Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
Nevertheless , he thanked the brethren for their response and for their kind reception of him that evening . Bro . Major GEORGE LAMBERT proposed " The Other Masonic Institutions , the Girls'School ( Festival , May 13 th ) , and the Boys'School ( Festival , June 24 th . ) " He propose ! the toast with considerable feelings of pleasure , as both those Institutions ¦ ¦ ,-were connected with the great Institution called Masonry . It was only right and
proper that while they thought most kindly of the old people with whom they had had the honour and pleasure of , perhaps , being associated with in those Festivals , and who , perhaps , had supported the boys and the girls , they should not be oblivious of the fact that the children of Masons were growing up and must be looked after and sought out and educated to make them useful members of society and a credit to the Craft . The Girls' School was most useful , because
girls were of the tender sex and required more care than the sturdy boy . But they must look after the boys also , and they did it with the greatest pleasure and solicitude both in their childhood and later on . The Girls' School , they knew , was we 1 organised and the g irls in it were a credit to the brethren , who were greatly indebted to the teachers and the matron . Those officials discharged their duties to the Institution well . The Girls' School was a grand Institution , and it
was a great privilege to assist and help it . They were not forgetful of the centenary year of the Institution , when they received so large an amount of money at their meeting in the Albert Hall . They thought a great deal of that , and they respected the brethren who so largely contributed on that occasion ; they thanked them even now , and he hoped and trusted that when the Benevolent Institution for the poor and aged had its Jubilee Festival next year and its centenary 50 years later the brethren would muster round its Chairman and be even more numerous
than they were that ni ght . With regard to the Boys' School he wished it Godspeed in the way it was being conducted . Great alterations had been made in its arrangements which they felt were for its good . They got out of the beaten track and wanted new blood . That new blood had been poured into it , and it must prosper . Let them not allow it to go to the wall for want of support , but help it
in its indigence and in the good and excellent education it was giving . He hoped both the Boys' and the Girls' Schools would be well to the fore this year , and he had now the pleasure of proposing success to those two great Charities , which he asked every brother in the room to support . The toast having been honoured ,
Bro . TERRY apologised for the absence of Bro . Hedges , who , he was sorry to say , was ill , and Bro . McLeod , who , having gone to Newark , was on his way to the Festival , but had not yet arrived . Bro . Col . CLIFFORD proposed "The Stewards . " He said he was a very young Mason , but nevertheless it afforded him great pleasure to ask the brethren ' s kindly
cheers for the efforts made by the Stewards of that Festival to obtain great success for it . Knowing very little about the Institution—it was the first visit he had paid to it—he hoped the brethren would kindly bear with him if there was any want of fulness in his remarks on the subject he was speaking of . If there was any lack of warmth in what he was saying the brethren must attribute it to his want of knowledge .
Bro . J . S . EASTES , D . P . G . M . Kent , President of the Board of Stewards , in response , said he had hoped that the reply to that toast would have been left to the Chairman , the Provincial Grand Master for Kent ; but , on behalf of the Board of Stewards , he begged to say that those brethren felt very gratified at that acknowledgment of their work . It was a very hearty toast . There was a large Board of Stewards from the Province of Kent . The Board of Stewards had
done their utmost to make that Festival a success , and all must admit that the Province of Kent had done a great deal . They had that sort of kinshi p in Kent that when their Provincial Grand Master presided over anything they supported him . Earl Amherst had done so on former occasions , and he had done so that day . He ( Bro . Eastes ) was happy and proud to preside over the Board of Stewards . Outside the Province of Kent they had had a large amount of success , and he
thanked all those brethren from his province for the great amount of work they had done . He was sure they would congratulate him and the Institution heartil y on the very great success now achieved . They must all admit that a very large amount of that success was due to Earl Amherst ' s presidency . He had only one word more to say—the Countess Amherst , the Chairman ' s wife , was present in the concert room , and would be happy to meet the brethren there .
