Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — AVONDALE CHAPTER .

A NEW Chapter , attached to the Avondale Lodge , No . 2399 , was consecrated on Tuesday , at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleefc Street , by Comp . E . Letchworth Grand Scribe E ., who was assisted by Comps . R . Clowes Past Grand Standard Bearer , the Rev . J . Studholme Brosvnrigg Grand Superintendent Bucks , Frederick Mead P . G . D . C , and Frank Richardson as Director of

Ceremonies . The new Chapter having been consecrated accord ing fco ancient form , was constituted wifch Comps . H . Bond , J . G Albert , and Arthur Dutton as its principal Officers .

Northumberland.

NORTHUMBERLAND .

THE annual Convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter was held on Tuesday , 22 nd , in the Masonic Hall , Maple Street , Newcastle , under the banner of the De Swinburne Chapter , No . 24 . The Provincial Grand Superintendent the Right Hon . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., presided , and was well supported .

In addressing the Grand Chapter , in fche course of the meeting , the President said he was very glad to be supported by so large a number of Companions on this the first meeting after his installation in January last as Provincial Grand Superintendent . From the reports he was glad to learn that Royal Arch Masonry

in the Province of Northumberland vvas progressing so favourably , and there was an increase in their numbers . He referred sympathetically to the loss they had sustained in the death of Comp . Henry Hotham , the oldest Royal Arch Mason in the Province . His was one of fche first faces he saw when he began

his Masonic career . In conclusion he expressed the hope thafc Royal Arch Masonry in fche Province would continue to prosper . He afterwards announced that the next annual Convocation would be held in Newcastle , under the banner of the De Sussex Chapter , No . 406 , which would be charged with the reception of the Provincial Grand Chapter .

The Grand Superintendent appointed and invested as hia Officers for the ensuing year the following : —

Comps . John Nesbifc 24 H . W . F . Carman 481 ... J . Thomas Purvis - Scribe E . A . T . Aitchison 24 - - - - Scribe N . G . E . Maearfchy 481 - - - Treasurer

T . J . Armstrong 406 - - - Registrar G . C . Coates 1664 ... Principal Sojourner SS ^ ff - : : : } Assistant Sojourners W . J . Brown 24 - - - - Sword Bearer

Robert Laing 659 - Standard Bearer George Spain ... . Director of Ceremonies John Watt ----- Assist . Dir . of Ceremonies F . F . Schnitger 24 ... Organist T . R . Short 481 - - - - Assistant Scribe E . Joshua Curry .... Janitor . The Provincial Chapter was afterwards closed in due form .

ST . AUBYN CHAPTER , No . 954 . THE annual meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Morice Town , on Monday evening , for the purpose of installing the Principals Comps . A . A . Donovan Z ., W . Watson H ., and H . Worth J . The ceremony was impressively rendered by Companions Allsford , Pike , Bray , and Eev . E . Sullivan .

FRANCIS WHITE CHAPTER , No . 1437 . rnHE annual Convocation was held at Romford , on Thursday , 10 th , when J _ Comp . Francis White , after whom the Chapter is named , was installed as M . E . Z . for tho ensuing year . Comp . R . X . Ball was next installed as H ., the installation of the J .-elect being deferred on account of the temporary absence of Comp . P . S . Guy in the Transvaal . The report of the Audit Committee was received and adopted .

A letter was read from the I . P . Z . Comp . H . T . Hardy , expressing regret that he could not attend , and it was decided that the P . Z . ' s jewel voted to him should be retained by the Treasurer till the next meeting , in order that it might be presented to him in the usual manner .

Comp . B . Jennings P . Z . P . P . G . Sw . B . wrote that he was kept away by serious illness , and the S . E . was directed to write , in the name of the Chapter , a letter of sympathy with Comp . Jennings . The Companions afterwards dined together at the Golden Lion Hotel the catering of Bro . Peter Reynolds giving , as usual , great satisfaction . In the course oi the evening oleasine allusion was matin tn t . ho tank *! , _>(_

Comp . White had taken the Principal's chair again after an interval of eight years , and a hope was expressed that the members would rally round him during his year of office . Amongst those present was the Prov . G . S . E . Comu T . J . Railing P . G . Sw . B . Eng . * o o o DUKE OF FIFE CHAPTER , No . 2345 . A MEETING was held on Saturday last , when there were present : Comps . John W yer I . P . Z . as M . E . Z ., A . Harvey H ., R . J . Voisey P . Z . as J ..

