The History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls

Quarterly Court in April , 1832 , hoAvever , two resolutions were tllC d for one of which , at all events , tho occcasional difficulty in P f ^ i ' nff the services of brethren to act as SteArards shoAved there wme necessity . This was to the effect that " any Gentleman ^•lo- the office of Steward at the Anniversary Festival of the / -f T ^ itv and at the same time making a Donation of ten guineas to 1 funds of the Institution , " should in future have " tAVO A * otes as T f Governor at all elections of children into the School . " The

SJU- V , . . 4-1 . ^ C ^ .. l . r ... 4-l . r . . m nm . r . lna ^ . r / iiirt TVinTO TnlTUdlYlTlC fl er resolution was that Avhen the vacancies Avere more numerous + 11 ii the candidates , the Quarterly Court should have power to put n thc List for election " any child who is upwards of seven years U ? „™ -nrovided such child shall be recommended by the General Ot age , y _ . i __ A n ••_ J 11- —„ -C the October hter ot

, Committee . " In following , Agnes Ruspini a daug Bro Bladen Ruspini , and granddaughter of the founder , Avas one of ne children elected into thc school without ballot , while at the Ti-ril Court , 1833 , Bro . Dr . Crucefix , who afterwards did good service lo the School , appeared for the hrst time on thc scene as a Life

Other changes in the regulations for the admission of candidates were made about this time , and at the Quarterly Court in October , 1836 a neAV laAv was passed to the effect that " before any child can

be admitted into the School , two respectable Housekeepers or the Churchwardens or Overseers of the Parish to Avhich the child belongs must engage in writing that such child in case of scrofulous , dangerous , or infectious sickness , or being found

deficient in intellect shall be removed , or in case of death shall be buried at thc expense of the parties undertaking , or their representatives , and free of every expense to the Institution . " It Avas also about the same period that it Avas resolved

to aAvard prizes at the public examination of the children , and it Avas aoreed that the articles made by them should be sold and the proceeds app lied to this object . But Avhat chiefly engaged the attention of the authorities Avas the large outlay they found it necessary to

incur in order to place the School-building in a thorough state of repair . At a Special House Committee on the 3 rd July , 1834 , it Avas reported that thc foundations of the structure—which had been erected in 1795—Avere insecure . Further special meetings of the

same body Avere held in order to inquire into the facts , and at the Quarterly Court on the 10 th July authority Avas given to the House Committee to proceed with the repairs . What was immediately

necessary Avas undertaken forthwith , and subsequently the more costly work , which alone Avas estimated to involve an outlay of £ 1200 . But concurrently Avith this arose the question of Avays

and means . His Royal Highness the Grand Master Avas -written to on the subject , but as Messrs . Rider and Son , to Avhom the Avork had been entrusted , would necessarily look for payments on account from time to time , a loan Avas arranged Avith Messrs . Williams

and Co ., the bankers , of £ 500 at once , and a further £ 500 it required . Other steps also were taken . Those Present and Past Grand Officers Avho had not been Stewards at any Festival of the Institution were invited to act as such . At the Annual Court in April , 1835 , it Avas

" Resolved that every Life Governor be entitled to tAVO extra votes in respect of each additional Ten Guineas subscribed after this period . " The Craft generally were appealed to ; the advice of the Duke of Sussex was asked as to " the best manner of immediately

memorialising their Majesties the Patron and Patroness , as also their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria , in aid of the Funds of the Charity , " and ultimately the matter Avas brought to the notice of Grand Lodge , Avith the result that at the Quarterly

Communication in June , 1837 , it Avas resolved to advance the sum of ¦ 61500 as " a graduated loan "to the Institution in order to free it irom the encumbrances caused by the extensive repairs which it had been obliged to have carried out , and which ultimately amounted to from £ 2500 to £ 3000 . Thus , when the Jubilee Festival was fast

approaching , the Institution was considerably in debt in respect of its current expenditure , though at the same time it is necessary to point out that it had standing to its credit between £ 13 , 000 and £ 14 , 000 wv-eriiment stock , which tlie " poAvers that bo" had thought it advisable to leave undisturbed .