The toast of " The Ladies " was proposed by Bro . the Rev . Dr . LEMON , P . P . G . W . and P . P . G . Chap . Devon , and responded toby Bro . Major GEORGE LAMBERT , and the brethren then adjourned to the Temple , where Bro . Earl Amherst presided over a delightful concert , in which the following artistes took part : Madame Adeline Paget , Miss Emily Foxcroft , Bro . Edward Dalziel , Bro . Alfred Moore ( director ); solo violin , Mons . Victor Buzian ; concertina , Signor Alsepti ; and pianoforte , Bro . W . W . Hedgcock and Mr . Frank Abernethy , Mus . Baa , Oxon .
ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS . It must be gratifying to Bro . Terry to find that his anticipations of a favourable result have been so fully justified , and that the slight upward tendency which the Returns of last year's Festival , as compared with those of 188 9 , showed has been maintained . His gratification must be the greater in consequence of the Board of Stewards which he was successful in bringing together being less numerous than it was last year . However , it is not necessary we should dwell upon this
topic . The Festival is over , and , though it falls short of the result achieved in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee , it is , nevertheless , one of the chiefest among the many successes which Bro . Terry has had the good fortune to record . Our present purpose is to analyse , in accordance with the custom we have followed for many years past , the Returns as they are apportioned between London and the Provinces , and , seeing what an array of admirable lists we shall have to deal with , it will readily be conceived that the task is one of more than ordinary satisfaction .
LONDON was represented by 155 brethren , of whom 33 were Unattached , and 122 acted on behalf of 104 lodges , seven Royal Arch chapters , and five lodges of instruction , there being in some few cases more than one Steward per lodge , while in some few other cases a brother acted for a lodge and its chapter , for two chapters , or a lodge and its lodge of instruction . The amount obtained by these brethren , or bv those
of them who had sent in their lists in time to be included in the general total , was announced as ^ 6993 2 s ., but the additional amounts which have been since nceiv d have increased this to ^ 7128 13 s ., the lists generally averaging higher than in 1889 or 18 90 , while the proportion of three-figure lists and those which somewhat nearl y approach ^ 100 is very considerable . The place of honour was secured b y two brethren who had evidently made up their minds to be at the
top of the London contingent , and as neither appears to have been willing to give place to the other , even to the extent of the minutest fraction of a farthing , they wisely concluded to divide the honours equally . The worthy Stewards to whom we are referring are Bro . William Beavis , Steward for the Southwark Lodge , No . 8 79 , and Bro . John C . Osterstock , of the Cator Lodee , No . 2266 .
who both succeeded in raising the splendid total of ^ 315 , and by so doing stand bracketed together at the head of the Metropolitan Stewards . Such a result must be looked upon as being uni que in the annals of Masonic Festival work , and we congratulate these zealous worthies not only on the position they have secured , but on having created a precedent for future rivals in these honou-able contests to follow . Following these , and very
Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
close together , were Bro . Ernest A . G . Smith , who acted as Steward for the Viator Lodge , No . 2308 , and returned ^ 229 19 s ., and Bro . H . Halfjrd , of the Loyalty Lodge , No . 1607 , whose total was £ 226 16 s . Tfies occupied respectively the third and fourth places , while Bro . J . Oldis , of th « Royal Standard Lodge , No . 128 S , was fifth , with a total of ^ 200 os . 6 d . Ne ![ , came our well-known Bro . Geo . Gardner , of the Chiswick Lodge , No . 2012 , who had
the satisfaction of compiling a total oE i , ' i 8 o 10 s ., and close at his heels were Bro Henry Jay , representing Sincerity Lodge , No . 174 , with the chapter attached t 0 it , whose list amounted to ^ 174—the figure , by a strange coincidence , correspond , ing exactly with the number of his lodge—and Bro . G . H . Clark , 0 p the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , with . £ 173 5 s . Bro . R . L . Pasfield of the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 7 81 , raised £ 143 , and Bro . ]< , ) , ' F
