3-008-396 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Duke of Leinster presenting prizes to the children of the Masonic Female Orphan School at Dublin, in the Great Hall of the ancient concert rooms, 1862. 'The room, which was beautifully decorated, was filled to overflowing by a brilliant assemblage of ladies and gentlemen...The Senior Grand Chaplain, the Rev. J. J. McSorley, then offered up a prayer, after which the children sang the Doxology and Sanctus...The honorary secretary, Brother P. D. La Touche, said that...it was the first occasion on which he had to announce that the income of the past year had been less than that of the preceding one. He regretted to say that a considerable portion of that diminution was in the contribution of small sums. He thought every one present would agree with him that the merits of the Masonic Female Orphan School entitled it to the support of every brother in the order, not only the £1 and £10 of the rich and affluent, but the shillings and the crowns of the poor and indigent...he trusted the deficiency of the past year would be more than counterbalanced by the receipts next year...his Grace the Grand Master distributed the prizes to the children, and at the conclusion of the proceedings they sang "The Orphan's Hymn".' From "Illustrated London News", 1862.