Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Bro. Col. Le Gender A. Starkie, Prov. G.M. East Lancashire.
Bro . Col . Le Gender A . Starkie , Prov . G . M . East Lancashire .
East Lancashire is so strong and influential a province that the addition to its roll of one or two new lodges , though an event which is always worthy of being celebrated , is not calculated to affect its position generally . But the Centurion has been ushered into existence under circumstances of so special a character , that
it is not surprising our East Lancashire brethren should have assembled in such unprecedented numbers on the occasion of its consecration . Nor can we picture to ourselves that the very natural desire on the part of the brethren to assist at so important
a function as the consecration of a new lodge was the only or even the chief inducement on their part to be present . On the contrary , it is no flattery to suggest that one of the principal reasons why the East Lancashire Craftsmen mustered so numerously at this meeting was that it afforded them an unlocked for
opportunity to exhibit their respect and reverence for a distinguished brother , who has presided over them
vvith conspicuous success for close on 20 years , and who , in the case of this particular lodge , occupies the
position of principal founder and first Worshipful Master . This alone will , in great measure , account for
the meeting at Manchester , on the 15 th instant , having been so largely attended , and
the enthusiasm displayed so great . But , whatever the reason , there is no denying that the Masonic career of
Bro . Col . Starkie has been a brilliant one , and that the services he has rendered to Freemasonry generally , and to
East Lancashire in particular , have been both many and great . So at all events we judge from the following record . Bro . Col . Le Gendre
N . Starkie was initiated in the St . George ' s Lodge , No . 32 , Liverpool , on 22 nd Sept ., 18 58 , and on the 15 th
Oct ., i 860 , was exalted in the Jerusalem Chapter , No . 32 , Liverpool . H ' aving served as Warden and Master of
the former , and having filled the three Principals' chairs in the latter , he had the honour of being appointed Provincial Senior Grand Warden of West Lancashire — within the limits of which he had
been initiated , and over which his father , the late Bro . Le Gendre N . Starkie , had been appointed to preside as Provincial Grand Master in 1826—and Prov . G . H . in its Provincial Grand Chapter , in 1868 our then Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , in recognition of Bro . Starkie ' s merits in the two branches of
Constitut ional Masonry , conferred on him the collar of Junior wand Warden of England , and about 10 days or a fortni ght later made him Grand Scribe N . of the Supreme Grand Chapter . Two years later he was appointed Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent
of East Lancashire , and since that time has spared no effort "i order to promote its interests . He has had the good fortune to gather about him men who were in every way capable of assisting him in his duties , and thanks to him as its president and the loyal aid of its Provincial Grand Officers , East Lancashire has very materiall y strengthened its position during the
Bro. Col. Le Gender A. Starkie, Prov. G.M. East Lancashire.
last 20 years . Its lodges have increased in number by some 25 , and several chapters have been added to the roll of Provincial Grand Chapter . Above all , in 18 75 , there was started under the auspices of Bro . Col . Starkie a local Charitable Institution known as the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Benevolent
and Educational Association , which in the 14 years that have since elapsed has done an incalculable amount of good in relieving the distress of local brethren and their families . Of this organisation , which has an invested capital of about £ 8 , 500 ,
Bro . Col . Starkie is President and Patron , as well as one of the Trustees . It is also under his auspices that the province has contributed so generously towards the support of the three general Masonic Charitable Institutions . It had alread y distinguished itself under his worth y predecessor , the late Bro . Stephen Blair ,
by the support it gave to the Boys' School in 186 9 , and , though there are only one or two occasions on which it
has attempted to rival that particular effort , a contingent of Stewards from some of its lodges is always to be found in
the Festival Stewards ' Returns in aid of our three Charities . Its greatest success in this respect was achieved
in 1879 , when Bro . Starkie very generously gave his services as Chairman at the Festival of the Royal
Masonic Benevolent Institution , and the province contributed upwards of £ 3500 , or about onefourth of the total
contributed by London and the provinces generally . It also figured very prominently in the Returns in aid of the
same Institution for 1888 , when some £ 2800 vvas raised in commemorationof the Queen ' s Jubilee the previous
summer ; and there was a good round sum subcribed at the Girls ' Centenary Festival , so that the province has
been impartial as well as generous , being influenced no doubt in this particular by the
example of their Provincial Grand Master , who is a Vice-Patron
of all three Charities , and has given to each the benefit of his assistance as Steward . There are two other branches of our Masonic system in vvhich Bro . Col . Starkie has won distinction almost as great as in Craft and Arch Masonry . Lie was appointed Senior Grand Warden
of the Mark Grand Lodge in 18 73 , having been advanced in the Blair Lodge , No . 113 , Haslingden , in 1870 ; while in the Ancient and Accepted Rite , he is a member and Past M . W . S . of the Palatine Chapter of Rose Croix , No . 7 , Manchester , and somewhat recently has been made a member of the Supreme Council , 33 , of
that Rite . He joined the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , in 18 73 , and is a member of other lodges and bodies of various degrees , while the Starkie Lodge , No . 16 34 , Ramsbottom , East Lancashire , like the Starkie Lodge , No . 1070 ,
Southport , in West Lancashire , will , we trust , perpetuate not only his name but also the memory of the many great services he has rendered to the Craft in both the Masonic divisions of the great count y of Lancashire ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Bro. Col. Le Gender A. Starkie, Prov. G.M. East Lancashire.
