Waving Saltire Square and Compasses

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Stirlingshire

Square and Compasses Waving Saltire

An Historical Sketch

by
Brother Sandy Thomson
Re-produced for the web site by Brother H Graeme Russell

1995 – 2005

Brother John McLeod Sneddon, Past Master of Lodge St. Andrew (Denny & Loanhead) No. 176 was installed as the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Stirlingshire in his Mother Lodge at 3.00 pm on Saturday 10 June 1995. The ceremony of installation was carried out by Office-bearers from Grand Lodge headed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason The Lord Burton. A cheque in the sum of £2,500.00 was presented to Grand Lodge at the dinner that followed the installation.


Brother John McLeod Sneddon RWPGM (1995 – 2000)
 

The Regular Communication of Provincial Grand Lodge of 24 April 1996 approved the donation of £500.00 to the Dunblane Primary School Tragedy fund.

 

The Honorary Grand Rank of Organist was conferred on Brother James R. Ormiston Past Master Lodge Abercromby No. 531 at the end of 1996.

 

Brother Henry J. Carmichael Past Master was accorded the honour of occupying the Chair of his Mother Lodge in its Centenary Year when Lodge Craiginnan Dollar No. 850 reached this historic landmark in 1997. Brother Harry was first Master of the Lodge in 1959 and had held the Office of Secretary of the Lodge since 1965. All Office-bearers received new regalia to mark the event. This was dedicated by Brother Carmichael himself at the Regular Meeting held on 08 April 1997. He gave a lecture on the Dedication Ceremony itself and read the Minute of the First Regular Meeting of the Lodge held in 1897 at that meeting.
The Centenary was marked by a Rededication Ceremony held at 2.00 pm in East Burnside Hall, East Burnside, Dollar on Saturday 14 June 1997. Office-bearers of Grand Lodge led by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason Brother the Right Honourable The Lord Burton officiated on the day. A delegation from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Stirlingshire was led by Brother John McLeod Sneddon Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master. Strathdevon Primary School, Park Place, Dollar was the setting for a grand Centenary Dinner that followed at 4.00 pm that day. Pictures of the two events were printed in the Grand Lodge Year Book of 1998.

Brother Henry J. Carmichael RWM with the Most
Worshipful Grand Mason The Honourable The Lord
Burton andBrother John McLeod Sneddon Right
Worshipful Provincial Grand Master (1997)
RWM, Office-bearers, Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge (1997)
 

Brother Campbell Murray was in the Chair of Lodge Buchanan Killearn No. 1419 when the Lodge celebrated its 50th Jubilee at 3.00 pm on Saturday 15 November 1997. The Ceremony of Re-dedication was conducted by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother John McLeod Sneddon and members of Provincial Grand Lodge. This was yet another proud moment for such a small Lodge. It had previously provided two Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Masters in the persons of Brother Doctor Hector C. Campbell and Brother Robert Hutchison. Both distinguished brethren attended and were presented with Distinguished Service Membership Diplomas by the Lodge on the day. The Office-bearers were then installed following which all retired to enjoy the Festival of St. John in the Village Hall. Killearn.


Office-bearers of Lodge Buchanan Killearn No. 1419 (1997)
 

The Right Worshipful Master Brother J. Bruce Wilson and the members of Lodge Abercromby No. 531 were delighted to organise and celebrate the 125th Anniversary of their Lodge on Saturday 07 February 1998. A Re-dedication Ceremony was held in the Allan Centre, Bridge of Allan at 2.30 pm on that day. The Ceremony was conducted by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother John McLeod Sneddon and the Junior Provincial Grand Chaplain Brother Reverend John Harley Jenkinson. An excellent dinner followed at 5.00 pm in the Masonic Hall, Bridge of Allan.

Office-bearers of Lodge Abercromby No. 531 and Provincial Grand Lodge (1998)

 

Proud members of Lodge Clackmannan No. 1303 marked its 75th Anniversary with a Rededication Ceremony held in the Temple at 3.00 pm on Saturday 28 February 1998. The Ceremony was carried out by Brother Reverend Joseph Morrow, Worshipful Grand Senior Deacon. Brother John McLeod Sneddon Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master led a fine deputation from Provincial Grand Lodge. Brother Colin T. Wyse Immediate Past Provincial Grand Master dedicated the new Lodge regalia that had been purchased by the Lodge. Brother Hugh Craig Right Worshipful Master conferred honorary membership of the Lodge on Brother Joseph Morrow, Brother Norman Reid Provincial Grand Treasurer and Brother Alan Scott P.M. Lodge St. John Tulliallan No. 598 on the day. The company enjoyed a fine repast in the Lodge rooms after the formalities were over. Previous to the Rededication Ceremony an Anniversary Ball had been held in Alloa Town Hall on Friday 20 February 1998.

