Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

The annual communication of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Market Harborough , on Thursday , the 4 th instant , under the banner of St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 1330 . Bro . Earl Ferrers , the Prov .

Grand Master , unfortunately found it impossible to attend , and Bro . S . S . Partridge , D . P . G . M ., P . A . G . D . C . Eng ., presided in his absence , and was supported by Bro . G . Toller , P . D . P . G . M ., P . G . S . B . Eng ., as acting D . P . G . M . The following Provincial Officers were also present :

Bros . B . A . Smith , M . A ., L . M . M ., P . M . 533 , P . S . G . W . ; J . Healey , P . M . 1330 , P . J . G . W . ; Rev . H . J . Mason , M . A ., P . M . 1146 . Chap . 2028 and 2429 , P . G . Chap . ; G . Oliver , P . M . 1007 , P . G . Treas . ; A . W . Tuck , P . M . 1265 , P . G . Reg . ; E . Holmes , I . P . M . 279 , S . W . 2429 , P . G . Sec ; A . Fergusson , W . M . 1391 , P . J . G . D . ; G . D . Orchard , W . M . 779 , P . G . S . of W . ; C . J . Wilkinson , P . M . 1391 , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Dir .

of Cers . ; H . Howe , I . P . M . 1391 , P . A . G . D . C . ; C . Bennion , W . M . 279 , P . G . Std . Br . j Joseph Johnson , I . P . M . 2028 , P . G . Std . Br . ; Alexander Lawrence , I . P . M . 523 , S . W . 1330 , P . G . Org . j J . Raven , I . P . M . 1007 , P . G . Purst . ; T . B . Neale , W . M . 523 , Edward F . Knight , S . D . 1130 , W . H . Staynes ,, W . M . 20 S 1 , and R . Porter Keates , S . W . 2428 , P . G . Stwds . ; and James Tanser , Tyler 279 , P . G . Tyler .

Each lodge of the province was further represented as follows : Bros . H . Pickering , W . M ., W . D . Grant , S . W ., J . Clifton , Sec , W . Tyler , Stwd ., C . E . Birch , P . P . G . Org ., and W . H . Scott , P . P . G . Org ., Lines ., of 279 ; F . S . Preston , P . M ., Sec , P . P . G . Reg ., J . Adcock Barrs , I . P . M ., and W . S . Fulshaw , S . W ., of 50 ; G . Neighbour , W . M ., L . Staines , Org ., and Rev . R . ! W . Lancaster , Chap ., of 523 ; J . Hassall ,

P . M ., P . P . J . G . D ., and F . G . Boden , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C , of 779 ; C . F . Oliver , W . M ., G . Oliver , P . M ., Treas ., P . P . G . P ., W . Tyler , J . D ., C . L . Oliver , E . V . Oliver , and Haines Walker , Tyler , of 1007 , * W . J . New , P . M ., Sec . 11 3 , P . P . J . G . D . ; T . Coltman , P . M ., P . P . G . Reg ., C . K . Morris , P . M ., P . P . G . Supt . of Wks ., B . Furley , S . W ., and J . W . Scott , W . M . 607 , of 1265 j

W . E . Latimer , W . M ., W . H . Pick , I . P . M ., Treas ., G . Green , P . M ., D . C , P . P . A . G . P . ; H . R . Maynard , P . M . 25 , J , W ., P . L . Rawlins , Sec , W . Richards , J . D ., T . W . Hall , I . G ., W . Bowles and H . G . Coales , Stwds ., J . S . Perkins , H . Day , W . Pollard , and T . Cotton , Tyler , of 1330 ; J . Harrison , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br ., and G . Scampton , of 1391 ; Rev . C . Henton Wood , M . A ., Sec , P . P . S . G . W .,

T . A . Wykes , P . M . 523 , Org ., P . P . S . G . W ., and C Crossley , M . D ., of 1560 ; H . J . Grace , W . M ., A . Green , I . P . M ., Rev . W . Langley , M . A ., P . M ., Chap ., P . P . S . G . W ., F . B . Wilmer , P . M ., Sec , P . P . G . Supt . of Works , j . E . Simpkin , P . M .,

P . P . G . Std . Br ., F . A . Simpkin , and J . George , of 2028 ; W . H . Swingler , P . M . 2081 ; R . Porter Keates , W . M ., and Hon . Paulyn Hastings , I . P . M ., P . M . 779 , P . P . S . G . W . of 2428 ; E . Holmes , W . M ., and J . Mason , 2429 , P . P . S . G . D . ; with other visitors , were also present .

Letters and telegrams expressing regret at inability to be present were received from over 70 brethren , amongst whom were Bros . W . J . Hughan , T . B . Whytehead , R . G . Venables , R . V . Vassar-Smith , J . M . McLeod . P . P . S . G . W . Derby , Sec . R . M . I . B ., F . R . W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . G ., Percy Wallis , and others .

Provincial Grand Lodge having bsen opened , The ACTING PROV . GRAND MASTER , expressed ] the regret of the Prov . Grand Master at his inability to be present , and said he was sure it was as great a disappointment , to the Prov . Grand Master as it was to the brethren . The report of the Com nittee of General Purposes , as reid by Bro . K .