Bro . Col . Le Gender A . Starkie , Prov . G . M . East Lancashire .
East Lancashire is so strong and influential a province that the addition to its roll of one or two new lodges , though an event which is always worthy of being celebrated , is not calculated to affect its position generally . But the Centurion has been ushered into existence under circumstances of so special a character , that
it is not surprising our East Lancashire brethren should have assembled in such unprecedented numbers on the occasion of its consecration . Nor can we picture to ourselves that the very natural desire on the part of the brethren to assist at so important
a function as the consecration of a new lodge was the only or even the chief inducement on their part to be present . On the contrary , it is no flattery to suggest that one of the principal reasons why the East Lancashire Craftsmen mustered so numerously at this meeting was that it afforded them an unlocked for
opportunity to exhibit their respect and reverence for a distinguished brother , who has presided over them
vvith conspicuous success for close on 20 years , and who , in the case of this particular lodge , occupies the
position of principal founder and first Worshipful Master . This alone will , in great measure , account for
the meeting at Manchester , on the 15 th instant , having been so largely attended , and
the enthusiasm displayed so great . But , whatever the reason , there is no denying that the Masonic career of
Bro . Col . Starkie has been a brilliant one , and that the services he has rendered to Freemasonry generally , and to
East Lancashire in particular , have been both many and great . So at all events we judge from the following record . Bro . Col . Le Gendre
N . Starkie was initiated in the St . George ' s Lodge , No . 32 , Liverpool , on 22 nd Sept ., 18 58 , and on the 15 th
Oct ., i 860 , was exalted in the Jerusalem Chapter , No . 32 , Liverpool . H ' aving served as Warden and Master of
the former , and having filled the three Principals' chairs in the latter , he had the honour of being appointed Provincial Senior Grand Warden of West Lancashire — within the limits of which he had
been initiated , and over which his father , the late Bro . Le Gendre N . Starkie , had been appointed to preside as Provincial Grand Master in 1826—and Prov . G . H . in its Provincial Grand Chapter , in 1868 our then Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , in recognition of Bro . Starkie ' s merits in the two branches of
Constitut ional Masonry , conferred on him the collar of Junior wand Warden of England , and about 10 days or a fortni ght later made him Grand Scribe N . of the Supreme Grand Chapter . Two years later he was appointed Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent
of East Lancashire , and since that time has spared no effort "i order to promote its interests . He has had the good fortune to gather about him men who were in every way capable of assisting him in his duties , and thanks to him as its president and the loyal aid of its Provincial Grand Officers , East Lancashire has very materiall y strengthened its position during the
Bro. Col. Le Gender A. Starkie, Prov. G.M. East Lancashire.
last 20 years . Its lodges have increased in number by some 25 , and several chapters have been added to the roll of Provincial Grand Chapter . Above all , in 18 75 , there was started under the auspices of Bro . Col . Starkie a local Charitable Institution known as the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Benevolent
and Educational Association , which in the 14 years that have since elapsed has done an incalculable amount of good in relieving the distress of local brethren and their families . Of this organisation , which has an invested capital of about £ 8 , 500 ,
Bro . Col . Starkie is President and Patron , as well as one of the Trustees . It is also under his auspices that the province has contributed so generously towards the support of the three general Masonic Charitable Institutions . It had alread y distinguished itself under his worth y predecessor , the late Bro . Stephen Blair ,
by the support it gave to the Boys' School in 186 9 , and , though there are only one or two occasions on which it
has attempted to rival that particular effort , a contingent of Stewards from some of its lodges is always to be found in
the Festival Stewards ' Returns in aid of our three Charities . Its greatest success in this respect was achieved
in 1879 , when Bro . Starkie very generously gave his services as Chairman at the Festival of the Royal
Masonic Benevolent Institution , and the province contributed upwards of £ 3500 , or about onefourth of the total
contributed by London and the provinces generally . It also figured very prominently in the Returns in aid of the
same Institution for 1888 , when some £ 2800 vvas raised in commemorationof the Queen ' s Jubilee the previous
summer ; and there was a good round sum subcribed at the Girls ' Centenary Festival , so that the province has
been impartial as well as generous , being influenced no doubt in this particular by the
example of their Provincial Grand Master , who is a Vice-Patron
of all three Charities , and has given to each the benefit of his assistance as Steward . There are two other branches of our Masonic system in vvhich Bro . Col . Starkie has won distinction almost as great as in Craft and Arch Masonry . Lie was appointed Senior Grand Warden
of the Mark Grand Lodge in 18 73 , having been advanced in the Blair Lodge , No . 113 , Haslingden , in 1870 ; while in the Ancient and Accepted Rite , he is a member and Past M . W . S . of the Palatine Chapter of Rose Croix , No . 7 , Manchester , and somewhat recently has been made a member of the Supreme Council , 33 , of
that Rite . He joined the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , in 18 73 , and is a member of other lodges and bodies of various degrees , while the Starkie Lodge , No . 16 34 , Ramsbottom , East Lancashire , like the Starkie Lodge , No . 1070 ,
Southport , in West Lancashire , will , we trust , perpetuate not only his name but also the memory of the many great services he has rendered to the Craft in both the Masonic divisions of the great count y of Lancashire ,