In presenting their Report for the year 1892 to the members of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, the Council may with confidence congratulate them on the continued success of the Society, as judged by the number and quality of the papers laid before the Society, as well as by the attendance at and the general interest shown in its meetings.

MEMBERSHIP.—A slight decrease in the number of members will be observed, but it is hardly sufficient to call for any remark. The causes which tend to arrest the growth of the Society were explained in the last Report, and there is no reason for supposing that the taste for antiquarian research is declining in the district. The number of members now on the roll is as follows:

showing a loss of five Ordinary and two Life members. WINTER MEETINGS. The usual monthly meetings of the Society, January to April and October to December, were held in Chetham College. The titles of the papers and short

communications read at the meetings are given in the following list:

1892.

Jan. 8. The Manchester Gilds and Lichfield Corvisors' Gild Records. Mr. H. T. Crofton.

Feb.

29.-Annual Meeting.

5.-Celestial Alphabets. Mr. George Esdaile. March 4.-Tonge Hall. Lieut.-Col. Fishwick, F.S.A. 4. The Alexander Family of Manchester.

Bateman.

April 1-Sculptured Knots. Dr. H. Colley March.

I.

Mr. C. T. Tallent

1. Some Architectural Features of Astbury Church. Mr. William Pullinger.

1.—Christopher Townley, the Antiquary. Mr. G. C. Yates, F.S.A. 1.—Lead Tokens, 17th Century. Mr. G. C. Yates, F.S.A.

30.-Fiji. Papers by Rev. F. R. C. Hutton, Messrs. C. Heape, J. Edge Partington, and G. C. Yates, F.S.A.

7.-Bucton. Mr. S. Andrew.

7.-"Nook-shotten," as used by Shakespeare. Mr. S. Andrew. 4.-The Nico Ditch. Mr. G. Esdaile.

4.-Pardon Brasses. Mr. W. E. A. Axon.

4.—Lancashire Notes from a Yorkshire Common-place Book. Lieut.-Col. Fishwick, F.S.A.

4.-The Bride Stones. Dr. Renaud, F.S.A.

-The Bone Cave at Grange. Mr. Swainson Cowper, F.S.A. 30.-Conversazione.

1893.

2.-The Misereres at Chester Cathedral. Mr. T. Cann Hughes,

M.A.

Jan. 10.-The Frontier Policy of the Roman Empire. Mr. F. Haverfield, M.A., F.S.A.

SUMMER MEETINGS were held at the following places :

May 6-Clayton Hall.

21.-Burnley, for Gawthorpe Hall and Townley Hall.

June 8 to 11 (Whitsun-week).-Hereford and Ross, Goodrich Castle,

Symond's Yat, Raglan Castle, Monmouth, and Chepstow.

25.-Tattenhall, Harthill, and Broxton.

9.-Bucton Castle.

20.-Handforth Hall and Dean Row Chapel.

Aug. 1.-Congleton.

27.-Sandbach, Brereton Hall, and Holmes Chapel.

Sep. 17.-Mobberley.

Oct. 1.-Knowsley.

CONVERSAZIONE AND SPECIAL LECTURE.-A Conversazione was held again this year in the Gentlemen's Concert Hall, on

the 30th November, under the presidency of Lieut.-Col. Fishwick, F.S.A., which was well attended, and a large collection of objects of antiquarian interest was exhibited. Several friends contributed to the entertainment of the evening by means of instrumental and vocal music.

The special lecture, owing to unavoidable causes, was postponed until January 10th, 1893, when F. Haverfield, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., of Christ Church, Oxford, delivered his lecture on "The Frontiers of the Roman Empire and of Roman Britain." This lecture was given in the Manchester Town · Hall, the chair being taken by His Worship the Mayor (Alderman A. Marshall). Some excellent photographs of the Roman Wall and other places illustrating the lecture were thrown on the screen by means of the oxy-hydrogen lantern. OBITUARY.-Two life members and two ordinary members have been removed by death during the past year:

Colonel G. J. M. Ridehalgh, of Fell Foot, Windermere. Residing at a considerable distance from Manchester Colonel Ridehalgh was prevented from attending the meetings of the Society, but the members who visited the Furness district in 1885 have a grateful recollection of his kindness in conveying them round Lake Windermere in his beautiful steam yacht on that occasion. He died on October 17th, 1892.

Mr. Joseph Fearns Lawton, J.P., of Marle House, Micklehurst, Mossley, and Stamford Villa, Altrincham, died on December 23rd, 1892, aged sixty-three.

Mr. Oliver Heywood, J.P., D.L., the first honorary freeman of the City of Manchester, perhaps the best esteemed and loved of Manchester men, died on March 17th, 1892, aged sixty-seven years. Amongst the many institutions that had the advantage of his attention and support was Chetham Hospital, of which he was a feoffee. For a series of years he had borne the expense of the restoration of the roofs and other portions of the hospital and library. These admirable restorations, which, as the members know, had been conceived and. effected in a spirit full of reverence for the genius of the

original builders, were part of a scheme for the gradual repair of the whole of the fabric. It is satisfactory to know that the work will be continued by Mr. Charles J. Heywood.

The Very Rev. Canon Lawrence Toole, D.D., missionary rector of St. Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Church, Bedford Street, Hulme, Manchester, died on March 10th, 1892. One of the oldest Catholic clergymen in Lancashire, and an exceedingly active member of the community among whom he had spent a considerable part of his long life, Canon Toole had won much popularity amongst all classes. He was born in 1807 in Liverpool. He left his extensive library to St. Bede's College, Manchester. His connection with the foundation of the Loreto Convent in Hulme is referred to in the Transactions of the Society, vol iv., p. 274.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.-The Council again express their thanks to the Feoffees of Chetham College for their kindness. in allowing the Society to meet in their rooms. The thanks of the Society are also due to the Right Honourable the Earl of Derby and Lady Derby, Lady O'Hagan, Dr. Strong, J.P., the Rector of Goodrich, Mr. Moir, of Brereton Hall, and others, who showed great kindness to the Society on the occasion of their visits.

Mr. C. W. Sutton has again kindly undertaken the editorship of the Transactions for the past year, and the best thanks of the Society are due to him for his long continued and valuable services in that capacity.

ECCLESIOLOGY.-A Sectional Committee has been appointed to consider the best method of investigating and recording the various objects of antiquarian interest connected with the ancient churches of Lancashire and subsequently of Cheshire.

ARCHEOLOGICAL MAP.-A Sectional Committee, consisting of two members of the Council, Dr. March and Mr. Harrison, and two other members of the Society (Mr. G. H. Rowbotham and Mr. C. E. Newton), was appointed in April to consider and report as to the best method of compiling and constructing an Archeological Survey and Map of the Society's district.

The committee presented a report to the Council in October last, and in accordance with its recommendations a Map of Lancashire, and Topographical Index to accompany, have already been prepared by Mr. Harrison, and are now in course of revision and correction in sections by members and others specially conversant with the various localities. As to Cheshire, it appears likely that a similar work will be undertaken by the Chester Archeological Society, in co-operation with this Society.