Consecration Of The Forest Hill Lodge, No. 2846.

Consecration of the Forest Hill Lodge , No . 2846 .

A TOT the least noteworthy feature of present day London ]\ l Masonry , and the inevitable consequence of the ever increasing growth of the suburbs , is the formation in increasing number of lodges designed for the accommodation of brethren resident in greater London . Such a lodge is the Forest Hill Lodge , No . 28 4 6 , which , formed for the

convenience of brethren resident at Forest Hill , was so successfully ushered into existence on Friday , September 20 th , at Freemasons' Hall . The inaugural meeting must have pleased the most ardent well-wisher of the lodge , and if its future career is not equally prosperous , it will certainly

not be for lack of energy on the part of the officers or enthusiasm in the members .

GROUP OP POUNDERS . ' ( l'hnlo , llullier )

The consecration ceremony was performed in his usual admirable manner b y V . W . Bro . Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary , assisted by the following brethren : —V . W . Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , M . A ., G . Treasurer , as S . W . ; W . Bro . Inspector General Belgrave Ninnis , M . D ., R . N ., P . G . D ., as J . W . ; V . W . Bro . Rev . Sir Borradaile Savory , Bart .,

Grand Chaplain , as Chaplain ; V . W . Bro . Frank Richardson , P . Dep . G . Reg ., as Director of Ceremonies ; and W . Bro . H . Carman , P . G . Std . Br ., as Inner Guard . An eloquent oration was given by Bro . Rev . Sir Borradaile Savory , after which the following officers were invested and

installed : —Bros , fames Speller , P . G . Std . Br ., W . M . ; F . Ruse , P . M . 6 5 , Acting I . P . M . ; W . J . Keen , S . W . ; A . H . Sarjeant , J . W . ; H . A . Baxter , Treasurer ; H . Peirce , Secretary ; J . Bailey , " s . D . ; E . Clough , J . D . ; J . Allen , I . G . ; F . Nicholfs , D . C . ; G . Williams , A . D . C . ; W . A . Jarvis and F . C . Walker , Stewards ; and W . Partridge , Tyler . The other founders of the lodge were Bros . W . Callingham , W . Sarjeant , T . R .

Roberts , C . G . Jones , G . Callingham , J . Freeman , H . S . Easty , L . A . Newton , H . Trimmer , G . Clough , W . Feldon , H . Laing , and Trelease . The Consecrating Officers having been unanimousl y elected honorary members of the lodge , the } - were each presented by the Worshipful Master , Bro . James Speller ,

with a leather letter case , as a memento of the occasion and a slight token of the lodge ' s appreciation of their valued services . After the nomination for election of several candidates for initiation and joining , and the election of a committee to frame the by-laws , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet .

The Worshipful Master afterwards presided at an excellently served banquet in the Crown Room of the Freemasons' Tavern , at which over a hundred brethren were present , amongst many other well known members of the Craft being Bros . James Terry , P . G . S . Br . ; William Shurmur , P . G . Std . Br . ; and T . W . Williams , Mayor of

Lewisham . Forest Hill being situate in the Borough of Lewisham , Bro . Williams has very kindly granted the new lodge permission to adopt as their seal the Borough of Lewisham Coat of Arms . The usual loyal toasts having been honoured , Bro . Rev .

Sir Borradaile Savory , in the course of an amusing speech , said that looking around the room that evening , everything seemed in the lodge ' s favour . It was for them to see that they carried on the work with the same enthusiasm as thev had begun it , and his advice to every member was to attend the dinners , but not to forget to also attend the lodge .