Dorton , Capper Lodge , No . 1076 , ^ 138 12 s . Bro . . J . Ruse , Prosperit y Lod ge No . 65 , stood next in order with a list of ^ 126 , and next him we find a group 0 [ three , namely Bro . James Jennings , Steward for United Strength Lodge , i \ 0 228—the mother lodge of Bro . Terry , the Secretary of the Institution—to whose credit is recorded the sum of £ \\ - ] us . ; Bro . W . O . Swetman of the Lodge of St John , No . 1306 , who raised . £ 114 13 s . 6 d ., and Bro . Henri Gros , of the Rothesav
Lodge , No . 168 7 , who is able to show a list of £ 113 13 s . 6 d . Major C . W . Carrell London Irish Rifles Lodge , No . 2312 , and Bro . G . J . Baker , London Lodge , No . ros ' unlike Bi os . Beavis and Osterstock , appear to have been content to differ as regards their list totals , at all events , to the extent of a shilling , Bro . Carrell taking the lead with ^ 108 3 s ., and Bro . Baker recording £ 108 2 s . Bros . H . Cotter and W . Hawes acting together as Stewards for the Yarborough Lodge , scored each of them a
fraction over £$ 0 , and thus offer a combined Return of £ 100 10 s ., while Bro . E . W . Clements , Victoria Park Lodge , No . 1816 , was almost level with £ 100 8 s , These 18 brethren b y raising the amounts we have enumerated , did splendid service , and are to be congratulated on the result . The following also obtained good lists , but short of £ 100 , viz .: Bros . George Graveley and W . T . Legg , jointl y representing the Temperance-in-the-East Lodge , No . 898 , to the extent of £ 97 11 s .
the former obtaining ^ 47 10 s ., and the latter £ 50 is . Bro . L . E . Wilson , High Cross Lodge , No . 754 , returned ^ 95 os . 6 d . ; Bro . the Rev . J . H . Rose , Clerk-enwell , No . 1964 , £ 94 9 s . 6 d . ; Bro . C . E . Keyser , Lodge of Antiquity , No . a . £ 89 5 s . ; Bro . W . Potter , John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 , ^ 87 3 s . ; Bro . Ernest Flower , of the Friends in Council , No . 1383 , ^ 87 2 s . ; Bro . James Boulton , of the Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , ; £ 82 ; 8 s . 6 d ., and Comp . L . W . Harvey , of the Albion Chapter , No . 9 , £ 80 17 s .
THE PROVINCES were represented by 166 Stewards , the total of the donations and subscriptions obtained by them being announced as ^ 8049 19 s . 6 d ., but since increased b y additions and corrections to ^ 8335 19 s . 6 d . The largest contributing Province was that of Kent , of which the Chairman of the day has been for so many years the Provincial Grand Master . But many other Provinces lent their aid , and to very
material purpose , though there are several Festivals during the last few years at which we have known the Country lodges to have figured to greater advantage . Perhaps this is due to the fact that the absentees were slightly more numerous than usual ; but let the cause have been what it may , the 31 Provinces which took part in the celebration are to be congratulated on the efficient service they have rendered to an Institution which depends so largely for support on the voluntary efforts of
the Craft . The unrepresented Provinces , including the Channel Islands , . were 15 in number , viz ., BEDFORDSHIRE ( 6 lodges ) , which has taken no part in any Festival since that of the Boys' School in 1889 ; BRISTOL ( 9 lodges ) , which did nothing last year , though previously it will be found to have figured on sundry occasions to considerable advantage , the " Old People " being an especial favourite among its members . Possibly the establishment of a local Charity Fund will
account for an absence which , in this instance , has been more protracted than usual . CAMBRIDGESHIRE ( six lodges ) may justly claim a respite from labour in this particular field of Masonic duty . Though so small a Province , it raised by the hands of Bro . B . Chennell ^ 206 12 s . for the Boys' School Festival in July of last year , and ^ 52 IOS ., Bro . C . A . Vinter , for this Institution in the preceding February . In 188 9 it distributed ^ 315 among the three Charities , the Boys '
School receiving more than one half , while in 1888 it contented itself with raising ^ 3 62 5 s . for the Girls' Centenary . CHESHIRE ( 41 lodges ) , though for reasons we have again and again stated never a very large contributor , is rarely to be found among the absentees , though it has been perilously near finding itself in that plight on more than one occasion . If we remember rightly , its Provincial Grand Master—Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton—placed the claims of our Central Chanties