Northumberland.

Charlie Woods S . E ., W . Geo . Boswell , M . R . C . V . S ., S . N ., A . Robertson Treas ., S . G . Bonner P . S ., John Mitchell A . S ., C . Patrick Janitor . Notice of motion was given by Comp . S . G . Bonner P . S ., that " the meetings of the Chapter be held on the first Wednesday in the months of February , May , and October , respectively . " Apologies for absence were received from Comps . J . W . Folkard M . E . Z ., who was away in Holland , and C . W . Munslow A . S . After the Chapter was closed the usual Loyal and R . A . toasts were honoured .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

THE Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Albion Place , Southampton , on Friday , 18 th inst ., under the presidency of the Grand Master of the Province Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . There was a large attendance of Brethren , including Bros . C . Fitzgerald Matier Grand Secretary of England , and R . Eve D . P . G . M .

Ifc was resolved , on the motion of Bro . Eve , thafc one of the panels in Grand Mark Lodge in London should be filled with a painting of the Provincial Grand Master , as a Past Grand Master of England , and that the cost thereof should be met by a subscription among the Brethren of the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of White .

The sum of ten guineas was voted to the Mark Benevolent Fund . The P . G . M . having congratulated the Lodge on the progress Mark Masonry was making in the Province , appointed the Officers for the year as follow : —

Bros . R . Eve 54 .... Deputy M . Emanuel 63 - - - - Senior Warden W . H . Vyel 25 - - - Junior Warden H . Lehmann 54 - - - - Master Overseer R . H . G . Woodman 320 - - - Senior Overseer

Captain G . Hearn 2 Junior Overseer ' Rev . G . Pickering ( Albany T . I . ) - - ) „ , . . Rev . Richardson 320 - . . / Chaplains B . Boughton Smith 63 - - Treasurer H . G . Marshallsey 54 Registrar of Marks

D . O . Hobbs 63 - - . . Secretary McGrotty ( Albany T . I . ) - . . Senior Deacon T . J . A . Pearcy 305 ... Junior Deacon T . E . Smith 63 Inspector of Works

M . A . Gould 17 - - - - Director of Ceremoniei D . Wilkins 54 - - - - Sword Bearer A . J . V . Bagshaw 63 - Organist W . H . Borden 54 - - - . Inner Guard J . Exall 17 - - - - - Tyler .

The annual accounts were presented by the Treasurer , showing a satisfactory balance in hand . Provincial Grand Lodge having been closed in ancient form , the Brethren sat down to a banquet under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master .

Lancashire.

LANCASHIRE ,

THE Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Lancashire was held at the Town Hall , Southport , on Saturday , when the attendance was larger than usual . The Earl of Lathom Past G . M . M . and Prov . G . M . M . presided . Nearly all tbe thirty-six Lodges in the county were represented . The Prov . Grand Secretary , in his reporfc , stated that during

the year two Lodges had been consecrated , the Bootle , No . 478 , afc Bootle , and the St . Austen ' s , No . 479 , at Warrington . The membership , which was not increasing rapidly , had reached 904 . The Prov . G . M . M . remarked that the report was very satisfactory , and so long as Mark Masonry held its present high

position in Lancashire he did not think they should aim at an increase in numbers . He had been gratified to hear a most satisfactory financial statement from the Grand Mark Lodge , and hoped the flourishing condition of the Province would long continue .

Lord Lathom was nominated Prov . Grand Master for the next three years , and accepted the office amid enthusiasm . The election of Treasurer was unanimous , and the investiture of Provincial Grand Officers took place as follows : — Bros . J . W . Fleetwood 359 - - - Senior Warden

Richard Robinson 143 - - - Junior Warden William Forrest 32 - - - Master Overseer P . L . Booth 36 - - - - Senior Overseer John L . Wollenden 466 ... Junior Overseer Rev . C . C . Bluett 158 Chaplain

John Hatch .... Treasurer John Chadwick - - - - Secretary Nicholas A . Earle 156 - - - Registrar Somner Fisher 296 - - - Senior Deacon

James Bromley 141 - - - Junior Deacon J . Henry Holland 313 - - - Inspector of Works John Lee Board 156 - - - Director of Ceremonies William Spencer 18 Assist . Dir , of Ceremonies