The work thus began went on successfully until 1854 when the Provincial Grand Priory of England was installed, but after two years experience it was cancelled, the Encampments reverting to the Imperial Grand. In 1868 we find they had eight Encampments divided into two districts, No. I "North of England," located at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and No. 2 "North and South Shields." This order of working continued till 17th June, 1876, when a Provincial Grand Priory was again granted, but they evidently were in no great hurry about the installation, as we find that on 25th November, 1876, Sir Knights Robert Stewart and William Johnstone were appointed to go to Newcastle and instal the new Provincial Grand Priory. At a meeting of Grand Council held on 20th January, 1877, the Recorder read a communication from Sir Knight John Cruickshanks, Recorder of the North of England Grand Provincial, drawing their attention to a Grand Encampment that was working in Liverpool, which was issuing Warrants and initiating candidates, and recognising no other Grand but themselves. The Grand Council unanimously cancelled this Warrant, and instructed the Grand Recorder to make known through the public press the finding of the Grand Council, of which the following appeared in the Belfast Weekly News, and Belfast Telegraph:--
"There is at present in Liverpool a so-called Grand Lodge of the above Order, which takes the authority upon it of issuing Warrants, conferring degrees, etc. It is true the Parent Grand Encampment installed a Provincial Grand Encampment in the year 1854. It continued to work about two years and then ceased. It never was empowered to issue Warrants, nor never held the prerogatives of a Grand Encampment. Some time ago it was taken into consideration by the Grand Council of the Imperial Parent of the Knights of Malta, and the aforesaid Provincial Warrant was cancelled and has no connection with any Grand Encampment of the Knights of Malta (working under the Imperial Parent of the Universe) either in England, Ireland, America, or anywhere else, so that all Knights of Malta working under this self-constituted Grand Encampment of Liverpool will be held as expelled men, and will not be recognised by any Encampment of Knights of Malta in any of the aforesaid Kingdoms; and any Sir Knight becoming a resident in Liverpool or any of its suburbs, should be cautious not to deposit his diploma in any Encampment working under the Liverpool Grand Warrant.
(Signed) ALEXANDER KENNEDY, L.G.R."
In 1868 a Provincial Warrant was issued to William Shortis of Liverpool, to be called the "Provincial Grand Priory of Wales, Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire." Of this Provincial we have no further notice.
In June, 1877, we have the first Provincial report from the newly formed Provincial Grand Priory of England, showing thirteen Encampments in good working order. In 1895 the encampments had dwindled down to four, and the Provincial Grand Priory being in a state of rebellion, the Imperial Grand Encampment in their wisdom cancelled the Provincial Warrant, two of the Encampments reverting to the Imperial Grand, under which our English Encampments are now working.