Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution Fob Girls.

MIDDLESEX , which sent up Stewards to Wednesday ' s Festival . Bro . E . Monson , who acted in that capacity for the Villiers Lodge , No . 1194 , Hampton Court , doing duty for a London lodge and a London chapter likewise . The total compiled by these was . £ 227 17 s ., the principal item being the ; £ 8 i iSs . obtained In- Bro . Monson , representing the Villiers Lodge , No . 1194 , Hampton Court . In February , four lodges represented by six brethren , contributed ; £ i 68 10 s ., so

that the Province has done well thus far during the current year , especially as Bro . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., has kindly arranged to preside at the Festival of the Benevolent Institution in February . 1896 . Last year , the R . M . B . I . received . £ 160 18 s ., this Institution ^ 506 is ., and the Boys' School , ^ £ 37 6 18 s . 6 d ., giving a total for the year of £ 1043 17 s . 6 d . In 1 S 93 , the subscriptions were on a modest scale , and amounted to only ^ 630 iSs . ; while , in 1892 , including £ 1315 9 s . 6 s . for the Benevolent Jubilee , they reached £ 1619 15 s . 6 d . In 1891 , the total was ^ 540 2 s . ; but , in 1890 when the late Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., presided at the Girls' School

Festival it was . £ 138 7 15 s . NORFOLK , which has 17 lodges on its roll , placed its interests in charge of Bro . H . J . Sparkes , as its representative , and he had the good fortune to raise ^ 205 5 s . Last year it raised . £ 134 13 s . for the Boys' School , and the year previous . £ 7 8 15 s . for this Institution , while , in 1 S 92 , it figured in the Returns at the Benevolent Jubilee Festival for £ 1406 5 s ., and , in 1891 , at the Boys' School for ^ 225 5 s . As the Province is largely agricultural , we regard these figures as satisfactory . Bro . the Earl of Euston Prov . G . Master of

NORTHANTS AND HUNTS . and Bro . Adkins , No . 1911 , were the representatives of this Province , and they are entered as having contributed ^ 31 10 s . towards the general total . In February last , a member of one of the 14 lodges under his lordship ' s charge returned ; £ lo ios ., so that the Province , thanks to the action of these members , has kept itself out of the list of absentee Provinces . Last year it raised in all ; £ 32 S 7 s ., of which the Old

People received ^ 202 7 s ., this Institution £ 26 5 s ., and the Boys' School ^ 99 15 s ., Lord Euston taking part in all three gatherings . In 1893 , when his lordship was Chairman at the Festival of this Charity , the total for the year was ^ 1107 12 s ., of which i ' 1050 was subscribed to this School . In 1892 it raised £ 388 ios ., of which nearly all was subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee . The last occasion on which the Province of

NORTHUMBERLAND made any effective appearance was at the Boys' School Festival , when it raised X i . i l 4 s . Since then it has contributed , £ 105 to the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 , and £ 114 ios . to the same Charity the year following , while in 1894 it figured in the Boys' School Returns for ± So ios . On Wednesday Bro . R . H . Holmes ,

P . G . D ., Dep . P . G . M ., took the Province under his charge and was rewarded for his labours with the splendid list of £ 2315 5 s ., the lodges in the Province , which has thus acquitted itself so creditably , being 25 in number . This is the highest list we have met with in our experience , and we most sincerely congratulate both l ! ro . Holmes and the Province of Northumberland on the result .

Two of the 19 lodges in NORTH WALES had Stewards acting in their behalf , and there were also two Unattached Stewards —Bro . C . K . Benson , whose name is familiar enough to the student of our Festival Returns and Mrs . Kershaw , the wife of one of the lodge Stewards . The sum raised by the four is . £ 57 15 s . In February , the representatives of three

lodges and a brother Unattached compiled a total of , £ 57 15 s . In 1892 , there was subscribed towards the Benevolent Jubilee . £ 224 14 s . ; to the Girls'School , . (¦ ; o iss . ; and to the Boys' School , ^ 234 3 s ., making a total of . £ 495 12 s . ; in 1 ^ 03 , the year ' s Returns reached , £ 474 18 s , of which the Boys' School secured the largest portion ; and in 1 S 94 they amounted to . £ 400 17 s . 6 d ., the Boys'School again being chiefly benefited with £ 291 4 s .

