Obituary.

Obituary .

R . W . BRO . COLONEL BOWYER ,

Prov . Grand Master of Oxfordshire . The recent loss which Freemasonry has sustained by the death of this distinguished brother ought not to pass without some notice of the services which he rendered to

the Craft during his valuable life . He was a member of the younger branch of the Berkshire family of Sir George Bowyer , Bart ., and his father , by his marriage with the daughter and heiress of Sir Richard

Atkins , Bart ., succeeded to large property at Clapham , of which Colonel Bowyer was Lord of the Manor , aud patron of the valuable rectory . He was educated at the Royal Military College , Addiscombe , and

afterwarUs pursued his studies at Trinity College , Cambridge , where he took the degrees of B . A . and M . A . He subsequently held a commission in the 14 th Light Dragoons , and was always considered a

high authority in all matters of military etiquette . In 1833 ne married Isabella , eldest daughter of James Hodges Byles

Esq ., and has issue , Henry Atkins Bowyer , late Captain 10 th Hussars , Fitzwilliam A . Bowyer , of Ch . Ch . Oxford , and rector of Chingford , Essex , and one daughter .

On taking up his residence at the Grange , Steeple Aston , Oxon , he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County , and subsequently a magistrate . He became an incorporated member of the University of

Oxford in 1857 at Brasenose College , where his brother , the Rev . Wentworth Bowyer , rector of Clapham , and Past Grand Chaplain , was educated . He was elected

Captain Commandant of the Oxford City Rifle Volunteers on the first formation of that corps , and was subsequented gazetted Lieut-Colonel of the Oxford University Rifles .

His Masonic career commenced on the 16 th of July , 1 S 44 , when he was initiated in the Lodge of Harmony , No . 255 ( then 317 ) , and was installed W . AI . of that lodge in 1850 . On taking up his residence at

Steeple Aston , he joined the Chcruell Lodge , Banbury , and was installed in the office of W . M . of that lodge on the 8 th of February , 1853 , being shortly afterwards appointed Prov . S . G . Deacon of the

province by the Prov . Grand Alaster of that time , Bro . the Rev . C . J . Ridley , of University College ( brother of Sir Alatthew White Ridley , Bart ., of Northumberland ) , and this was the first occasion of his being promoted

to the provincial purple . In February of the following year , 1854 , he was appointed D . P . G . M . of Oxfordshire , and shortly after the death of Bro . Ridley , which took place in October , he was , on the 11 th of

December , 1854 , appointed to the important office of Provincial Grand Master , to the great joy of the province . On the occasion of his installation on the 8 th of Alay , 18 55 , the ceremony was performed by that

accomplished Alason , Bro . Thomas Henry Hall , of King ' s College , Cambridge , Prov . Grand Alaster of that county . The occasion will be long remembered by those who attended , since there were present no less

than six Provincial Grand Alastcrs to assist at the ceremony , besides many other distinguished guests . The Stewards had paid their new Provincial Grand Alaster the compliment of inviting every member ofthe

Lodge of Harmon }' , Bro . Bowyer ' s mother lodge , to be present at his elevation , and a large number availed themselves of the opportunity of doing honour to their highlyrespected friend and brother . At this

Obituary.

meeting he appointed Bro . Richard James Spiers , F . S . A . ; J . P ., of the city of Oxford , and late Mayor ( P . G . S . B . of the Grand Lodge of England ) , to the post of Dep .

Prov . G . AL , which he has ever since held . Two years afterwards , on the 16 th of May , 1857 , the Earl of Zetland , M . W . Grand Master , who was accompanied by a large number of Prov . Grand Masters and of

officers of the Grand Lodge of England , was invited to visit the Provincial Grand Lodge to receive an address from the brethren ofthe province , expressive of their loyalty and attachment to him . During

the year [ 855 he became a joining member ofthe Alfred Lodge , Oxford , No . 425 ( now 340 ) , and subsequently of the Apollo University Lodge , No . 460 ( now 357 ) , and was elected honorary member of the Churchill

Lodge . He became also a joining member ofthe Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , and of the Westminster and Keystone , No . 10 , both in London , and the latter especially connected with brethren of his province of

Oxford . In 1864 a warrant was granted for a lodge to bc held at Chipping Norton , Oxfordshire , and the founders of it were naturally anxious that it should bear the name of one who had endeared himself by untold acts of kindness to cverv member of

the province . Accordingly , the " Bowyer Lodge" was consecrated in the spring of 1865 , the Provincial Grand Master himself performing the ceremony , and it is at the

present time an excellent country lodge , with a goodly number of members , who vie with each other in good work , and in supporting the prestige and character of its

name . Colonel Bowyer received the appointment of Prov . Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Alasonry at the same time as

that of Prov . Grand Master , being qualified by having served the various necessary offices in the Iris Chapter at Richmond . He became a Alark Alaster Alason in the

