Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

SUMMARY OF THE PROVINCES .

£ s . d . Perkshire 194 5 0 Buckinghamshire 171 4 ° Cambridgeshire 10 10 o Cheshire no 5 o Cornwall 68 s o Cumbei land and Westmoreland 10 ID O Derbyshire 327 7 ° Devonshire 35 i ° ° Dorsetshire 72 9 o Durham 5 2 I 0 ° Essex 303 n ° Gloucestershire 2 S 6 i . S o Hampshire and Isle of Wight .. 153 fi fi Hertfordshire 399 7 ° Kent ... 219 19 ° Lancashire ( East Division ) ... 250 15 o ,, ( West Division ) ... 224 14 o Leicestershire and Rutland ... 320 5 o 1 S 2 STEWARDS—LONDON 213 STEWARDS—PROVINCES

£ s . d . Middlesex 260 S o Monmouthshire 34 6 10 o Norfolk no 5 o Northants and Hunis 7 S 10 o North Wales 68 5 o Oxfordshire 51 7 r > Shropshire 176 8 o South Wales ( East Division ) ... 1050 o o Staffordshire 225 5 o Suffolk 227 10 o Surrey 622 7 C Sussex 205 9 6 Warwickshire 210 o o Worcestershire ... 199 10 o Yorkshire ( North and East ) ... 127 15 o „ ( West ) 120 o o Jersey 241 10 o I Foreign Stations 126 10 o £ 8083 2 6 7943 4 o

GRAND TOTAL ... ... £ 16 , 026 6 6 Lord LLANGATTOCK : I had no intention of saying another word , but I cannot help saying another word — "Magnificent . " I thank you all in the name of the School for the magnificent subscription you have given to it . I think there is a special

blessing attending this Girls' School . I only hope I may live to see it have a pVrmanent income of £ 10 , 000 , when I think we may all be happy . We want to be readv against any bad times , there may be bad times ; there may be illnesses in England , and we want to be free from ill . Some day we may not get such magnificent subscriptions as these .

Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . Treas ., proposed " The Other Masonic Charities , " in p lace of Bro . C . E . Keyser , who had left . He congratulated the Chairman en the splendid result of the present meeting ; it was beyond his anticipation . He felt that whatever the brethren did they were capable of still greater things in the future . They had worked magnificently . During this year , over which they had not got yet , it was astonishing that notwithstanding the number of subscriptions they were called upon for in

every direction , these collections should be so large . It was wonderful where the money came from . But they were well delighted with the result . He appealed for assistance fortVe Boys' School . They all desired the greatest amount of good for that Institution , which was always in their memory . Masons had also another Institution—that of the Aged , of which Bro . James Terry was Secretary . He thought Bro . Terry had swept the board when he got £ \ g 100 with the Duke of Connaught in the chair ; but yet

they had got more than / iG . ooo for the Girls that night . He hoped there was still a large sum left for the Boys' School . Bro . J . M . MCLEOD responded . Bro . MARMADUKE TENNANT proposed " The Stewards , " who had by their noble efforts gathered togther such an amount as the brethren had heard announced . Lord Llangattock had said many kind words with regard to him , but he ( Bro . Tennant ) wished to disabuse their minds upon one point , viz . —he had nothing whatever to do with the large amount which had been sent up in his province .

Bro . EDWARD TERRY , P . G . T ., acknowledged the toast , and the brethren then adjourned to the Temple , where they were presided over by Lord Llangattock , who had Lady Llangattock on his right , and a grand concert was g iven under the direction of Bro . Franklin Clive , by the following performers : Miss Esther Palliser ( prima donna Royal Italian Opera , Covent Garden ) , Miss Florence Bethell , Miss Ethel Bevans , and Miss Lydia Care ; Bros . Heibert Grover , Reginald Groome , Robert Grice , Franklin Clive , and Frederic Upton , humourist ; at the piano and organ—Bro . Turle Lee , and Mr . Richard Walthew .

The foundation of the badge is the square and compasses , and upon this are placed the arms and crest of the Chairman , Lord Llangattock , enamelled in correct colours . Uupon each side appears a shield , that on the left contains the Prince of Wales's plume and feathers , and that on the right the arms of the Principality of Wales . The upper part of badge is formed by the mantling

flowing from the helmet , whilst at the base appear two scrolls , embracing a ribbon , bearing the motto— " Celeritas et Veritas . " The hanger is of white ribbon , having a top-bar composed of two leeks , in saltire , and showing a white enamelled scroll , with the word "Steward . " The bottom bar is an ornamental double scroll bearing R . M . I . G . 1897 . The above jewel was specially designed and manufactured by Bros . George Kenning and Son ,

Analysis Of The Returns.