somewhat prominently before our Cheshire brethren at the last annual meeting or his Provincial Grand Lodge , and we trust the advice his lordship then offered will be followed at the School Festivals of the current year . D ERBI ' SHIM ( 24 lodges ) is very rarely an absentee , as a reference to last years Returns , when the Province raised upwards of ^ 444 , as well as to those of 1889 , when the total was ^ 414 , and those of previous years , will show . D ORSETSHIRE ( 13 lodges ) raised last year by the hands of Bro . S . R . Baskett X 181 13 - ^
the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and in 188 9 ^ 156 ios . for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . In 188 S it figured at the Girls' Centenary to the extent of £ 294 , so that it has in turn supported all our Charities , and before the year is over will not improbably be heard of as rendering material help to one or other of our Schools . GLOUCESTERSHIRE ( 14 lodges ) raised ^ 234 i 3 ,, n
1890 ; £ 199 ios . in 188 9 ; £ 621 3 s . 6 d ., of which the Girls' School received over £ 520 , in 1888 ; in 188 7 , £ 221 11 s . ; and during the three preceding years a " average per year of £ 747 . Therefore , while we regret , we must not be surprised at , the occasional absence of so generous a contributor . As regards HEREFOKDS ' 1 ""' : ( five lodges ) , which has taken no part in these celebrations since the Girls' Scho " Centenary in 1888 , we can only repeat the opinion we expressed in our Anal ysis 0 the Boys' School Festival in [ uly of last year , that it is about time it renewed us
support of one or other of our Charities . NORFOLK . ( 17 lodges ) may possibly " reserving itself for one of the remaining Festivals of the year . In ' 9 , it raised over . £ 229 for this Institution , and gave a further £ 26 5 s . to the B ° )' School . In 188 9 it supported the latter Charity to the extent of £ 101 us ., while in 1888 the Old People received £ 6 3 and the Girls' School . £ 214 4 s . N OBTHVM " ^ LAND ( 23 lodges ) took no part in last year ' s Festivals or in those of 1880 , but in 'b ' ¦ '
it raised ^ 900 for the Old People and £ 52 ios . for the Girls' Centenary . Norn * HAMSi-iiRE ( 15 lodges ) raised £ 17 8 ios . for the Boys' School last year , the bretnre representing it being Bros . R . C . Wills and J . M . McLeod , the present SecreW ; of that Institution , to whom no doubt the Province will give a generous suppor the course of the present year . In 188 9 it figured at the Benevolent Festival £ 57 ios ., and in 1888 at those of the Benevolent and Girls' School , the surn its two contributions being ^ 242 1 is . Last year W ILTSHIRE ( I I lodges ) rai » £ n 8 ds . for the two Schools , the Girls' beine benefited to the extent of £ 33 r > \ ' J
while the Boys' received , per Bro . Harry Bevir , Prov . Grand Secretary , i > 4 ? ' | In 1889 tne Benevolent institution received £ 16 $ , in 1888 the Girls' i > ^ 340 8 s . 6 d ., and the year previous the Boys' School ^ 234 3 s . Therefore , ^ may hope to hear of something being done before the year is out by this s ' but liberal Province . The remaining absentees are the CHANNEL IS LANDS \ lodges ) and J ERSEV ( seven lodges ) , which have figured on some of these occa : > t jine to good purpose , and the I SLE OF M AN ( ei g ht lodges ) , which has also from , . to time evinced its interest in our Institutions . The result of the above part ic
shows 15 unrepresented Provinces with an aggregate of 204 lodges . , ve Turning to the Provinces which took part in the proceedings of Wednesday ^ notice with pleasure that out of the r 3 lodges on the roll of the newly- cons ' P r o v i n ce of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
Nevertheless , he thanked the brethren for their response and for their kind reception of him that evening . Bro . Major GEORGE LAMBERT proposed " The Other Masonic Institutions , the Girls'School ( Festival , May 13 th ) , and the Boys'School ( Festival , June 24 th . ) " He propose ! the toast with considerable feelings of pleasure , as both those Institutions ¦ ¦ ,-were connected with the great Institution called Masonry . It was only right and
