Masonic.—­That the Freemasons are many among us is proved by the number of their Lodges, but the writer has no record throwing light on their past local history, though mention is found now and then in old newspapers of their taking part in the ceremonies attending the erection of more than one of our public buildings.  Of their local acts of benevolence they sayeth naught, though, as is well-known, their charity is never found wanting.  The three Masonic charitable institutions which are supported by the voluntary contributions of the craft during 1883 realised a total income of L55,994 14s. 3d.  Of this sum the boys’ school received L24,895 7s. 1d.; the Benevolent Institution, L18,449 6s.; and the girls’ school, L12,650 1s. 2d.  The largest total attained previous to 1883 was in 1880, when the sum amounted to L49,763.  The boys’ school, which is now at the head of the list, is boarding, housing clothing, and educating 221 boys; the Benevolent Institution, the second on the list, is granting annuities of L40 each to 172 men and L32 each to 167 widows; and the girls’ school houses, boards, clothes, and educates 239 girls, between the ages of seven and sixteen.  The boys leave school at fifteen.  During the year L8,675 has been granted to 334 cases of distress from the Fund of Benevolence, which is composed of 4s. a year taken from every London Mason’s subscription to his lodge and 2s. a year from every country Mason’s subscription.  The local lodges meet as follows:—­At the Masonic Hall, New Street:  St. Paul’s Lodge, No. 43; the Faithful Lodge, No. 473; the Howe Lodge, No. 587; the Howe R.A.  Chapter; the Howe Mark Master’s Lodge; the Howe Preceptory of Knight Templars; the Temperance Lodge, No. 739; the Leigh Lodge, No. 887; the Bedford Lodge, No. 925; the Bedford R.A.  Chapter; the Grosvenor Lodge, No. 938; the Grosvenor R.A.  Chapter; the Elkington Lodge, No 1,016; the Elkington R.A.  Chapter; the Fletcher Lodge, No. 1,031; the Fletcher R.A.  Chapter; the Lodge of Emulation, No. 1,163; the Forward Lodge, No. 1,180; the Lodge of Charity, No. 1,551; and the Alma Mater Lodge, No. 1,644. At the Masonic Hall, Severn Street:  The Athol Lodge, No. 74; the Athol R.A.  Chapter; the Athol Mark Master’s Lodge; and the Lodge of Israel, No. 1,474. At the Great Western Hotel:  The Lodge of Light, No. 468; the R.A.  Chapter of Fortitude; and the Vernon Chapter of S.P.R.C. of H.R.D.M., No. 5. At the Holte Hotel, Aston:  The Holte Lodge, No. 1,246.

Matches.—­Baker’s are best, the maker says.  Lucifer matches were the invention of a young German patriot, named Kammerer, who beguiled his time in prison (in 1832) with chemical experiments, though a North of England apothecary, Walker, lays claim to the invention.  They were first made in Birmingham in 1852, but they have not, as yet, completely driven the old-fashioned, and now-despised tinder-box out of the world, as many of the latter are still manufactured in this town for sundry foreign parts.