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .

There can be no question , as we point out elsewhere , as to the result of the Girls' School Festival on Wednesday having exceeded the general expectation , and hence we experience the greater pleasure in examining the Returns . The Board of Stewards numbered 395 , or within only a few of the record Board of last year , and the total of the Donations antl Subscriptions obtained by their efforts was ^ 16 , 026 Gs . Cd ., this being the second highest Return ever announced

at the Festivals in behalf of this Institution , the Centenary Festival in [ 838 being alone excepted . Towards this result London , represented by 182 Stewards , contributed . £ 808 3 as . Cd ., and the Provinces , with 213 Stewards , the sum of . £ 7943 4 s ., the general result as compared with that of last year , when the Earl of Yarborough , Prov . G . Master of Lincolnshire presided , being in favour of the present occasion by ratber more than , £ Coo .

LONDON . as we have said contributed . £ 808 3 2 s . fid ., by the hands of 182 Stewards , the lists ranging from . £ 100 upwards being as follows , Bro . George Pidduck , W . M ., of the Woodgrange Lodge , No . 2409 , securing the place of honour with . £ 233 . For the second place Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton , a member of the House Committee , and representing the Lodge of Fellowship , No . 2535 , and Bro . Frank Richardson of the House Committee , tied with the excellent total of . £ 210 , Bro . J . B . Cleave ,

W . M . Marciano Lodge , No . 2 G 4 S , standing next with . £ 182 14 s . Then we have our worthy Bro . W . A . Scurrah , P . G . Std . Br ., handing in a list of . £ 170 . Bro . H . Hyde , Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , with £ 157 ios . ; Bro . Charles Davis , W . M ., Great Northern Lodge , No . 12 S 7 , with £ 152 15 s . ; and then Bro . W . J . Mason , W . M . Tivoli Lodge , No . 2150 , with £ 141 15 s . Bro . F . C . Van Duzer , as Steward for the Canterbury Lodge , No . 1635 , of which he is W . M . elect , and Columbia Lodge , No . 2397 , of which he is W . M ., had the pleasure of returning

^ 135 , while Bro . G . Scott Miller , W . M . of the Old Boys' Lodge , No . 2500 , is entered for ; £ t 3 o , including his own personal donation of 45 guineas . Bro . J . Barrett , Old Concord Lodge , No . 172 , is entered for . £ 127 is . Bro . J . A . Witthaus , W . M . of the Barnet Lodge , No . 2509 , with seven brethren ot the same lodge , returned £ 126 , and the same amount , including a personal donation of 50 guineas , and 50 guineas from the Supreme Council , 33 , comes from Bro . A . H . Bevan , who , not for the first time ,

rep resented the Friends-in-Council Lodge , No . 13 S 3 . Bro . James Tollworthy , of the Guardian Lodge , No . 2625 , which was only consecrated on the 15 th January of the present year , and Bro . G . H . Porter , Nelson Lodge , No . 700 , were each of them successful in raising , £ 120 15 s . Bro . Capt . G . Morrison , of the Cheerybles Lodge , No . 2466 , figures for £ 115 10 s ., and Bro . P . Saillard , of La France Lodge , No , 2060 , for £ 115 , of which 65 guineas has the personal donation of Bro . Saillard himself . Bro . James Lawson , Loyalty Lodge , No . 1607 , raised . £ 111 16 s .,

and Bro . J . H , Collingridge , Crusaders Lodge , No . 16 77 , £ 110 5 s ., while the four following brethren close the array each with a list of . £ 105 , namely , Bro . Charles Hammerton , of the House Committee ; Bro . T . N . Morris , W . M . Domatic Lodge , No . 177 ; Bro . O . Heinemann , Royal Kensington Lodge , No . 1627 ; and Bro . Alderman W . Vaughan Morgan , Unattached , the list being , in fact , his own personal donation . This is a somewhat longer array than usual of lists exceeding ; £ ioo . The following have also done well : Bro . Walter Dennis , Albion Lodge , No . b ,

. £ 75 ; Bro . H . Rapken , Mount Moriah Lodge , No . 34 , . £ 80 15 s . ; Bro . John Davidson , Vitruvian Lodge , No . 87 , £ go ; Bros . Rippin and Williams , Lion and Lamb Lodge , No . 192 , , £ 76 ; Bro . H . Whitney , Finsbury Lodge , No . 861 , . £ 70103 . ; Bro . W . H . H . Jessop , Buckingham and Chandos Lodge , No . 1150 , , £ 73 105 . ; Bro . Ralph Glutton , of the House Committee , representing St Peter's Lodge , Westminster , No . 1537 , . £ 85 is . ; Bro . Schifferdecker , of the Clarendon Lodge , No .