proper that while they thought most kindly of the old people with whom they had had the honour and pleasure of , perhaps , being associated with in those Festivals , and who , perhaps , had supported the boys and the girls , they should not be oblivious of the fact that the children of Masons were growing up and must be looked after and sought out and educated to make them useful members of society and a credit to the Craft . The Girls' School was most useful , because
girls were of the tender sex and required more care than the sturdy boy . But they must look after the boys also , and they did it with the greatest pleasure and solicitude both in their childhood and later on . The Girls' School , they knew , was we 1 organised and the g irls in it were a credit to the brethren , who were greatly indebted to the teachers and the matron . Those officials discharged their duties to the Institution well . The Girls' School was a grand Institution , and it
was a great privilege to assist and help it . They were not forgetful of the centenary year of the Institution , when they received so large an amount of money at their meeting in the Albert Hall . They thought a great deal of that , and they respected the brethren who so largely contributed on that occasion ; they thanked them even now , and he hoped and trusted that when the Benevolent Institution for the poor and aged had its Jubilee Festival next year and its centenary 50 years later the brethren would muster round its Chairman and be even more numerous
than they were that ni ght . With regard to the Boys' School he wished it Godspeed in the way it was being conducted . Great alterations had been made in its arrangements which they felt were for its good . They got out of the beaten track and wanted new blood . That new blood had been poured into it , and it must prosper . Let them not allow it to go to the wall for want of support , but help it
in its indigence and in the good and excellent education it was giving . He hoped both the Boys' and the Girls' Schools would be well to the fore this year , and he had now the pleasure of proposing success to those two great Charities , which he asked every brother in the room to support . The toast having been honoured ,
Bro . TERRY apologised for the absence of Bro . Hedges , who , he was sorry to say , was ill , and Bro . McLeod , who , having gone to Newark , was on his way to the Festival , but had not yet arrived . Bro . Col . CLIFFORD proposed "The Stewards . " He said he was a very young Mason , but nevertheless it afforded him great pleasure to ask the brethren ' s kindly
cheers for the efforts made by the Stewards of that Festival to obtain great success for it . Knowing very little about the Institution—it was the first visit he had paid to it—he hoped the brethren would kindly bear with him if there was any want of fulness in his remarks on the subject he was speaking of . If there was any lack of warmth in what he was saying the brethren must attribute it to his want of knowledge .
Bro . J . S . EASTES , D . P . G . M . Kent , President of the Board of Stewards , in response , said he had hoped that the reply to that toast would have been left to the Chairman , the Provincial Grand Master for Kent ; but , on behalf of the Board of Stewards , he begged to say that those brethren felt very gratified at that acknowledgment of their work . It was a very hearty toast . There was a large Board of Stewards from the Province of Kent . The Board of Stewards had
done their utmost to make that Festival a success , and all must admit that the Province of Kent had done a great deal . They had that sort of kinshi p in Kent that when their Provincial Grand Master presided over anything they supported him . Earl Amherst had done so on former occasions , and he had done so that day . He ( Bro . Eastes ) was happy and proud to preside over the Board of Stewards . Outside the Province of Kent they had had a large amount of success , and he
thanked all those brethren from his province for the great amount of work they had done . He was sure they would congratulate him and the Institution heartil y on the very great success now achieved . They must all admit that a very large amount of that success was due to Earl Amherst ' s presidency . He had only one word more to say—the Countess Amherst , the Chairman ' s wife , was present in the concert room , and would be happy to meet the brethren there .
