United Grand Lodge Of England.

improper conduct , and destroying the peace and harmony of the Lodge . The result was that he was excluded the Lodge by five members voting for the exclusion ; one Brother was not competent to vote , being in arrcar , and another Brother being neutral . Under these circumstances , the Brother being one who was constantly disturbing the harmony of the Lodge , Bro . Philbrick and the Colonial Board said he ought to be excluded . Bro . Philbrick now

said that this appeal to Grand Lodge brought forward by Bro . Roach had nothing new in it , and he having recommended to the Colonial Board infavor of the exclusion , the recommendation to Grand Lodge would be the same . He therefore moved that the appeal be dismissed . Bro . ROBERT GREY , President of the Board of Benevolence , seconded the motion , which was carried unantmouslv , and Grand Lodge was closed .

Death Of Bro. Gerard Ford, Dep. Prov. Grand Master Of Sussex.

DEATH OF BRO . GERARD FORD , DEP . PROV . GRAND MASTER OF SUSSEX .

IT is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Bro . Gerard Ford , which occurred at his residence , 5 S , Marine-parade , Brighton , on Saturday evening , the 28 th ult . As already noted in these columns , he had been abroad for some months in hopes of regaining health . Meeting with an accident at Berne , it was followed by a serious illness , which unhappily proved fatal . During the latter years of his life he devoted himself mainly to

the promotion of the interests of Freemasonry in the Province of Sussex . On the death of Bro . John Henderson Scott , in December , 1886 , he was appointed by the Provincial Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , to be his deputy , and during the absence of his Royal Highness in India Bro . Ford had the sole control of the Craft in the Province . He was also , by appointment of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Grand

Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons in Sussex . Bro . Ford had but recently received from his Royal Highness the patent of his appointment as Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons , his installation to which would , but for serious illness , have taken place last week . Bro . Ford was descended from a family prominently identified with Masonry , he having had relatives in the Moira and Barnard Castle Lodges . According to Dr . Oliver , Masonry was introduced

into Lincolnshire out of Westmoreland by Bro . Ford's maternal grandfather , the Rev . Matthew Barnett , who was a Lincolnshire Mason for thirty-six years , and this distinguished Brother , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master , presided over the former Province from 1 S 13 to 1 S 27 in the absence of a Provincial Grand Master . Bro . Gerard Ford ' s connection with Freemasonry is of long standing . He was initiated into the Order in the year 1 S 70 at Brighton , in

the Royal Clarence Lodge , in which , after going through the various offices , he served tlie office of Worshipful Master . He afterwards joined the Bayous Lodge , and the St . Matthew ' s Lodge , in Lincolnshire , and , in recognition or the services rendered to that Province , the Provincial Grand Master conferr- d on him , in the year 187 S , the office of Provincial Grand Senior Deacon . Two

years later , Sir Walter Burrcll , the Provincial Grand Master of Sussex , conferred on Bro . Ford the office of Grand Registrar of the Province—a post which he held until the death of the late Bro . John Henderson Scott , when the Duke of Connaught appointed him his Deputy of the Province . In addition to the Clarence Lodge , Bro . Ford was a member of the Hova Ecclesia Lodge , and was mainly instrumental in founding the Earl of Sussex

Lodge , of which he was the first Worshipful Master . At the time of his death , he was also a member of the Jerusalem Lodge , which numbers among its members many other Grand Officers of England . He was in the year 1 SS 7 appointed by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to the rank of Past Grand Deacon of England . In the Royal Arch Degree he was a member and past officer of numerous

Chapters , including the Lennox and Hova Villa Chapters , in Brighton and the St . Matthew's Chapter , in Lincolnshire . He filled the office of Grand Registrar of Sussex until , on the death of Sir Walter Burrcll , he received the appointment of Grand Superintendent of the Province . In the Mark Degree he was a member and Past Master of the Hova Lodge in Brighton , and was , for some time , Grand Registrar of the

Province . On the expiration of Lord Arthur Hill's term of office , Bro . Ford received from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales the appointment of Provincial Grand Master . He was a most liberal supporter of all the Masonic charities , being a vice-patron of the three Masonic Institutions for which he had served many times the office of Steward . But to only a few is the extent of his private generosity known . He was ever ready to lend a helping hand

to any Brother in distress , and no appeal for help in any deserving case was ever made to him in vain . He was imbued in a very marked degree with the spirit of Masonry , and by this he was influenced and guided in his daily life . He took his view of Masonry from the highest standpoint , and always regarded a true Mason as a true gentleman . His death will be the greatest possible loss to the Craft in the Province . — -The Sussex Daily News .

Bro . A . C . Greenwood , Asst . Prov . Grand Secretary of Surrey , is a candidate for the Secretaryship of The Boys' Institution . Bro . Greenwood is twenty-six years of age , but has experience far beyond his years .

Provincial Grand Lodges And Chapters.

Provincial Grand Lodges and Chapters .

The PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND held its annual meeting at Hexham , on Monday , the 9 th ult ., Sir Matthew W . Ridley , Bart ., the P . G . M ., presiding . He was assisted by all his Prov . Grand Officers and a large number of brethren . A sermon at the Abbey Church was preached by P . G . Chap , the Rev . H . Bott , M . A ., the lessons being read by the Rev . Canon Barker , M . A . After a service of a great number of years , Bro .