OXFORDSHIRE u-iih its J 2 lodges , is regular in its attendance at the Festivals of all our Charities , and on important occasions its Returns are hi gh in proportion to its strength . This year it began somewhat indifferently . Three of its lodges sent up Stewards , but one of them failed to make any return , and the other two raised only , £ 21 2 s . between them . On Wednesday , the number of represented lodges was again three , but one of them—the Alfred , No . 340 , Oxford—had three Stewards , and

the Bertie , No . 1515 , Oxford , two , the total compiled by ' the six brethren being AiSo iys . Last year , the total included ; £ i 22 rfjs . 6 d . to the Benevolent Instiiution ; , £ 91 18 s . 6 d . to the Girls' School ; and ^ 97 6 s . to the Boys' School ; in all i ' 312 is . In 1893 , it reached . £ 440 4 s . 6 d ., and in 18 92 , ^ 631 19 s . 6 d ., of which the Benevolent Jubilee absorbed . £ 428 7 s . ; while in 1891 , it was / 414 2 s ., of which the Boys' School obtained . £ 246 gs . Only one of the 12 lodges—the Salopian , No . 262 , Shrewsbury—in

SHROPSHIRE took part in Wednesday ' s celebration , the sum raised by Bro . Alexander Graham , as its representative , being £ 36 15 s . At the Benevolent Festival in February the total was , £ 136 10 s ., the Prov . G . Master—Bro . Sir O . Wakeman , Mart , with £ 73 ios ., and Bros . W . L . Southwell and the Rev . H . K . Southwell , with a joint list of . £ 63 , being the Stewards . In 18 93 and 18 94 , the contributions from this quarter were on a small scale , but in 1892 they reached ^ , 615 15 s . 6 d ., of which , £ 456 IS . was subscribed towards the Benevolent Jubilee . In 1891 ,

' 45 . S ' )* ¦ ° d . was subscribed , of which not far short of one half found its way into the ceffirsof the Boys'School . But its greatest achievements have been conm cted with our Girls' School , to the Centenary of which it contributed £ 770 15 s ., while in 1887 , when its Prov . G . Master , then newly-iustalled into office , presided ai 1 he yoth Festival of the Charity , the sum raised by the Province was . £ 1022 7 s . At this time , Shropshire had been organised as a separate Province for less than two years . After the splendid work which

SOMERSETSHIRE lid at the Benevolent Festival in February , when Bro . Viscount Dungarvan , Prov . fi . Master , occupied the chair , and the Province with its 26 lodges raised , ; . 1 O 57 17 s . 6 d ., we were hardly prepared to find it taking part in any further I-1 sthal celebrations during the current year . Yet Bro . William Rice , of the Hldon Lodge , No . 1755 , Portishead , handed in a list of £ 37 16 s ., which ,

ui . der the circumstances , is none the less welcome , because it is moderate in amount . Last year the Province was absent from all the three Festivals , but in i ' ^ j 2 , it raised , £ 841 15 s ,, of which upwards of £ 600 was in behalf of the Benevolent Jubilee , while the balance was shared between the Schools . In 1888 it sub-: scribed very little short of £ tooo to the Girls' School . Bro . W . G . Davies did duty as the representative , of

SOUTH WALES , EASTERN DIVISION , v . ith its ID lodges and the amount of his list , which included a donation of / S- ' ios . by Bro . Lord Llangattock , P . G . M ., was ^ 300 . In 1894 its contribution to the Boys' School , the same Bro , Davies being the Steward who raised it , w ; is -i . 'S . S" - In 18 93 this Institution was favoured , the amount subscribed in its beliait being £ 325 ios ., while in 1892 , the total was £ goi 153 . 6 d ., of which ; £ i 8 o

' . wis for the Benevolent Jubilee and . £ 321 15 s . 6 d . for the Boys' School . In 1891 ihe amount was i . 479 15 s ., and of this the Old People had the good fortune to obtain / 3 80 . The 31 lodges in STAFFORDSHIRE writ .- represented collectively by Bro . W . H . B ; aley , who also figures in the London u ; Fun of the Board as Steward of the . Anchor Lodge , No . 1704 , while

Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution Fob Girls.

four of the lodges sent up their own representatives . The total of the lists reached . £ 240 9 s ., the chief item being the . £ 103 19 s . compiled by Bro . Bailey . In February the sum of £ 152 5 s . was raised by two Stewards for the Old People , Bro . A . Dewsbury , of St . Matthew ' s Lodge , No . 539 , Walsall , being responsible for . £ 89 ss . of this , and Bro . Bailey , Unattached , for the balance of £ 63 . Last year ^ 428 8 s . was apportioned between the Schools , the Girls' School receiving

£ 181 13 s ., and the Boys' School ^ 246 15 s . In 18 93 the total was slightly less— £ 424 7 s . 6 d . —and the Boys' School obtained ^ 355 12 s ., while in 1892 and 1891 the totals differed by a few shillings only , that for the former year reaching ^ 762 2 s ., of which , £ 392 ios . was subscribed for the Benevolent Jubilee , and that for the latter , £ 761 15 s . 6 d ., of which ^ 452 os . 6 d . was raised for the Boys' School . At the Benevolent Festival in February the Province of

SUFFOLK was in great force , eight of its 22 lodges and the chapters attached to three of them being successful in raising . £ 655 17 s . On Wednesday , three lodges , which had taken no part in the proceedings in February , sent up Stewards , who amongst

them compiled a total of £ 125 9 s . 6 d . Last year , the sum of ^ 809 Ss . was distributed amongst the three Charities , and in 1893 , ; £ 533 9 s . 6 d ., but in 1892 , the very large sum of . £ 1449 4 s . was raised , and of this , £ 1291 14 s . was subscribed for the Benevolent Jubilee . These Returns are in the highest degree creditable , as the Province is mainly agricultural . There are some 40 lodges on the roll of

SURREY , and of these seven took part in Wednesday ' s celebration , the result of their efforts being shown by a total of . £ 253 13 s ., the heaviest list being that of Bro . Hugh Taylor , who represented the Lome Lodge , No . 1347 , and had the satisfaction of obtaining , £ 60 iSs . In February , six lodges , with seven Stewards and an Unattached brother , compiled a total of ^ 17 8 3 s . 6 d . These

Returns reflect great credit upon a Province which , in 1894 , was called upon to support its Provincial Grand Master as Chairman of the Benevolent Festival , and responded loyally by raising . £ 1399 2 s ., the contributions to the Schools augmenting the total for the year to ^ 1673 4 s . 6 "d . In 1893 , the total was . £ 913 3 s . 6 d ., but in 1892 it reached the formidable sum of £ 2817 19 s . 6 d ., the Benevolent Jubilee being benefited to the extent of £ 2148 9 s . 6 d ., and the Girls ' and Boys' Schools with £ 219 and . £ 450 19 s . respectively .

SUSSEX has done exceedingly well thus far . It began in February with a total of contributions to the Benevolent Festival amounting to ^ 320 15 s . 6 d ., there being to out of the 30 lodges in the Province represented . On Wednesday nine lodges took part in the meeting , the Tyrian Lodge , No . 1110 , Eastbourne , having two , and the Stanford LodgeNo . 1947 Hovethree Stewards , while Bro . Thomas

, , , Wickham did duty for the South Down Lodge , No . 1797 , Hurstpierpoint , and the Adur Lodge , No . 2187 Henfield . The total raised by these amounted to £ 418 3 s ., Bro . Dr . Ewart , of the Yarborough , No . 811 , Brighton , being responsible for ; £ 8 i 18 s . As for the contributions during the last four years , they stand very high . In 1891 , 18 93 , and 18 94 , the Boys' School Festival was held at Brighton , and Sussex , as on previous similar occasions , took a prominent part in them ,

while in 18 92 , it subscribed heavily to the Benevolent Jubilee , and the Girls ' School Festival , at which its Prov . G . Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , presided as chairman . The following are the totals for the four years , namely : in 18 91 , ^ 1347 2 S . ; in 1892 , ^ 2227 4 s . ; in 1893 , £ 1234 16 s . ; and in 1894 , £ 1477 ' 7 S . In February last , only one out of the 31 lodges in