The toast of " The Ladies " was proposed by Bro . the Rev . Dr . LEMON , P . P . G . W . and P . P . G . Chap . Devon , and responded toby Bro . Major GEORGE LAMBERT , and the brethren then adjourned to the Temple , where Bro . Earl Amherst presided over a delightful concert , in which the following artistes took part : Madame Adeline Paget , Miss Emily Foxcroft , Bro . Edward Dalziel , Bro . Alfred Moore ( director ); solo violin , Mons . Victor Buzian ; concertina , Signor Alsepti ; and pianoforte , Bro . W . W . Hedgcock and Mr . Frank Abernethy , Mus . Baa , Oxon .
ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS . It must be gratifying to Bro . Terry to find that his anticipations of a favourable result have been so fully justified , and that the slight upward tendency which the Returns of last year's Festival , as compared with those of 188 9 , showed has been maintained . His gratification must be the greater in consequence of the Board of Stewards which he was successful in bringing together being less numerous than it was last year . However , it is not necessary we should dwell upon this
topic . The Festival is over , and , though it falls short of the result achieved in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee , it is , nevertheless , one of the chiefest among the many successes which Bro . Terry has had the good fortune to record . Our present purpose is to analyse , in accordance with the custom we have followed for many years past , the Returns as they are apportioned between London and the Provinces , and , seeing what an array of admirable lists we shall have to deal with , it will readily be conceived that the task is one of more than ordinary satisfaction .
LONDON was represented by 155 brethren , of whom 33 were Unattached , and 122 acted on behalf of 104 lodges , seven Royal Arch chapters , and five lodges of instruction , there being in some few cases more than one Steward per lodge , while in some few other cases a brother acted for a lodge and its chapter , for two chapters , or a lodge and its lodge of instruction . The amount obtained by these brethren , or bv those
of them who had sent in their lists in time to be included in the general total , was announced as ^ 6993 2 s ., but the additional amounts which have been since nceiv d have increased this to ^ 7128 13 s ., the lists generally averaging higher than in 1889 or 18 90 , while the proportion of three-figure lists and those which somewhat nearl y approach ^ 100 is very considerable . The place of honour was secured b y two brethren who had evidently made up their minds to be at the
top of the London contingent , and as neither appears to have been willing to give place to the other , even to the extent of the minutest fraction of a farthing , they wisely concluded to divide the honours equally . The worthy Stewards to whom we are referring are Bro . William Beavis , Steward for the Southwark Lodge , No . 8 79 , and Bro . John C . Osterstock , of the Cator Lodee , No . 2266 .
who both succeeded in raising the splendid total of ^ 315 , and by so doing stand bracketed together at the head of the Metropolitan Stewards . Such a result must be looked upon as being uni que in the annals of Masonic Festival work , and we congratulate these zealous worthies not only on the position they have secured , but on having created a precedent for future rivals in these honou-able contests to follow . Following these , and very
Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
close together , were Bro . Ernest A . G . Smith , who acted as Steward for the Viator Lodge , No . 2308 , and returned ^ 229 19 s ., and Bro . H . Halfjrd , of the Loyalty Lodge , No . 1607 , whose total was £ 226 16 s . Tfies occupied respectively the third and fourth places , while Bro . J . Oldis , of th « Royal Standard Lodge , No . 128 S , was fifth , with a total of ^ 200 os . 6 d . Ne ![ , came our well-known Bro . Geo . Gardner , of the Chiswick Lodge , No . 2012 , who had
