An Early Cheshire Freemason.

AN EARLY CHESHIRE FREEMASON .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . D EAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the Probate Court at Chester is preserved tho will of " Edward Kingo , of Halton , co : Chester , free-„„ Kmi . " which is dated 15 May 1606 , and was proved 7 June 1607

I have examined the will and the only other allusion to the Craf I which it contains is a mention of " William Kinge , of Halton , freemason , " probably the testator ' s brother . I am , yours fraternally , J . W . 148 .

P . S , —From fche Bradford Antiquary , part 1 , I copy tho following inscrip tion from Thornton old church : —

THIS CHAPPELL WAS BUILDED BY ( name obliterated ) FREEMASON IN THE YEARE 0 ¥ OUR tORDE 1612 .

Possibly some of your correspondents will kindly communicate other early notices of Freemasonry of which there is existing contemporary evidence . In my former communication , Feniket should be Penket .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

CASE OF E . M . PENNY , NO . 15 .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —With reference to your remarks in last Saturday ' s issue , the amount of the late Bro . Penny's personal effects was £ 2 , 200 . Of this sum ifc now shows , after payment of his debts , and expenses of realisation , funeral , & c , that all that remains is an equity of

redemption worth £ 200 , and a little household furniture worth about £ 50 . Total £ 250 . Of this the widow is entitled to a third , and the balance ( £ 166 ) will have to be divided between the six children , of whom the candidate is one . The widow , therefore , with the exception of the above , is entirely dependent on her other children .

I am , Sir , your obedient servant , THE ADMINISTRATOR . [ We have great pleasure in publishing the above letter . We are well aware that iu commenting on the various cases which come under notice we often experience

difficulties , owing to the incompleteness of the information it is in our power to acquire . In this case , the petition represented that the mother of the candidate was in receipt of an income of £ 50 a year , and when , in the interim between the presentation of the petition and the issue of the voting

papers for the next election , we discovered that amended letters of administration had been granted for personalty sworn under £ 3000 instead of £ 1500 , as originally announced , we not unnaturally came to the conclusion that as the estate had been doubled , so likewise had the income .

However , we are much obliged to our correspondent for his clear and strai ghtforward explanation . Ifc is evident the case of the girl Penny is one which deserves to be supported , and successfully supported into the bargain ; and

we trust those of our readers who may not yet have pledged their votes will give this daughter of a deceased worth y and respected brother all the assistance they can . — ED . F . C . ]

The Et . Wor . Prov . G . M . N . Wales and Shropshire , & ir Watkin Williams Wynn , Bart ., will hold his Annual Provincial Grand Lodge , at Newport , Salop , on Tuesday , ^ 6 th April 1881 , and will consecrate the Audley Lodge , No . 1896 . J s

rhe Secretary of a Lodge , which meets within a hundred miles of Charing Cross , has written us a letter for tbe purpose of advising us to caution our readers against a certain brother and his better-half , who , according to his statement , are travelling the country announcing a kind of

entertainment which may , perhaps , be best described as "doing " J Provincials . We are sensible of the grave impropriety ot such conduct , even in the case of a non-Mason , and we so tar fall in with the wishes of our correspondent as to suggest to our Provincial friends that they must beon

eir guard against peripatetic showmen in general , and Le ^ ? £ ° * wll 0 m OTlr brother complains in particular . et them strictl y avoid having anything whatever to do m any people , be they who they may , who trade upon

Installation Meetings, &C.

INSTALLATION MEETINGS , & c .

- » — : o : — . COMBEEMEEE LODGE , No . 605 .

THE annual festival was held on Thursday , fche 17 th insfc ., afc tho Queen's Hotel , Park-entrance , Birkenhead . There wero several visitors present , amongst them being Bros . W . Marquis W . M . 537 , John Dutton P . M . 1576 and 477 , J . P . Piatt 537 P . P . J . G . W ., Hon . H . Holbrook P . M . ( first P . M . 605 ) , Donald Fraser P . M . and Trea . 477 , Frederick Thompson I . P . M . 477 , John Wallworth S . D . 1576 , W . H . Miller 673 , P . H . Dunne 1620 , Joseph B . Sparks S . W . 1289 , W . S .

Stanton'P . M . 1289 , J . Armstrong P . M . 148 , H . Martin P . M . 477 , & c . About fifty members of Ihe Lodgo woro present . Tho lodge having beon opened in duo form by fcho retiring W . M ., Bro . Thomas Gregory , and tho minntes of the previons meeting being read and confirmed , the W . M . elecfc , Bro . Albert E . Coveney S . W ., was installed into fche chair of K . S . by Bro . Thomas Gregory in a very able and most

impressive manner . The new W . M . then invested his Officers as follow : — Bros . Thomas Gregorv I . P . M ., Joseph Sillitoo P . M . P . P . G . J . Treas . ( re-elected for 12 th " fcimo ) , Geo . J . Davis S . W ., Joseph R . Simm J . W ., Monkman Biolbv Sec ., Owen Jones S . D ., A . Moore J . D ., T . M . Bleakley I . G ., Jas . Clarke D . C , George Grant S . S ., Alfred Judcl J . S ., Alexander Bleakley Organist , and Bro . IloUmvay Tyler .

