Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Friday , the 10 th inst ., at the Thorngate Memorial Hall , Gosport , under the presidency of Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master , who was supported by Bro . J . E . Le Feuvre , J . P ., P . G . D . Eng . Deputy Prov .

G . M ., Major G . H . Newcome Prov . S . G . W ., Henry Durrant Prov . J . G . W ., and the following Provincial Officers : Eichard Eve P . G . T . P . P . S . G . W ., Eev . C . E . Crowley P . G . C ., E . Goble P . G . S . B . Secretary , John W . Gieve , J . P ., Treasurer , G . F . Lancaster P . P . G . Eegistrar ,

E . W . Lees and G . Ward S . Ds ., W . M . Outridge and H . Lehmann J . Ds ., Dr . E . T . Crouch D . C ., E . Hodges Sword Bearer , H . T . Deacon and J . S . Wickens Standard Bearers , J . Miles Purs ., and many other distinguished Brethren from the Province .

The business commenced punctually at three o'clojjk , when the Prov . Grand Master and his Officers entered the Lodge in procession , while the Prov . Grand Organist Bro . S . Eound played a match on the organ . The roll of the Provincial Lodges was called over ,

when all but four responded . The Prov . G . Master , having opened Grand Lodge in due form , was saluted by the Brethren under the guidance of the Grand Director of Ceremonies . The Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Officers of England who were present were also

saluted . The minutes of the Annual Prov . Grand Lodge held at Basingstoke on 8 th August 1893 , and of the special meeting held at Bournemouth on 27 th December 1893 ( when the foundation stone of the Church of St . John the Evangelist was laid with Masonic honours ) , were read and confirmed .

The Deputy Grand Master proposed that the Eeport of the Auditor and the Accounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer , which were printed and in the hands of the Brethren , be accepted . He considered the accounts were of a most satisfactory character , and though there

was only a small balance of £ 68 , it should be remembered they had given 250 guineas to the Masonic Charities , and £ 114 in grants to Widows and distressed Brethren during the year . The proposition was seconded by Bro . Eichard Eve and carried unanimously .

Bro . J . W . Gieve was re-elected Prov . Graud Treas . for the seventh year in succession , and was congratulated by the Prov . Grand Master on his popularity in the district . The usual ex-officio members were appointed to act as the Audit Committee for the year .

The Secretary read the Beport of the Grand Lodge Committee , from which it appeared that during the year two Boys , two Girls , and one Widow had been elected for the respective Masonic Charities , although the Province were deeply in debt for votes required to secure

this good result . An extra fifty guineas had been subscribed to the Charities , raising the total to 250 guineas . Five grants had been made to distressed Brethren . Only one Lodge had been added to the Provincial roll during the year , but the number of Brethren had increased by 128 to a total of 3378 members .

The Prov . Grand Master congratulated the Brethren on the satisfactory position of the Province , and also on the good service rendered by the committee , who he considered were entitled to the thanks of the Brethren for the great assiduity with which they performed their

duty . He thought all the Lodges should combine and hand their votes to the Charity Committee , in favour of those cases recommended , and the result would be generally successful , while individual efforts were as a rule wasted . He found the Order was also making

satisfactory progress , and the increased number of Brethren enrolled during the year proved that interest in Freemasonry was not diminishing . Only one new Lodge had been added to the roll , but he was not in favour of extending the number beyond the absolute

requirements of the Craft . Before he proceeded to invest his Officers for the ensuing year he desired to state that it was not possible to promote Officers , already

invested , to a higher position , except under very urgent and special circumstances , and he trusted there would be no heart burning in consequence . Every consideration was given to each case placed before him , and a careful selection of Officers had been made .

Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

The following Brethren were then invested and placed in their respective seats : —

Bro . T . A . Bramsdon 257 - - Senior Warden Bernard Harfield 130 - - Junior Warden Rev . C . E . Crowley 257 - •)„ ,,. Rev . T . W . Fair 175 - - } Chft P lams John W . Gieve 309 - - Treasurer Lieut . H . G . Giles , E . N ., 1903 - Registrar E . Goble 309 - - - Secretary Dr . B . H . Mumby 1069 - - ) c . ~ W . PI . Riddell 698 - - j Senior Deacons

C . W . Bevis 1834 - - - ) T . ~ E . H . Buck 2153 - - - j Jmuor Deaco ^ J . E . Aldis 359 - - Superintendent of Wks . H . Searle 76 Director of Ceremonies J . Leftwich 35 - - - Deputy Dir . of Cers . A . W . Hewitt 342 - - - ~ ) R . E . Buckle 1776 - - - £ •Assistant Dirs . of Cers .

H . Cooke 309 - - - ) G . H . Rolls 132 - - - Sword Bearer E . Warren 1780 - - - ) Q , , , ~ J . Maling 903 - - - j Standard Bearers G . D . Lovegrove 257 - - Organist G . F . Lancaster 903 - - Assistant Secretary E . S . Sprigins 804 - - - Pursuivant G . Isles 1331 - - - Assistant Pursuivant

J . J . Webber 551 - - - \ E . Boorman 2074 - M . F . Curtis 1461 - - - \ a . , F . A . Dunsford 394 - - Y Stewards R . A . Renfree 1705 G . Boyse 2068 - - - I J . Exell 487 - - - Tyler . The minute books of the Provincial Lodges were duly

signed by tne rrovmcial Grand Master and returned to the Masters . The Provincial Lodge was then closed , and the Brethren adjourned to the India Arms Hotel , in the High Street , where an excellent cold collation was served by Bro . Goodman , of the Prince of Wales Lodge . It will be interesting to state here that the site of

the India Arms Hotel was the cradle of the Craft in Hampshire , as it was here that the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 26 , was founded in the year 1724 . Unfortunately the Lodge dwindled down to twenty-six members , when in was erased on 5 th September 1858 .

The speeches were considerately few and short , so as to enable the Brethren to return to their respective districts in good time . In proposing the Queen and the Craft , the Prov . Grand Master referred to the fact that Her Majesty was the only English Sovereign who had seen a great-grandson born in direct succession .

Bro . Eichard Eve P . G . T . responded for the Officers of Grand Lodge in a few happy remarks , and then proceeded to propose the health of the Provincial Grand Master . He stated that Bro . Beach had now completed twenty-five years as Grand Master of the Province , and he was sure that no one had done more to further the interests of Freemasonry or who was better able to perform his duties . He filled the office with a great amount of zeal , and the Brethren were quite safe in being led by one who knew what was right . Bro . Beach was held in the highest esteem , regard and love , and his name would live again in his son , who had recently joined the Craft . The toast was drunk with enthusiasm amid cheers for the Provincial Master and his family . Bro . Beach , in returning thanks , said he was most gratified to be amongst the Brethren again , especially in

Gosport , the home of Freemasonry in Hampshire . It always afforded him the greatest gratification to use his abilities for the benefit of the Order , as he considered that it was calculated to improve and benefit mankind . How many friends did they meet , whom they had never

known except for Freemasonry ? There was only one matter for regret , and that was that Continental Freemasony , especially the French , was not on a par with our own . He had great pride in presiding over the

Province , but his rule was made easy by the great assistance he received from his Officers . He concluded , with some emotion , with the wish that he might be long spared to rule and direct them .

Bro . E . Goble , proposed the health of the Provincial Grand Officers , anct referred to the immense amount of

assistance rendered by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , whose knowledge of Masonic law enabled him at once to decide any point at issue , and who paid the utmost attention to the details of the Craft . Bro . Le Feuvre , in response , expressed his hearty