland.

done . On 27 th December 1822 , Earl Howe was installed W . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , and during his occupancy of the chair two noteworthy events occurred . The Marquis nf Hastings , the Lord Moira of ten years previously , and formerly acting Grand Master , having on 1 st August

posted through Leicester on his way to Donington Park , it was resolved to present him with a congratulatory address . A meeting of the Lodge was called ; the address was drafted and approved , and on the morning of the 8 th August a meeting was held at the Three Cranes , where shortly

afterwards the Marquis arrived , and Earl Howe presented the address , which is quoted in full in Bro . Kelly ' s history . Tho Marquis , having cordially thanked tho Lodge for its kindness , shortly afterwards took his departure . On the 29 th of the same month , in accordance with an invitation

previously submitted and accepted , the Lodge went in procession to the site of the now church of Sfc . George , and Earl Howe laid the first stone with Masonic ceremonial , there being a vast concourse of spectators to witness the novel event . The next matter wc read of refers to tho

worthy Sir F . G . Fowke , whoso return to the county being aunounccd as imminent , it was resolved at a meeting of tho Lodge on 1 st February 182 to invito him to a banquet . Tho invitation was accepted , and on the 3 rd March an address was presented , after which Sir Frederick was

entertained at a banquet . About this time an attempt was made to erect a Masonic Hall , by shares , and a site was even purchased , but nothing resulted , and the land has ever since remained in the family of Bro . G . Pochin , to whom , with one or two brethren as trustees , it was convoyed , and who , as

Bro . Kelly suggests , had no doubt completed the purchase . On 5 th July 1825 , Bro . John Norbury , of Snareston Hall , on behalf of Earl Howe , laid the foundation stone of the new chapel to be dedicated to St . George . In December 1827 , Sir G . Fowke accepted the Mastership of St . John ' s ,,

and retained it for two years . Towards the end of his term —on 15 th September 1829—a Lodge of Emergency was held for tho purpose of paying respect to Earl Howe . Sir F . G . Fowke presided , and having invited his lordship as S . G . W . of England to take the chair , congratulated the

brethren on his presidency , and expressed a hope that at some future day the Grand Master would confer on him the dignity of Prov . Grand Master . On tho 21 st July 1830 , an order was read from Grand Lodge , for all Lodges to wear mourning for six months for George IV ., Grand Patron of

the Order , and an address was prepared for presentation to William IV . On 24 th January 1831 , Earl Howe presided at a meeting , when a silver cup , value about £ 50 , from Hamlet , the well-known London goldsmith , was presented to Sir F . G . Fowke , Bart . It bore a suitable inscription , and

expressed the sentiments which had prompted the brethren to convey this token of their respect and affection to their worthy brother . At the Festival on the 27 th December 1831 , the Earl Ferrers , Prov . Grand Master of Warwickshire , was present , and strongly advised the Lodge to

apply to Lord Rancliffe to elect a D . P . G . M . It was resolved to act on this suggestion , and tho Earl was not onl y thanked , but elected a member of the Lodge ; and Bro . Kelly adds that though there is no record of it , he has

heard from old members that his lordship presented to the Lodge " the three handsome brass luminaries for the pedestals . " ( To be continued . )

Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS .

WE havo received copy of the Proceedings of this Grand Lodge on the occasion of its Annual Communication on the 12 th December , as well as of tho Stated Communication on the 27 th of the same month , when the Grand Master elect was installed in office . At the former

Bro . Percival L . Everett G . Master presided , and was supported by Bro . Charles A . Welch Deputy G . Master , Bro . Daniel W . Lawrence Senior G . Warden , Bro . Abraham H . Howland jun . as Junior G . Warden , Bro . John McClellan

G . Treasnrer , Bro . Charles H . Titus Recording G . Secretary , Bro . George P . Sanger Corresponding G . Secretary , other Grand Officers , and Past Grand Officers , together

with the representatives of most of the Lodges in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge . The records of the Quarterly Communication of the 12 th September , and the Special Communication on tho 17 th September having been taken