Thomas Anderson surrendered his position of P . G . Treasurer to Bro . Ralph Carr , who was elected in his place . The following brethren were elected to the various positions for the ensuing year : — Bros . Faraday Spencc , P . M . 1557 , Prov . S . G . W . ; George Simpson , P . M . 1167 , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . Matthew Green , 1626 , Prov . G . Chap . ; Ralph Carr , P . M . 24 , P . P . S . G . W ., Prov . G . Treas . ; Andrew Aitchcson , P . M . 24 , Prov . G . Reg . ; B . JThompson ( re-appointed ) Prov . G . Sec ; Thos . HudsonP . M . 541

. , , , Prov . S . G . D . ; Alex . Hepburn , P . M . 1676 , Prov . J . G . D . ; Jas . Treble , P . M . 1902 , Prov . G . S . of W . ; Adam Robertson , P . P . S . G . W . ( re-appointed ) , Prov . G . D . C . ; W . II . Ryolt , 6 S 5 , Prov . A . G . D . C ; John Watt , P . M . 636 , Prov . G . S . B . ; Matthew , Smailes , Prov . G . Std . Bis . ; Seaton , 1557 , i ' rov . G . Org . ; John Glass , 1 S 79 , Prov . G . Purst ; Thos . Kidd , P . M . 1902 , Prov . A . G . Burst ; Joshua Curry ( re-appointed ) , Prov . G . Tyler .

At Stourport , on the nth ult ., the PROV . GRAND LODGE OF WORCESTERSHIRE held its annual meeting , which is always well attended . Bro . Sir E . H . Lechmere , Bart ., P . G . M ., was present , and presided . After the election of officers " church" was attended , where Bro . the Rev . J . Wiltshaw , P . P . D . C , preached a sermon . The appointments for the year are as follow : —

Bros . Abraham Green , Prov . S . G . W . ; T . Lamb Smith , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . W . J . Down , Prov . G . Chap . ; W . S . Davies , Prov . G . Reg . ; J . Joscl . ind , Prov . G . Treas . ; George Taylor , G . Std . Br . England , Prov . G . Sec . ; W . Thomas , Prov . S . G . D . ; G . F . Grove , Prov . J . G . D . ; F . Frederick Hoult , Prov . G . S . of W . ; John Mossop , Prov . G . D . C . ; George Houfdsworth , I ' rov . A . G . D . C . ; George Hodgkiss , Prov . G . Swd . Br . ; William Menick Ward , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; H . M . Jackson , Prov . G . Org . ; W . H . Talbot Prov . G . Purst . ; Septimus Bagott , Prov . A . G . Purst .

The officers of the PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF CARNARVON for the following year were appointed at the recent annual meeting , as follows : — R . W . P . G . M . M ., Lieut .-Colonel Bro . Hunter ; W . D . P . G . M . M ., Licut .-Colonel Bro . Gordon-Warren ; P . G . S . W ., Bro . H . Uardman , W . M . Elffin ; P . G . J . W ., Bro . Wynne Williams , W . M . St . Davids ; P . G . M . O ., Bro . N . Bunnell , I . P . M . Elffin ; P . G . S . O .. Bro . R . H . Pritchard ; P . G . J . O ., Bro . J . W . Poole , P . M . Elffin ; P . G . C , Bro . the Rev . H . Thomas , M . A ., R . D ., P . M ., Bro . Rev . LI ,

Nicholas , M . A ., Hunter Lodge ; P . G . Treas ., Bro . R . S . Chamberlain , Llandudno ; P . G . Sec , Bro . W . D . Henderson , Llandudno ; P . G . R . M ., Bro . George Challinor , Elffin ; P . G . S . D ., Bro . O . Evans , Elffin Lodge ; P . G . J . D . Bro . S . Hargreaves ; P . G . S . of W ., Bro . T . T . Sarson ; P . G . D . of C , Bros . O . Thomas and A . M . Dunlop ; P . G . S . B ., Bro . H . Evans ; P . G . O ., Bro . J Williams , Elffin Lodge ; P . G . Std . U ., Bro . A . L . Clews , Hunter Lodge ; P . G . I . G ., 'Bro . W . A . Nott , Hunter Lodge ; P . G . S . S ., Bro . W . Farren , Elffin Lodge ; P . G . J . S ., Bro . Allan Sumner ; P . G . Tyler , Bro . Vincent .

# * * By command of the R . W . P . G . M ., the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom D . G . M . of England , the ANNUAL PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST LANCASHIRE was held on the iSth ult ., at the Drill Hall , Barrow , where there was a very numerous and influential gathering of Brethren , the total attendance being between 500 and 600 .

The minutes of the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Southport on October 3 , 1 SS 8 , having been confirmed , the accounts of the I'rov . G . Treasurer ( Bro . T . H . W . Walker ) , which had been duly audited , were presented , showing that the balances standing to the credit of the various funds were as follows : — Charity fund , , £ 160 . 9 s . 4 d . ; P . G . Lodge fund , , £ 242 . 2 S . lid . ; fund of benevolence , , £ 219 . 8 s . 2 d . ; total , , £ 622 . os . 5 d .

The fees and contributions from Lodges during the past year to the charity fund were , £ 167 ; P . G . L . fund , . £ 249 ; and to the fund of benevolence , , £ 249 ; total , , £ 665 . The passing of the treasurer ' s accounts was opposed by Bro . J , II . Tyson , P . M . 11 S 2 , who remarked that they were not consistent with the by-laws of the P . G . Lodge , as money had been paid out of the fund of benevolence for provincial purposes other than those of charity , for which it

was especially intended . —Bro . R . Wylie , P . P . G . W ., urged that unwritten laws were quite as binding as those which were written , inasmuch as it had been the custom for many years to pay certain other items in the working of the P . G . Lodge . —After some further discussion , the treasurer ' s accounts were passed almost unanimously . The Provincial Grand Secretary then presented his report , in the course of

which he stated that the past year had been pre-eminently a year of progress , a very great increase having taken place in the number of initiates and members , while six new Lodges had been added to the roll of the province . The initiates had numbered G 19 during the year , against 554 in 18 SS ; and the