The Province Of Devonshire.

The Province of Devonshire .

ALTHOUGH Devon has one of the oldest lodges in England on its roll , the county was not constituted into a province until J 775 , being the junior of a score of Provincial Grand Lodges . Sir Chailes W . Bampfylde , Bart ., was the Jirst Provincial Grand Master appointed for " Devon and Exeter" in response to a petition promoted by

, the members of the local lodges , and was duly installed by Bro . John Codrington , W . M . of i the Union Lodge of Exeter , who was invested as ' the ^ D . Prov . G . M . Unfortunately , no minutes of the Prov . Grand Lodge during the early years of its existence have been preserved ;

possibly none were kept , as the Recoids of the "Union " Lodge contained particulars , but this volume is , alas ! also missing . Apparently Bro . John Drake , described in the " Returns " as a gentleman , was the first Prov . Grand Sec ; these three brethren named being members of the celebrated

" Union" Lodge , which was such a powerful Masonic organisation in the " Ever Faithful City" during the latter part of the 18 th century . It was formed in 1766 and erased in 1789 , the last of the members , Bro . Richard Collins , dying in 18 47 at the advanced age of ninety-seven years . Two

Bishops were on ; its Register , viz ., Dr . Henry Bathurst { Xonvich ) and Dr . Herbert Marsh ( Peterborough ) , and quite a number of distinguished brethren of the clerical , legal , and medical professions .

] ST ! 0 . iU . lOli & . 0 . : X \ YIB , IJ . T .., DEPUTY l'HOV . ( i . JI . The handsome medal worn by members of this lodge was struck by Kirk , A . D . 1766 ( circa ) , and forms an artistic frontispiece to " Trewman's Principles" of 1777 . It is

No . CCCCXLIX ., in Marvin ' s " Medals of the Masonic Fraternity " ( 1880 ) , and is one of the finest decorations of the Craft of this or any other country . The design was by Bro . John Chubb , of Bridgewater . Sir Charles Bampfylde , an ancestor of Bro . ( the present )

Lord Poltimore—a family long connected with the Fraternity —resigned in 1819 , and was succeeded by the Right Hon . ( the second ) Earl Fortescue , K . G ., P . M . 112 , Exeter ( when Lord Ebrington ) , by Patent dated 4 th December , 18 : 19 , and was installed at Exeter in the following year . His lordship ' s

Deputy from 18 30 , the Rev . William Carwithen , D . D ., P . M . No . 112 ( who was Prov . Grand Chaplain for many years before ) , was presented with " Four handsome silver dishes and covers , weighing 218 ounces , at the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Plymouth in 1841 , in appreciation of his eminent services . "

At Exeter , in 1047 , another presentation was made , this time the recipient being Lord Fortescue , the beloved Prov . Grand Master , the gift from the province being "A verv handsome Masonic silver candelabrum , weighing over 228 ounces , as a testimonial of respect from the lodges and brethren of the province . " On his lordship's decease in

[ 862 , the Rev . John Huyshe , M . A . ( Past Grand Chaplain ) , the D . Prov . G . M . from 1850 ( a most zealous and competent Craftsman ) , ruled the province under the Grand Registrar , the acting Prov . G . M . until 1866 , when he was installed as the third Prov . G . M . by the Y . W . Bro . M . J . Mclntyre ,

subsequently Past Grand Warden . The province made rapid strides under his able control and ripe experience , the distinguished brother having been initiated so far back as 1822 in the "Apollo University " Lodge , Oxford , and served the Craft most capably as W . M .

of No . 39 , and in many other ways in the count } - and elsewhere . As the years rolled on , however , he found it impossible to continue as Prov . G . M . with comfort to himself , so felt compelled to resign , and on the installation of his successor , the R . W . Bro . Lord Ebrington ( P . M . 241 ,

Barnstaple ) , at Exeter , on 6 th March , 1879 , by the R . W . Bro . W . W . Bramston Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight , the Rev . John Huyshe , in open Prov . Grand Lodge , declared : — " I am most anxious that the beautiful and costly chain , so affectionately presented to me on my installation as Prov . G . M . should become an heir-loom in the

province . Needless to state , the gift was accepted most gladly by the brethren , the Jirst to wear it being the grandson of the second Prov . G . M ., and the son of the Right Hon . Lord Fortescue , P . Prov . S . G . W . of Devon . Lord Ebrington made a most genial Ruler of the province for some seventeen years , and then , to the regret of the local

brotherhood , resigned the high office of Prov . G . M ; ; His Royal Highness , as Grand Master , again making an excellent selection , in 18 9 6 , of the R . W . Bro . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., C . B ., M . P ., now the Right Hon . Lord Northcote , G . C . I . E ., & c , being the fourth so appointed from 1775 .

His installation was at Exeter , Lord Ebrington ably presiding at the ceremony ; the imposing function being remarkable for the number of Grand Officers present in honour of the

. The Prov . G . M . selected for the important office of Dep . Prov . G . M ., the well-known and esteemed Craftsman , Major G . C . Davie , P . G . D . of England , who had previously filled the office of Prov . Grand Secretary . It has been the custom at times to thus promote brethren who have ably

discharged the secretarial duties ; Bro . W . G . Rogers ( P . G . D . ) , who was his immediate predecessor , and Bro . W . D . Moore previously , were similarly appointed to the great advantage of the province , both being P . M . ' s of No . 112 .

Major Davie , D . L ., is now the acting Prov . Grand Master , in the absence of Lord Northcote , who is not only the Governor of Bombay , but his Excellency is also District Grand Master for that Presidency and Grand Master of all Scottish Freemasonry in India . The Prov . G . M . during

his residence in India , is thus well represented by his Deputy , who has not only his lordship ' s full confidence , but has the respect of all the province in the discharge of his manifold duties as acting Prov . G . M . and also in like manner for Royal Arch Masonry .