V ery little else that is Avorthy of record occurred Avhile the AA * ork ° t repair . Avas in progress , but in June , 1837 , a second daughter of ro . Bladen Ruspini Avas approved as a candidate , and at the Quarterl y Court immediately following it Avas agreed that , as the lumber

of children—65—was complete and only one vacancy ouic' occur betAveen then and tlie time appointed for the next ection , the girl Jesse Ruspini should be admitted upon the establishment on the occurrence of the said vacancy . Early in 1838 , T > ( TT 'uu vJAi- uitu uu ^ uiicnuu UJ . uiiu & tuu v iiutuiuy . JJIU - in xuuu ,

lvil ' - i P ' . Secretary , AVIIO had expressed a wish to resign , and ' ; ^ his resignation in suspense since December , 1836 , again ar- u P the Committee to comply Avith his Avish , and it Avas JW - 7 ^ * ^ successor should be appointed Avhen the Jubilee

tlie C ^ ^ eetl ce lebrated . As regards this important anniversary , full lnintl * themselves vouchsafe but little information ; but a very j ' 1 pl- . 0 l't was published in the Freemasons' Quarterly lieview , and j .,, 1 r * we learn that it Avas a very great success . The chair Avas . ' ,, Pi Bro . Lord Wm-shw . M . P . —M . ftp . vwards Far ! nf Yarhornno-h

of tl l-f 1101 , Grand Warden of the year , in the unavoidable absence ^ 'liat i + i 6 ° Sussex > M . W . G . M . ; the Board of Stewards mustered tlio ' o'i 4 e C ^ ays w as the very large number of 57 brethren ; and % f ^ „ Present were upwards of 300 ; while , most important of all , * ° aboi tinn a ^ . anc ^ subscriptions Avas announced as amounting Hie 1 W r i ? 'l ™ eas ' l ° se ou " 6400 in excess of the proceeds at Coi U'sc ' of ° ^ }^ ' •' •t should bo further pointed out that , in the ou c of the principal speeches from tho chair , it was a luted

The History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls

that in the period of 50 years which had elapsed from its foundation , the School had trained and educated some 500 children , and that Avith but very feAV exceptions , all those Girls , on going forth into the Avorld , had become useful members of society . We may be sure that a statement so satisfactory Avas calculated to ensure a continuance

oi that support whicli m the past had been so generously accorded by the Craft , and Avith such evidence of its usefulness to encourage them , it is not surprising that the Freemasons of this country should have since enlarged the borders of the Institution and raised it to the important position it noAV occupies among our middle-class schools . ( To be continued . )

History Of No. 76, Winchester.

HISTORY OF No . 76 , WINCHESTER .

BY BRO . VV . J . HUGHAN . I am always glad to welcome new Lodge Histories , and therefore rejoice to greet that of No . 76 , Lodge of Economy , Winchester , the Historian being Bro . T . Stopher , who served as Master in 1868 , and was again installed in 18 S 7 . As one of the senior members of No . 76 , the author is well qualified to Avrite about the eventful past , and all zealous brothers Avill join with him in the Avords of the Dedication , that the information the "

Extracts " contain " will increase the interest of the members in the old lodge , and will add to its popularity and prosperity . " A copy of the Avarrant introduces the History proper . The document is a curious one , being really a re-issue of April , 7 , 1801 . A note below states that "This is the only known instance under the Grand Lodge of the Ancients , of a renewal or confirmation of a warrant , " but as a matter of fact there were numerous

renewals . The singularity , however , of this Charter is , that it is an exact copy of the original , granted 29 th January , 1761 , in consequence of the first issue "having been burnt . " In all other cases that I know of , when the originals have been lost , a new warrant was granted , dated the day of the later issue , the date of the original being in the S . W . corner . In this instance the . dates are exactly reversed , and hence its special character .