2769 , ; £ Sg 3 s . ; Hro . James Randall , Evening Star Lodge , No . 1719 , ^ 94 ios . ; Bro . Henry Yates , Avondale Lodge , No . 2395 , and Bro . A . J . Thomas , Eccentric Lodge , No . 2488 , each with £ 73 ios . to his credit ; and Bro . Sir George D . Harris , London , County Council Lodge , No . 2603 , w '' n £ l & ' 5 - All these brethren must have worked hard to obtain their lists , and we congratulate them , one and all , on their success .

It is now time that we gave our attention to THE PROVINCES , of which 35 , with a few outlying Stations , were represented by 213 Stewards , and raised together . £ 7943 4 s . The following 11 Provinces , comprising in all 153 lodges , took no part in tbe proceedings ; but their absence is , in nearly every instance , excusable . Thus BEDFORDSHIRE ( seven lodges ) figured in the Returns at the recent Benevolent Festival for £ 66 3 s ., while last year it raised

£ 42 for the Old People and this Institution . In 18 95 the Old People and '' Our Boys" had £ 148 is . apportioned between them , in the proportion oi about five parts to the former and two to the latter ; in 18 94 all three Institutions participated in the benefits the Province was able to confer , a sum of . £ 238 gs . being shared amongst them , while in 18 93 the sum raised was . £ 183 17 s . Cd ., and in 1892 —for the Benevolent and Girls' Institution— . £ 152 5 s . BRISTOL ( nine lodges ) has done nothing since 1895 , when it raised ; £ io ios . for the Benevolent Institution ,

and , £ 107 8 s . for the Boys' School . In 1894 it was very successful in its support of the Girls' School , for which it compiled the large total of £ 44 1 , giving a few weeks later £ 16 16 s . to the Boys' School , while in 1892 and 18 91 it favoured the latter Institution , and in those two years raised for it as much as £ 911 . HEREFORDSHIRE ( five lodges ) , is in its usual place—among the absentees , while LINCOLNSHIRE ( 24 lodges ) , is there by way of a rest after the handsome part it played last year in supporting this Institution , whilst its Prov . G . Master , Bro . the

EarJ of Yarborough , occupied the chair , and the Province subscribed . £ 1500 . Moreover , it was in the Benevolent Returns in February for ; £ io ios . ; NORTHUMBERLAND ( 28 lodges ) , was represented at the Benevolent Festival for £ 3 6 15 s ., while at the Girls' School Festival , in May , 18 95 , it raised , by Bro . Richard Holmes , P . G . T ., D . P . G . M ., no less than . £ 2315 5 s ., and in the following June , . £ 106 18 s . for the the Boys'School . Last year it raised £ 52 ios . for this Institution . NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ( 18 lodges ) took part in the Benevolent Festival in February , when an

Unattached Steward raised . £ 78 93 ., while last year it supported this Institution to the extent of £ 232 4 s ., and the Boys' Institution , with , £ 163 2 s ., and in 18 95 the Old People received , £ 107 12 s . fid ., and the Boys' School . £ 166 19 s . We must confess to being somewhat surprised at the absence of SOMERSETSHIRE ( 26 lodges ) , from the two Festivals that have been held this year , especially as in 18 9 6 , it contented itself with raising £ 3 6 15 s . for " Our Girls , " and , £ 87 3 s . for " Our Boys , " or together , only £ 123 18 s . Of course , we bear in mind that in 1895 , when Bro .

Viscount Dungarvan , Prov . G . Master , presided at the Old People ' s Festival , it loyally supported his lordship and raised no less than £ 1657 17 s . 6 d . for that Institution , the smaller sums it contributed to the two School Festivals , augmenting the year ' s total to £ 1745 3 s . 7 d .. We are also influenced by somewhat similar feelings in respect of SOUTH WALES , WESTERN DIVISION , not because it is by any means a strong Province , for it has only 10 lodges on its roll , but because the Chairman on Wednesday was the Prov . G . Master of its immediate neighbour

South Wales , Eastern Division , and the two are so intimately associated that we imagined a little help , if only out of neighbourly affection , might have been forthcoming on this occasion . Hdwevcr , last year it subscribed X 210 for this Institution ; in 18 95 , . £ 239 19 s . Cd . for the Boys' School ; and in 1894 , . £ 154 12 s . We shall doubtless , therefore , hear of it next month as taking part in the Boys ' School Festival . WILTSHIRE ( II lodges ) , fulfilled its part in February when it contributed , £ 205 to the Benevolent Institution , this Institution having had its