the satisfaction of compiling a total oE i , ' i 8 o 10 s ., and close at his heels were Bro Henry Jay , representing Sincerity Lodge , No . 174 , with the chapter attached t 0 it , whose list amounted to ^ 174—the figure , by a strange coincidence , correspond , ing exactly with the number of his lodge—and Bro . G . H . Clark , 0 p the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , with . £ 173 5 s . Bro . R . L . Pasfield of the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 7 81 , raised £ 143 , and Bro . ]< , ) , ' F
Dorton , Capper Lodge , No . 1076 , ^ 138 12 s . Bro . . J . Ruse , Prosperit y Lod ge No . 65 , stood next in order with a list of ^ 126 , and next him we find a group 0 [ three , namely Bro . James Jennings , Steward for United Strength Lodge , i \ 0 228—the mother lodge of Bro . Terry , the Secretary of the Institution—to whose credit is recorded the sum of £ \\ - ] us . ; Bro . W . O . Swetman of the Lodge of St John , No . 1306 , who raised . £ 114 13 s . 6 d ., and Bro . Henri Gros , of the Rothesav
Lodge , No . 168 7 , who is able to show a list of £ 113 13 s . 6 d . Major C . W . Carrell London Irish Rifles Lodge , No . 2312 , and Bro . G . J . Baker , London Lodge , No . ros ' unlike Bi os . Beavis and Osterstock , appear to have been content to differ as regards their list totals , at all events , to the extent of a shilling , Bro . Carrell taking the lead with ^ 108 3 s ., and Bro . Baker recording £ 108 2 s . Bros . H . Cotter and W . Hawes acting together as Stewards for the Yarborough Lodge , scored each of them a
fraction over £$ 0 , and thus offer a combined Return of £ 100 10 s ., while Bro . E . W . Clements , Victoria Park Lodge , No . 1816 , was almost level with £ 100 8 s , These 18 brethren b y raising the amounts we have enumerated , did splendid service , and are to be congratulated on the result . The following also obtained good lists , but short of £ 100 , viz .: Bros . George Graveley and W . T . Legg , jointl y representing the Temperance-in-the-East Lodge , No . 898 , to the extent of £ 97 11 s .
the former obtaining ^ 47 10 s ., and the latter £ 50 is . Bro . L . E . Wilson , High Cross Lodge , No . 754 , returned ^ 95 os . 6 d . ; Bro . the Rev . J . H . Rose , Clerk-enwell , No . 1964 , £ 94 9 s . 6 d . ; Bro . C . E . Keyser , Lodge of Antiquity , No . a . £ 89 5 s . ; Bro . W . Potter , John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 , ^ 87 3 s . ; Bro . Ernest Flower , of the Friends in Council , No . 1383 , ^ 87 2 s . ; Bro . James Boulton , of the Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , ; £ 82 ; 8 s . 6 d ., and Comp . L . W . Harvey , of the Albion Chapter , No . 9 , £ 80 17 s .
THE PROVINCES were represented by 166 Stewards , the total of the donations and subscriptions obtained by them being announced as ^ 8049 19 s . 6 d ., but since increased b y additions and corrections to ^ 8335 19 s . 6 d . The largest contributing Province was that of Kent , of which the Chairman of the day has been for so many years the Provincial Grand Master . But many other Provinces lent their aid , and to very
material purpose , though there are several Festivals during the last few years at which we have known the Country lodges to have figured to greater advantage . Perhaps this is due to the fact that the absentees were slightly more numerous than usual ; but let the cause have been what it may , the 31 Provinces which took part in the celebration are to be congratulated on the efficient service they have rendered to an Institution which depends so largely for support on the voluntary efforts of
the Craft . The unrepresented Provinces , including the Channel Islands , . were 15 in number , viz ., BEDFORDSHIRE ( 6 lodges ) , which has taken no part in any Festival since that of the Boys' School in 1889 ; BRISTOL ( 9 lodges ) , which did nothing last year , though previously it will be found to have figured on sundry occasions to considerable advantage , the " Old People " being an especial favourite among its members . Possibly the establishment of a local Charity Fund will
account for an absence which , in this instance , has been more protracted than usual . CAMBRIDGESHIRE ( six lodges ) may justly claim a respite from labour in this particular field of Masonic duty . Though so small a Province , it raised by the hands of Bro . B . Chennell ^ 206 12 s . for the Boys' School Festival in July of last year , and ^ 52 IOS ., Bro . C . A . Vinter , for this Institution in the preceding February . In 188 9 it distributed ^ 315 among the three Charities , the Boys '