WARWICKSHIRE was represented at the Benevolent Festival , the sum to its credit being small , evidently the Steward's own personal donation . On Wednesday , four lodges took part in the Festival , the total of their lists being £ 212 2 S . In 1874 , for the

^ 637 1 6 s . 3 d . was subscribed Institutions , the Benevolent Institution receiving out of it ^ 264 os . 3 d . ; and in 18 93 , £ 530 7 s . 6 d ., out of which the Boys ' School received ^ 325 10 s . ; while in 1892 , it stood as high as ^ 2410 4 s ., of which ; £ 2 i 86 was subscribed for the Benevolent Jubilee . At the Benevolent Festival in February ,

WORCESTERSHIRE was transferred , at the last moment , from the list of absentee Provinces to that of the represented , Bro . T . R . Arter returning £ 42 as an Unattached Steward . At this gathering there were three out of the 13 lodges which furnished Stewards , with Bro . Arter , Unattached , their lists together amounting to / 153 Ss- The total last

year reached £ 193 os . 6 d ., of which . £ 130 os . 6 d . was subscribed for the Old People . In 1893 , the Province confined its attentions to the Schools , and raised for them £ 308 3 s ., while in 1892 , it subscribed in all £ 49 8 Ss . to the three Charities , of which . £ 245 12 s ., or close upon one-half , fell to the share of the Benevolent Jubilee . YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST )

was an absentee from the first Festival of the year , but on Wednesday Bro . Arthur Jones did duty as Steward for the York Lodge , No . 236 , and handed in a list of £ 71 ios . 6 d ., while Bro . Carrick for the Cleveland Lodge , No . 543 , Stokesley , gave in £ 10 10 s ., making the total . £ 82 os . 6 d . We are , therefore , looking forward to this Province , which , be it remarked , musters 32 lodges , taking

a part worthy of itself in the approaching Festival of the Boys' School . In 1894 including £ 301 19 s . subscribed to the Boys' School , its contributions amounted to . £ 441 15 s ; in 18 93 , to . £ 424 4 s . ; and in 1892 , to £ 733 4 s ., of which all but , £ 15 15 s . was raised for the Benevolent Jubilee . Last year the Province of

YORKSHIRE ( WESTERN D IVISION ) exerted itself so successfully , especially in behalf of the Boys' School , at the Festival of which Bro . J ackson , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , occupied the chair , that it was not surprising to find its Returns at the Benevolent Festival last February at the comparatively low figure of ^ 441 , the number of brethren who

acted as Stewards being 16 . On Wednesday it was far more strongly represented , there being 47 Stewards , of whom 17 hailed from the Alfred Lodge , No . 306 , Leeds , which will shortly celebrate the centenary of its constitution , while the total they raised was £ 921 . The total for 1894 , inclusive of the £ 4559 'Ss . raised for the Boys' School Festival , as before noticed , reached . £ 6697 5 s . The Province of GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY ,

was constituted last year , and Bro . J . B . Cockburn , who was then installed Prov . G . Master , figures in the Returns for a personal donation of £ 10 ios . It took no part in the recent Benevolent Festival , nor , indeed , considering the paucity of its lodges , and its remoteness from headquarters , would it be just to expect that it should contribute largely and frequently . However , in 1892 it raised

over £ 240 for the Benevolent Jubilee , and the year following £ 57 ios . for the same institution , and ^ 31 ios . lor the Girls' School . Last year Bro . Cockburn served as Steward for the Old People and the Girls' School , his list on each occasion being limited to his personal donation of , £ 10 ios . One of the nine lodges in the Province of the

ISLE OF MAN sent up a Steward in the person of Bro . George C . Heron , who as representing the St . Germans Lodge , No . 2164 , Peel , compiled a [ list of £ 26 ios . Last year the Province contributed £ 46 4 s . to this Institution , and in 18 93 £ 31 ios . to the Boys'School , while in 1892 it raised £ 52 ios . for the Benevolent Jubilee and