On the conclusion of tho ceremony , the W . M . invested the I . P . M . with a very handsome P . M ' s . jewel , of gold , enriched with a diamond—provided by the Lodge . In performing this pleasant dnty tho VV . M spoke in high terms of Bro . Gregory , and said that fcho I . P . M . had , by his excellent rendering of the ritnal , and his zeal and persevoranco in the general working of tho Lodgo , given the greatest possible

satisfaction to the officers and brethren ; and thafc in so saying , ho , tho W . M ., but echoed the sentiments and opinions of the whole Lodge . After Bro . Gregory had very feelingly replied , tho W . M . proceeded to invest Bro . Simm J . W . with a Pasfc Secretary ' s jewel of IS carat gold and enamel , which had been subscribed for by members of the Lodge , in recognition of the high esteem in which ho was hold , andhis valuable

services in the capacity of Secretary of fcho Lodge for the pasfc three years . The W . M . remarked thnt their P . Sec . bad fulfilled his duties with the utmost willingness and fidelity—reflecting great credit upon the Lodge and himself . Bro . the Hon . H . Holbrook P . M . P . P . G . Sup . Works , of New Westminster , M . and A ., of British Columbia , moved that a letter of condolence shonld bo sent in the name of the Lodge

to tbe widow of fche late Bro . Pickering , of new Brighton . He mentioned that he himself , when Mnster of the Lodge , shortly after its foundation , had the pleasure of initiating Bro . Pickering , who , though not of late years a member of the Lodge , was highly respected in the Craft as well as in private life . Bro . Henry Davis P . M ., seconded the motion , whieh was supported by Bro . McNerney P M ., who spoke in

feeling terms of tbe universal regret which was felt tb . rongh . oivt the district afc the sudden death of Bro . Pickering . The motion was carried unanimously . The Lodge was thon closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , and safc down to a richerehe banquet . The dinner over , the W . M . proposed the usnal Loyal and Masonic toasts , whioh were duly honoured in the way peculiar to the Craft . The

toasfc of the D . G . M ., fche Prov . G . M ., and Prov . Grand Officers past and present was responded to by Bro . Piatt P . P . J . G . W ; , and Bro . Holbrook P . P . G . Snp . Works , the latter of whom spoke of the pleasure it gave him to be once more present afc a meeting of tbe Combermere Lodge , of which he was one of the founders , and which he had never ceased to remember with interest while in his far-off

country . He also paid a well-deserved compliment to the exertions of Bro . Piatt on behalf of the Charities in the Province , particularly fche Cheshire Masonic Educational Institution , the establishment of which was mainly due to his exertions . The toasfc of the " Cheshire Masonic Educational Institution , and other Masonio Charities , " was responded to by Bro . Piatt ; The " Worshipful Master , " proposed by

Bro . Gregory I . P . M . The W . M . in his reply spoke of the harmony that existed in the Lodge , and bad no doubt ifc would continue during his year of office . He trusted they would have work to do of the right stamp—the initiating of good men and true , as well as the ordinary work of the Lodge . The other toasts were the " Installing Master , " proposed by Bro . McNerney , responded to by Bro . Gregory ; the

Past Masters , " responded to by Bros . Holbrook and McNerney ; the " Visiting Brethren , " responded to by Bros . Marqnis , Dutton , Fraser , and Martin ; the "Officers of the Lodge , " responded to by Bro . G . J . Davis S . W . ; and fche "Musical Brethren , " responded to by Bro . Owen Jones . The " Tyler's Toast , " brought to a conclusion an evening spent with much harmony and brotherly love .

New Concord Lodge, No. 813.

NEW CONCORD LODGE , No . 813 .

THE installation meeting of this highly popular Lodge took place at the Guildhall Tavern , in the presence of a large assemblage of members and visitors , on Thursday , 18 fch insfc ., when , in consequence of the great amount of business , the brethen assembled at 3 . 30 . Bro . Sampson George W . M ., after the minutes of the previous meeting had been read ancl confirmed , proceeded to raise Bros . Chubb ,

Tedman and Perl , and this impressive cei'emony was never better worked . Then followed fche initiation of Messrs . F . W . Willcocks , A . Perl , and Douglas Martin Sherwill ( Manager of Guildhall Coffee Mouse and Tavern ) each being taken seriatim . Mr . Chas . Laori jun . was also to have been initiated , bufc was prevented at the lasfc

moment attending . The ceremony of installing Bro . William Pierpoint was the next business , and Bro . George received at its close the congratulations of all for his excellent working . Bro . Cusworth also acted very efficiently as D . C , whilst ; the Chaplain the Eev . C F .

Stevens , Ph . D ., rendered goodly service afc the organ daring all the ceremonies . The investiture of Officers was then made , as follows . *—Bros . Sampson George Immediate Pasfc Master , L . C . Haslip S . W ., H . T . Tiddeman J . W ., Eev . 0 . F . Stevens , Ph . D ., Chaplain , John Stillwell P . M . Treasurer , B . K . Harper P . M . Secretary , A . J . Potter S . D .,