School receiving more than one half , while in 1888 it contented itself with raising ^ 3 62 5 s . for the Girls' Centenary . CHESHIRE ( 41 lodges ) , though for reasons we have again and again stated never a very large contributor , is rarely to be found among the absentees , though it has been perilously near finding itself in that plight on more than one occasion . If we remember rightly , its Provincial Grand Master—Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton—placed the claims of our Central Chanties
somewhat prominently before our Cheshire brethren at the last annual meeting or his Provincial Grand Lodge , and we trust the advice his lordship then offered will be followed at the School Festivals of the current year . D ERBI ' SHIM ( 24 lodges ) is very rarely an absentee , as a reference to last years Returns , when the Province raised upwards of ^ 444 , as well as to those of 1889 , when the total was ^ 414 , and those of previous years , will show . D ORSETSHIRE ( 13 lodges ) raised last year by the hands of Bro . S . R . Baskett X 181 13 - ^
the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and in 188 9 ^ 156 ios . for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . In 188 S it figured at the Girls' Centenary to the extent of £ 294 , so that it has in turn supported all our Charities , and before the year is over will not improbably be heard of as rendering material help to one or other of our Schools . GLOUCESTERSHIRE ( 14 lodges ) raised ^ 234 i 3 ,, n
1890 ; £ 199 ios . in 188 9 ; £ 621 3 s . 6 d ., of which the Girls' School received over £ 520 , in 1888 ; in 188 7 , £ 221 11 s . ; and during the three preceding years a " average per year of £ 747 . Therefore , while we regret , we must not be surprised at , the occasional absence of so generous a contributor . As regards HEREFOKDS ' 1 ""' : ( five lodges ) , which has taken no part in these celebrations since the Girls' Scho " Centenary in 1888 , we can only repeat the opinion we expressed in our Anal ysis 0 the Boys' School Festival in [ uly of last year , that it is about time it renewed us
support of one or other of our Charities . NORFOLK . ( 17 lodges ) may possibly " reserving itself for one of the remaining Festivals of the year . In ' 9 , it raised over . £ 229 for this Institution , and gave a further £ 26 5 s . to the B ° )' School . In 188 9 it supported the latter Charity to the extent of £ 101 us ., while in 1888 the Old People received £ 6 3 and the Girls' School . £ 214 4 s . N OBTHVM " ^ LAND ( 23 lodges ) took no part in last year ' s Festivals or in those of 1880 , but in 'b ' ¦ '
it raised ^ 900 for the Old People and £ 52 ios . for the Girls' Centenary . Norn * HAMSi-iiRE ( 15 lodges ) raised £ 17 8 ios . for the Boys' School last year , the bretnre representing it being Bros . R . C . Wills and J . M . McLeod , the present SecreW ; of that Institution , to whom no doubt the Province will give a generous suppor the course of the present year . In 188 9 it figured at the Benevolent Festival £ 57 ios ., and in 1888 at those of the Benevolent and Girls' School , the surn its two contributions being ^ 242 1 is . Last year W ILTSHIRE ( I I lodges ) rai » £ n 8 ds . for the two Schools , the Girls' beine benefited to the extent of £ 33 r > \ ' J
while the Boys' received , per Bro . Harry Bevir , Prov . Grand Secretary , i > 4 ? ' | In 1889 tne Benevolent institution received £ 16 $ , in 1888 the Girls' i > ^ 340 8 s . 6 d ., and the year previous the Boys' School ^ 234 3 s . Therefore , ^ may hope to hear of something being done before the year is out by this s ' but liberal Province . The remaining absentees are the CHANNEL IS LANDS \ lodges ) and J ERSEV ( seven lodges ) , which have figured on some of these occa : > t jine to good purpose , and the I SLE OF M AN ( ei g ht lodges ) , which has also from , . to time evinced its interest in our Institutions . The result of the above part ic
shows 15 unrepresented Provinces with an aggregate of 204 lodges . , ve Turning to the Provinces which took part in the proceedings of Wednesday ^ notice with pleasure that out of the r 3 lodges on the roll of the newly- cons ' P r o v i n ce of