HOLMES , P . G . Sec , showed that on ths 2 _\ U June last there were 722 subscribing brethren in the province ; th it during the year 47 had been initiated and 17 joined , and that 52 had withdrawn , leaving an increase of 12 on the year . Regular lodges held numbered 112 , emergency lodges , eight . The work done included 47 initiations , 45 passings , and 44 raisings , the number

of lod ges in the province being 14 . Special reference was made in the re-P ° rt to the great loss the province has sustained by the death , in August last « Bro . Wm . Kelly , P . P . G . M ., whose exceptional experience and knowledge " 1 all Masonic matters have been so long and so proudly acknowledged

throughout the province . After enumerating the principal Masonic honours which Bro . Kelly gained during his nearly 56 years' Masonic career , the report concludes as follows :

'It is " absolutely impossible to over estimate the beneficial influence which Bro . Kelly ' s unsurpassed knowledge and untiring devotion—which ne ver faltered whilst bodily health permitted—have had upon the manner of

* ° k and progress of Masonry in this Province . In every branch of Masonic work Bro . Kelly took the deepest possible interest ; his authority * "" questioned , and his great worth and lovable naturejwilljjbe long and af 'tctionatel y cherished by all who knew him . "

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

The report of the Provincial Charity Committee was read by the Hon . Secretary , Bro . B . A . SMITH , M . A ., P . S . G . W . It particularly referred to the claims of the local candidate , R . G . Boden ( who has since bsen elected second on the list ) , for the approaching election of the Royal M isonic Institution for Boys , and proceeded to state th it in arl . H i m ¦ •> mi 1 ¦< s . i-n ^ , •£ 25 had been granted in each case to two U-.-c . il t > re . hr .: n m ili-, u .-.- ; . i-i . l

t hat at the last Festival of the R > jal Mi-oivo lusmu-i . m for ( . " ml-., the Prov . Grand Cna'ity Steward , Bro . Jonn Ha risou , h d prcs-iiK . d * list amounting to . £ 326 lis ., which had been supplemented by li-. is . Jo n Hassall and R . Porter Keates , serving Stewardship ; also th it B < -. i . J . Herbert Marshall had served as Steward at the Festival of the Roy . il Masonic Benevolent Institution last February , and at that of the R iyal

Masonic Institution for Boys in June . The total amount contributed by the province during the year to the several Masonic Charities being . £ 401 is . Bro . George Oliver , P . G . Treas ., submitted his accounts for me ensuing year , which showed a balance in hand on the general fund of £ 79 193 , 7 d . ( and ^ 14 4 s . 1 id . on the Charity Fund . Bro . Oliver was heartily thanked for his services , and was unanimously re-elected as Prov . Grand Treasurer .

The Acting Prov . Grand Master then appointed the following brethren as Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year : Bro . John Hassall , P . M . 779 ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Walter J . New , P . M . 1130 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . H . J . Mason , B . A ., P . M . 1146 , Chap . 2429 •> Prov G Ch ,, Rev . R . W . Lancaster , M . A ., Chap . 523 ... J ' "

„ George Oliver , P . M . 1007 ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ Frank Winterton , I . P . M . 1560 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ E . Holmes , P M . 279 , W . M . 2429 .., ... Prov . G . Sec . „ G . C . Oliver , P . M . 1007 ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ W . H . Pick , I . P . M . 1330 ... ... Prov . J . G . D .

„ W . E . Latimer , W . M . 1330 ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ C . J . Wilkinson , P . M . 1391 , P . P . S . G . W . ... Prov . G . D . C . „ W . H . Swingler , P . M . 2081 ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ T . B . Neale , I . P . M . 523 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ A . Green , I . P . M . 2028 ... ... ¦¦ ¦ ID r C . J r > ^ r 1 * a * •r n * w o f Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ W . H . Staines . I . P . M . 2081 ... ... )

„ Lawrence Staynes , Org . 523 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Frank Birch , I . P . M . 1007 ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ J . A . Barrs , I . P . M . 50 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst .

„ David Ward , W . M . 50 ... ... .. „ G . Neighbour , W . M . 523 ... ... „ John Price , W . M . 779 ... ... ... 1 „ C . F . Oliver , W . M . 1007 fProv * G * Stwds *

„ B . Furley , S . W . 1265 ... „ A . F . Rawson , D . C . 2028 ... ... „ J . Tanser , Tyler 279 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution is the Charity to which the province will specially contribnte this year , and Bro . MASON , of that Institution , who was present , specially advocated its claims to the brethren . At the close of his address , Bro . H . Howe , P . M . 1391 , was unanimously elected Charity Steward for the year .

The next item of business was the consideration of a proposition submitted by the Acting Prov . Grand Mister as the raising of a memorial in the province to Bro . Kelly . The greatest interest was sh m , \ by ail present in this matter , and after a considerable discussion as to the form of the

memorial , it was unanimously determined thit a memorial should be raised , but lhat its precise form should be determined by the Committee of General Purposes . The P . G . SECRKTARV then read an extract from the will of Bro . Kelly , in which he bequeathed to the Provincial Grand Master for the time being the gold chain of office and jewel worn by the late Lord Howe , as D . G . M .

of the United Grand Lodge of England , also as P . G . M . of Warwickshire and Leicestershire , which Lord Howe had presented to Bro . Kelly , and which Bro . Kelly wore whilst P . G . M . of Leicestershire and Rutland . Bro . Kelly also bequeathed to Provincial G . * an 1 L idg-j a silver loving cup , which the brethren of the Rutland L > dge , No . 1130 , had presence ! to h . m i . i 1867 . The chain , jewel , and cup were formally prcsente 1 by trie P . G Treasurer 10

the Acting Prov . Grand Master , and received by him in the name of Provincial Grand Lodge . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . The annual banquet took place at the Three Swans Hotel , Market Harborough . Bro . S . S . Partridge , D . P . G . M ., Acting Prov . Grand Master , presided , and was supported by a very large number of provincial brethren .