Freemasonry In The Province Of Norfolk.

action of the ordinary business , and participating in the discussion of a scheme for a Provincial Education Fund , towards which he became a subscriber . H . R . H . also attended the subsequent banquet . The occasion is remembered Avith much natural pride by many who were , in

the presence of the Grand Master , invested with their collars of office . Amongst these were : —Bros . C . A . Bathurst-Bignold , Avho took the office of J . W . ; G . W . G . Barnard , Registrar ; J . B . Aldis , Secretary ; T . C . R . King , J . D . ; A . R . J . Woolbright , A . D . of C . ; and H . Rosling , P . In 1887 the

Prince of Wales , as Grand Master , again visited Provincial Grand Lodge , at Yarmouth , for the purpose of laying the foundation-stone of the new hospital with Masonic honours . Again , in 18 9 6 , the Grand Master attended a special meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , at Norwich , this time for the purpose of unveiling a bust of the Provincial Grand Master , Lord Sufiield , which had been subscribed for by the

province , and which has since been presented to it by Lord Sufiield , and occupies a prominent position in the lodge room . The King , it may be mentioned , is and has been since 1870 , a joining member of a lodge in the province , Philanthropic , No . 107 , held at King's Lynn , and an honorary

member of Union Lodge , No . 52 , at Norwich . As Prince of Wales he attended an emergency meeting of Philanthropic Lodge , in 1871 , to witness the passing to the . Second Degree of his private secretary , Bro . Sir Francis Knollys , who had been initiated in the Westminster and Keystone Lodge ,

No . 10 . In 1883 , the late Bro . Prince Albert Victor of Wales become a joining member of Philanthropic Lodge , and at his lamented death in 18 92 , the brethren , by special permission of the Prince of Wales , attended the funeral ceremony at Sandringham in full Masonic clothing . It is worthy of being

recorded here that another lodge in the province , Friendship , No . 100 , Great Yarmouth , had the distinct honour of passing to the Fellow Craft Degree Bro . Prince Albert Victor of Wales , in 1883 , whilst H . R . H . was up for the annual training as an officer of the Norfolk Artillery Militia .

As has been stated , the present Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Hamon Le Strange , was installed in succession to Bro . Lord Sufiield , in 18 9 8 , after a lengthy term of office as Deputy to the latter . Throughout the province the Master is exceeding popular , and is a regular visitor to installation meetings of the various lodges in his territory , and a frequent

attendant upon other occasions . The present Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Harry James Sparks , is also a most experienced and popular Mason , and holds the rank of Past Deputy District Grand Master of Bengal . The office of P . G . Secretary is held by Bro . G . W . G . Barnard , who was appointed in 18 99 .

CURIOUS JIA . SOXIU SKAL IX NORWICH IICSKUM .

Amongst the illustrations accompanying this article is one of a perfect ashlar in the possession of Friendship Lodge , No . 100 , Great Yarmouth , bearing an inscription relating to Admiral Lord Nelson . It is interesting as throwing some light upon the somewhat controversial subject of whether the

Norfolk hero was a Freemason . He had been frequently claimed as belonging to the Craft , and , if this inscription be admitted to have been cut whilst his memory was fresh , his being styled as "Bror ., " as well as the implied statement that he Avas " proposed b y Bror . John Cutlove , " who Avas himself

initiated in 1799 , and the frequency of Nelson ' s visits to Yarmouth , in his native count } - —all circumstances of some importance in determining the speculation—may be thought to throw some favourable li ght on the matter . There is a wealth of interesting data to be found in the

records of the lodges of the province , but it is impossble to incorporate any representation of them in so brief a resume of the history of the province as this can only pretend to be . W . H . JONES . Norwich , May , IIJOI .