Consecration Of The Richard Clowes Lodge, No. 2936.

Worshipful Master . He sometimes chaffed Bro . Clowes for deserting Essex for Sussex , but his services to their province had been long and faithful , and he was glad the Provincial Grand Master had allowed the lodge to be named after him , thus handing down to posterity a memento of

his magnificent services . He would leave the remainder of the reply to that mainspring of Freemasonry in Essex , Bro . Thomas Railing , Provincial Grand Secretary . Bro . Thomas Railing said it had done their hearts good to hear the voice of their late Provincial Grand Master , the

Earl of Warwick , again , and the province was to be congratulated that they had that day added a lodge bearing the name of their veteran Essex Mason , Bro . Richard Clowes , who had been his lordship ' s first Provincial Senior Grand Warden upon his appointment to the Province of Essex .

MASTER RICHARD NORMAN CLOWES , AGED : ii YEARS , FIRST CHARITY STEWARD OF THE LODGE . The toast of " The Worshipful Master" was then proposed

by the Acting I . P . M ., Bro . Clowes , who wished him , on behalf of all present , good health and a prosperous y-car as their Master . He congratulated him upon being so abl y installed and upon being the first Master of the lodge , in

which the Most Worshipful Giand Master and his Deputybad accepted hon . membership , and informed them that the Worshipful Master , he knew , was thorough and earnest . The Worshipful Master , Bro . Hast , said , in reply , that he would thank them briefly but none the less sincerely for their reception of the toast . He was greatly pleased to be the

first Master of a lodge named after his friend and kinsman , Bro . Richard Clowes , and he appreciated the particular honours which had been showered upon the lodge . With the assistance of his officers , he would now endeavour to make the lodge worthy of the name it bore .

In proceeding to the next toast , that of " The Visitors , " the Worshipful Master hoped they would visit the lodge at its Broxbourne home , where they would receive a hearty welcome . Bro . WhiteWorshipful Master of the Eccentric Lodge ,

, in the course of an eloquent response , suggested that the welcome offered should be sufficiently elastic to cover fishing , for which Broxbourne was so famous . In presenting the toast of " The Officers " to the brethren , the Worshipful Master could assuie them that the heavy

work of founding the lodge had fallen upon two solid Masons , who were Bros . Richard Clowes and Charles Lewis , and well they- had discharged their labours . One evidence of Bro . Clowes' energy was the interest taken in the lodge by the Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master , and Bro .

Charles Lewis had thrown his whole energies into the work , and it would be impossible to over-estimate the value of what he had done to make the lodge a success .

Bro . Clowes , replying , said that he had received during his Masonic career , extending over twenty-live years , manyhonours , but none greater than when Bro . Thomas Railing told him that several Masons in the old province would like to name a lodge after him , and he afterwards discovered that the chief mover was Bro . Charles Lewis . He thanked them

all for the compliment , and the Earl of Warwick for his great personal kindness to" him , and hoped that one of his descendants would be for ever connected with the lodge . Bro . Charles Lewis , Secretary , whose name met with a very hearty reception , could assure them that his labours had been rewarded by the enthusiasm he had met with among the founders .

The toast of " The Masonic Charities ' was given , and responded to by Bro . [ . M . McLeod , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , who eloquently pleaded the cause of that institution , and welcomed the unique Steward they would have in the grandson of their respected Bro . Richard Clowes . Other toasts followed , and the Tyler ' s toast brought the pleasant evening to a close .

Consecration Of The King Alfred Lodge, No. 2945.

Consecration of the King Alfred Lodge , No . 2945 .

AN addition to the Middlesex roll of lodges was made on the 16 th December by the consecration of this lodge , the future meetings of which will be held at Enfield . To meet the convenience of the Consecrating Officers and others who attended , dispensation was secured to allow of

the consecration taking place at the Holborn Restaurant , and the meeting proved most successful . The ceremony was undertaken by the Provincial Grand Master of Middlesex , the Right Hon . Lord George Francis Hamilton , M . P ., P . G . W ., who was assisted by his Deputy

and other Provincial Grand Officers . The new lodge having been formally constituted , the Worshipful Master nominated in the warrant—Bro . Col . H . F . Bowles , M . P ., P . P . G . W . —was installed , this part of the day's work being undertaken by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master . A hearty

vote of thanks to the Consecrating Officers w ; is passed , and the Provincial Grand Master , in acknowledging the compliment , said it had given him great pleasure—and he was

sure it had been the same with the officers of Provincial Grand Lodge who h : id attended—to assist in the consecration of the lodge . The past services of the founders were evidenced by the decorations they wore , and he felt the new lodge would become a valuable acquisition to the

Province of Middlesex . He hoped all the brethren associated with it would unite in the work of maintaining the lodge in the highest position possible in the Craft . The Consecrating Officers were elected as honorary members of the lodge in recognition of their services .

Lodge was then closed , and the company adjourned to the banquet room , where the customary toast list was afterwards honoured , the name of Bro . E . R . Hartley Denniss , P . J . G . D ., being coupled with that of " The Grand Officers of England . "

Bro . Bartley Denniss , in replying , congratulated the members on the selection made for first Worshipful Master , and felt that if that brother was as energetic , able , and