The Province Of Warwickshire.

special design , having a square and compasses , with a sword in the centre ( an emblem of St . Paul ' s martyrdom ) , and appropriate legend . The authority was granted in the year 1864 , soon after the lodge was given its present number . The Province of Warwickshire has the advantage of an excellent Masonic calendar , which is published annually by

command of the Prov . G . M ., the D . Prov . G . M ., and Prov . G . Lo . It is one of the best of the many issued in England , and is noteworthy for memoranda respecting some of the earliest lodges in the county , besides containing numerous particulars concerning the Craft , locally and generally ,

which unite to make the little book both interesting and valuable . It is to be regretted that the histories of the old lodges in the province have not yet been written , but a step has been made in that direction by the publication of the " Early

records of St . Paul ' s Lodge , No . 43 , " compiled by Bro . B . H . Joseph , P . M ., and Bro . J . Headon Boocock , Treasurer and Secretary respectively , and dedicated by permission to the Right Hon . Lord Leigh , the beloved Provincial Grand Master . The minutes , in part reproduced in this brochure , date

from 176 4 to 1865 , the earlier ones being missing . Those from 1764 to 1767 are exceedingly curious , and must have been a puzzle to ordinary students , as they really refer to two lodges under rival Grand Lodges . It's a question if they can be paralleled by any others in this country , and assuredly

Bro . Joseph has done well to make their character known . Fortunately Bro . Hughan , of Torquay , was consulted about these early records , and in an introduction to the work he explains , as few could , the precise relationship existing at the time between the several lodges noted in the minutes during the first three years of those preserved .

The unique feature , as detected by Bro . Hughan , consists in the members of the St . Paul ' s Lodge ( of the original , or so-called •' modern " Grand Lodge ) having obtained another ( or second ) warrant from the rival Grand Lodge , known as the " Ancients" in 1764 ; the minutes of which latter body

were kept in the same book , and just as if the same lodge , actually , as that constituted in the year 1733 . The junior lodge of 176 4 was numbered 124 , and was visited by Nos . 6 4 and 71 assembling in the same town , and also of the " Ancients" Grand Lodge , but by 176 7 the

members had returned to their allegiance ; and in a letter dated 16 th December , Lord Dudley and Ward , then the M . W . G . M ., congratulated the members accordingly . In the minute book farther on is an entry to the effect that certain brethren had been expelled by the regular Grand Lodge for countenancing and supporting a set of persons calling

themselves Ancient Masons , " which was not quite so bad as their own conduct , 1764-7 , for they actually worked a lodge under that auspices for the period named . The "Lodge of Temperance , " No . 739 , Birmingham , was one of the first of its kind established in England ( and still

continues on the original basis ) , which provided in 1868—" That there be one festival annually on the night of the installation of the W . M ., and that in no case whatever shall intoxicating beverages of any description be introduced at the festival or social gatherings of this lodge . "

The Prov . G . L . is one of the oldest in England , having been formed so far back as 1728 , when the R . W . Bro . James Prescot was the premier Prov . G . M . In 1792 Bro . Thomas Thompson succeeded , and in r 8 ro the Hon . Washington Shirley , followed in 1827 by the Rt . Hon . Earl Ferrers . In 18 43 the Rt . Hon . Earl Howe , G . M ., was appointed the

Prov . G . M ., and from 1852 the revered and highly esteemed Lord Leigh has been at the head of the province . Lord Leigh is the senior Prov . G . M . in this country , and his lordship ' s rule in Warwickshire has been most genial and warmly appreciated throughout the province . His zealous Deputy

Prov . G . M . is Bro . George Beech , P . G . D . of England , and the Prov . G . Sec . is the courteous Bro . F . G . Swinden , P . D . G . Sword Bearer of England , so that Warwickshire may be almost envied in having such competent brethren to look after their best interests .

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