Provincial Grand Lodge Of Derbyshire.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire .

< pHE annual festival of the Provincial Grand Lodge of J _ Derbyshire was held at the Masonic Hall , Dcrbv , on Monday , Dec . 18 . The Duke of Devonshire , Provincial Grand Master ,

occupied the chair , and there was a large and influential attendance , every lodge in the province being represented . The masters of the various lodges submitted their reports for the past year , and without exception they were of a satisfactory character . Bro . Abraham Woodiwiss , P . D . G . D . of C . ( England )

moved the adoption of the report of the Masonic Hall Committee , which stated that in connection with the recent extensions , owing to the liberal contributions of the members , it was only necessary to draw upon the funds of Provincial Grand Lodge to the extent of . £ 234 4 s ., instead of £ 800

which the committee were authorised b y Provincial Grand Lodge to expend . During the past year the interior of the hall had been painted and decorated at a cost of £ 2 ^ , and the ventilation improved . The report was adopted .

. . .. OF _ vo .. sunn .,, . <; . M . On the motion of Bro . Robert Hall , P . M ., the report of the Charity Committee was adopted , recording that the Province contributed the sum of . £ 843 3 s . 6 d . last year to the three great Masonic charities . The report of the Audit

Committee was also agreed to , a large balance in hand being declared . Bro . Samuel Robinson , P . M . Rutland Lodge , Ilkstone , was elected Grand Treasurer . The Provinckil Grand Master announced with deep regret the resignation of Bro . II . C . Okeover as Deputy P . G . M ., an

office which he has filled continuously for the past forty years . He appointed Bro . KHz Herbert Wright , P . G . Treasurer ( England ) , to succeed him , an appointment which

was received with the liveliest satisfaction by all present .

The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and invested his officers in the following order : —Senior Warden , Bro . the Rev . George Ford ; Junior Warden , Bro . W . G . Haslam , P . M . ; Senior Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . H . G . Montl ' orcl ;

junior Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . J . Blake Millward ; Registrar , Bro . A . Heny , P . M . ; Treasurer , Bro . S . Robinson ; Secretary , Bro . William Xaylor ; Senior Deacon , Bro . Dr . Orme ; Junior Deacon , Bro . A . J . Towlson ; Supt . of Works , Bro . J . W . Gaudy ; Director of Ceremonies , Bro . Walter

Smith ; Asst . D . of C , Bro . S . H . Tebb ; Sword Bearer , Bro . W . H . Turton ; Standard Bearers , Bros . W . Helliwell and J . Aslnvood ; Organist , Bro . J . Pollard ; Asst . Secretary , Bro . W . S . Oilman ; Pursuivant , Bro . G . T . Dickinson ; Asst . Pursuivant , Bro . W . T . Buckland ; Tyler , Bro . A . Slinn ;

Stewards , Bros . W . N . Flint , W . G . Constable , W . E . Wood , W . Shardlow , A . E . Davis , and J . Lowles . Before closing the lodge the Provincial Grand Master made a short speech . He said he was pleased to find that Freemasonry was nourishing in Derbyshire . He referred in sympathetic terms to the death of Bro . Percy Wallis , who

was so many years an otltcer of the Grand Lodge , and also Chairman of the Charity Committee . They must also have heard with very great sorrow that owing to increasing years , infirmity , and the state of his health , Bro . Okeover had been obliged to resign the position of Deputy Provincial Grand Master , which he had filled with so much distinction for the

past forty years . Owing to his ( the Duke's ) time being so much occupied with other matters , Bro . Okeover had been something more than a deputy ; he was substantially Grand Master of the Province , and his loss would be felt and lamented by every member of the Order . At the same lime it had been a great satisfaction to him to be able to

nominate as Bro . Okeover ' s successor such a well-known and enthusiastic Freemason as Bro . Fit / Herbert Wright , who , he felt sure , would discharge the duties of his new appointment with credit and with zeal . He formally moved that the thanks of Provincial Grand Lodge be given to Bro . Okeover lor his services as Deputy Master during the past forty years , together with an expression of their sincere regrets at his enforced retirement .

1 he new Deputy P . G . W . seconded the motion , which was carried . A further resolution , proposed bv Bro . A . Woodiwiss , and seconded by Bro . G . M Bond , P . M ., St . Oswald ' s Lodge ( Ashbourn ) , was passed , conveying the sympathy of Provincial Grand Lodge to Mrs . Percy Wallis and family in their recent affliction .

At the conclusion of the business dinner was served in the lower hall . The Duke of Devonshire again presided , and the customary Masonic toasts were dulv honoured . In the course of the after-dinner toasts the health of the Provincial Grand Master was proposed by Bro . Sir Thomas Roe , M . P ., who pointed out that in point of long service the

Duke of Devonshire was now the premier P . G . M ., and expressed the deep gratification afforded to till the Masons present to see his Grace occupying his rightful position in the chair .

Ihe Diixe of Devonshire , in reply , apologised for the fact that his remarks must be brief , inasmuch as he had an important appointment in London on the following dav , and would literally have to speak with his watch in his hand . He could only assure them what pleasure it gave him to lincl on visiting them again after an interval of a lew years , that

their Order continued to flourish . It was quite true , as Bro . Sir Thomas Roe had reminded them , that he was now the senior amongst all the Provincial Grand Masters of England , and after a period of service extending over fortvfour or forty-live years he had felt the time was coming when he might lay down his office in favour of a younger

man . At seventy-two years of age he fell it was not