The number of the lodge was 88 until the Union of December , 1813 , but the records , unfortunately , are lost prior to December 27 , 1802 . There are several references to " Passing the Chair" in order to qualify for the Royal Arch , and on January 13 , 1803 , it was agreed to petition " the Lodge at Southampton ( doubtless the present No . 130 ) , in favour of a brother being exalted to that Degree . The usual notices also of " Moderns " being made

" Ancients" are to be found in the minutes . A member of No . 129 , Sunderland (" Modern , " now 97 ) , was proposed "to become an Entered Apprentice Mason of Lodge 88 , " and on November 17 , 1810 , quite a number of brethren attended as visitors , " belonging to the Lodge the Great Orient of France , prisoners of war . " The R . A . is termed " super-excellent Degree , " on June 24 , 1811 , and the brethren purchased the jewels of

" Lodgeof Fellowship , " No . 584 , held at that time apparently in Winchester [ 1812 ] , but Bro . Stopher appears to me rather to confuse this lodge with No . 216 , * "Lodge of Friendship" (?) , held in East Devon Militia , which , according to Bro . Lane , was erased in 1835 . - } - The 584 referred to became 602 in 1814 , and from then to now has assembled from

time to time at Lymmgton , being possibly to all intents and purposes anew lodge in 1814 , though holding the original warrant of 1799 . The minute respecting the blessed union is most expressive , but too long to quote now . It Avas hailed " with heartfelt joy , " and the Secretary concluded wilh the prayer that the event may incline " the hearts of all Masons to live in brotherly love one with another , "

The lodge attended the installation of Sir W . C . de Cressigny , as Prov . G . M . of Hants ; H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex occupying the chair . Thirtyfour members of " Economy " were present on that occasion . On the day that H . R . H ., the venerable Grand Master , was to be buried , the members went to the Cathedral " to attend Divine Service as a last tribute to their

beloved Ruler . On January 29 , 1861 , the Centenary of the Lodge was celebrated , and a letter was read from Bro . W . G . Clarke , G . Sec , stating that the " Board " was satisfied with the evidence submitted to prove continuity of the lodge . Sir Lucius Curtis , Prov . G . M . of Hants , and other Masonic dignitaries , were present in honour of the occasion . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . ( now the senior member of No . 76 ) , being one of the number as P . Prov . S . G . W , As we all know that esteemed and zealous R . W . Brother is now Prov . G . M .

of the Province , and has acted in that capacity , with an ever increasing number of lodges and members , from the year 1869 . Valuable tables complete the History , giving votes for the " Charities " and the names of all the members from 1801 to 1887 , in alphabetical order , also the roll of officers for the same period , and a list of the subscribing members for the year 1887 , being 75 in number , tAvo " corresponding members" and one honorary .

The balance sheet also appended is of a most satisfactory character , both for the regular lodge account and the Benevolent Fund , the latter having over £ 200 invested and a substantial balance on the current statement . The tasty brochure was printed by Bro . J . T . Doswell , who has done his part in a most creditable manner , my only regret being that so few copies being printed , the demand already has exceeded the supply .

I am surprised , however , not to find any reference to the centenary warrant granted by the Earl of Zetland , M . W . G . M ., May 9 th , 1862 . This gives the right to the subscribing members to wear at all Masonic meetings a jewel of special design . This is a privilege conferred on but few lodges , the charter for the favour being agreed to apparently before any fee was fixed for the favour . Since then the cost has been one guinea , and from 1867 five guineas .

Owing possibly to No . 76 not having promptly paid the fee , fixed after its warrant was agreed to , just as with others similarly situated , its centenary warrant was not noted in the Grand Lodge Calendar for 1881 , which was the first to give the letter "C" before each lodge so distinguished . It , however , is so marked in the editions published for 1886 and subsequently . The lodge will be found in my " Masonic Register , " 1878 , as entitled to a special centenary jewel .

In conclusion , I should like to refer to the date of the original warrant as being 29 th May , 1761 , not January , as the copy states of 1801 . It is not of much consequence , only that it explains the difference as to date in the warrant of 1801 and the centenary warrant of 1862 .