Bon Accord Lodge in 1856 , but took no office in the degree . As a Knight Templar our brother received his introduction tothat order at the encampment of CYeur de Lion , in Oxford ; and after serving as its First

Captain and Eminent Commander , was , in 1858 , promoted to the post of Provincial Grand Commander of Oxfordshire by the then Grand Alaster , Colonel Tynte . As his Deputy Prov . Grand Commander he

appointed Bro . Richard James Spiers , Past Grand Captain , who continued to hold that post up to the decease of his chief . In the High Degrees , Colonel Bowyer received tlie 30 th in February , 1854 ; 31 st , November ,

1855 ; 32 nd , August , 1856 ; and 33 rd , January , 1857 . On the 6 th of . March , 18 C 8 , he received the high distinction of Alost

Puissant Sovereign , on the resignation of Dr . Leeson ; but after a short time , on account of ill health , he resigned in favour of Bro . Vi'jrne . who now holds the baton .

Socially , perhaps , the reign of Colonel Bowyer will be most remembered by the institution of the Alasonic fetes and balls , which , commencing in June , 1855 , have been continued at the University

Commemoration every year since , and have afforded to the numerous visitors at the academical festival the most agreeable experience of University gaiety , in June , i 860 , at the time the Prince of Wales was

studying at Oxford , a grand ball was given by the Freemasons to His Royal Highness , on which occasion the Earl and Countess of Zetland , and friends , attended , and were

the guests ofthe D . P . G . M . ; upwards of 700 were present at it . Subsequently to the marriage of the Prince of Wales , in 1863 , at the commemoration of that year , the Prince ,

Obituary.

accompanied by the Princess , attended a grand ball given by the Freemasons , at which upwards of 1 , 000 persons were present . We have spoken fully of the

Masonic events and festivities connected with his Provincial Grand Mastership ; but this notice would not be complete if we were to omit one cause of the success of

Freemasonry in Oxford during the 17 years Colonel Bowyer has been at its head . The foundation of his success has been the faithful and conscientious discharge of all the duties devolving on him as a Mason .

The ceremonies of the Order were always most admirably performed by him , and during the period he held the Alastership ol the Cherwcll Lodge , although at the time Master of the celebrated Heythrop Hunt ,

he never neglected attending at the meetings , and although always a most ardent sportsman , he has , before returning home after the day ' s hunting , posted to Banbury to take his place , and to do his work , as

W . AI ., taking every ceremony himself . The courtesy and the kindness he ever displayed to all who came within his reach , the kind consideration he gave to all cases in which assistance and help was required , the

unbounded generosity , Masonic and social , which distinguished him , and the princely support which he gave to all our Alasonic Charities , make his loss to hh province , and

to the Alasonic world at large , one of the greatest which has fallen upon any society which prizes honour and virtue above the external advantages of rank and fortune . Reqiticscat in pace .

Bro. William Anderson,

BRO . WILLIAM ANDERSON ,

Late S . \ V . of Lodge . Edinburgh St . James , No . 97 , -V . C . Only a few days have passed since the remains of our much-rcspcctcd brother , William Anderson . Senior Warden of the

Lodge Edinburgh St . James , No . 97 , were committed to the grave , with much testimony of respect from his Alasonic brethren , of whom an unusually large number attended his funeral . It seems due to one

who was held in great esteem whilst he lived , both for his conduct as a member of general society and for his discharge of his Alasonic duties as a member and officebearer of a lodge , that a few sentences

should now be devoted to his memory . Such a notice of him , even although very brief , will doubtless be acceptable to many who knew him , and who will regard it as a proper tribute to departed worth ; whilst

those who have never even heard his name before , may yet , it is to be hoped , peruse with interest the record of a life , very uneventful , if such events arc only regarded as give interest to the pages of a sensational

novelist , but full of all that Freemasonry encourages the brethren of the Order to cultivate and cherish—of honest industry and faithful discharge of all the duties of the domestic and social relations .

Bro . William Anderson was born on 2 nd August , 1818 , at Cousland , a small village near Dalkeith His parents were highly respectable people . His father sent him at an early age to the parish school of

Dalkeith , and made him an apprentice to his own trade , to which he adhered throughout life . Whilst still a very young man , he went to the south of Scotland , and there carried on his trade for a considerable

number of years , and settling in business in Galashiels , where he married . Becoming somewhat prosperous , lie thought it good to remove to Edinburgh , partly with a view to a wider field for business , and partly in order to the better education of his