 
Office-bearers of Lodge Clackmannan No. 1303 (1998)
 

A highly significant event took place in the Province of Stirlingshire on Saturday 20 March 1999 when the members of Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30 celebrated the 400th Anniversary of their Lodge. Many brethren of the Lodge and visiting brethren from home and abroad enjoyed a Rededication Ceremony in the Albert Halls, Stirling at 2.00 pm. The ceremony was conducted by members of Grand Lodge headed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason Brother the Right Honourable the Lord Burton. A large number of members of Provincial Grand Lodge were led by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother John McLeod Sneddon. A fine banquet followed in the Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling at 5.30 pm.

 

The Grand Master Mason conferred the Honorary Grand Rank of Senior Deacon on Brother Peter Easton Past Master Lodge Zetland No. 391 in November1998 while Brother Russell H. Hunter Secretary Lodge Stirling Royal Arch No. 76 was made Honorary Grand Assistant Secretary.

 

It was the great honour of Brother Alexander Don Right Worshipful Master to occupy the Chair of his Mother Lodge when Lodge Bannockburn Bruce and Thistle No. 312 celebrated its 175th Anniversary in the Lodge premises at 6.45 pm on Friday 29 October 1999. A Ceremony of Rededication was conducted by Office-bearers of Provincial Grand Lodge led by Brother John McLeod Sneddon Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master. Thereafter a fine Anniversary Dinner in the Lodge rooms was enjoyed by a large turnout of members and visiting brethren. The Office-bearers of the Lodge were proud to wear new regalia previously dedicated by Brother Reverend John Harley Jenkinson to the event on Thursday 14 October 1999.

The RWM and Office-bearers of Lodge Bannockburn Bruce & Thistle No. 312 (1999)

 

Brother Joseph Campbell Past Master Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30, Past Provincial Grand Secretary was honoured by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason in November 1999 when he was awarded the Honorary Grand Rank of Junior Deacon.

 

Much world-wide excitement took place prior to 01 January 2000. This was the dawn of a new Millennium and all computers and everything that they controlled were to be struck down by a mysterious ‘millennium bug’. Needless to say this did not happen and the world went on as normal. The only fireworks were those let off by man in celebration of the momentous event.

 

The Commissioned Office-bearers of Provincial Grand Lodge were installed at 2.00pm on Saturday 20 May 2000 by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason Brother Archibald D. Orr Ewing Bart and his team of Grand Lodge Office-bearers in Lodge Callendar No. 588. Unfortunately due to poor health the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Elect Brother David Dick Laing could not attend. His Commission was however read in his absence. It would not be until the second Reigning Master Degree held in his Mother Lodge Callendar No. 588 on 05 April 2002 that he was finally formally installed. The ceremony was carried out by members of Grand Lodge headed by Brother Alexander Whitehead Past Depute Grand Master.

 
Brother David Dick Laing RWPGM (2000 – 2005) 
 

The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David Dick Laing was also to miss the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Lodge Camelon No. 1456. The annual Installation of Office-bearers was held in the Masonic Hall 200 Grahams Road on Saturday 07 October 2000. Thereafter a ceremony of rededication was carried out by members of Provincial Grand Lodge. This was followed by a celebration dinner in the nearby local Community Centre.

 

Lodge Dolphin No. 911 reached a significant moment in its history on 02 December 2000 when members celebrated the Centenary of the Lodge. A Re-dedication Ceremony was held in the Lodge at 2.00pm on that day. Both Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge delegations were in attendance headed by Past Grand Depute Master Brother James R. Garrard and Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David Dick Laing respectively. Grand Lodge officiated in the re-dedication proceedings and dedicated the Office-bearers new regalia. A celebratory dinner was thereafter enjoyed by over one hundred brethren in the adjacent Bonnybridge Primary School. The Reverend John Harley Jenkinson, Provincial Grand Junior Chaplain, led members of the Lodge and friends in a Thanksgiving Service in Bonnybridge St. Helens Parish Church at 3.00 pm on Sunday 03 December 2000.

911 
Office-bearers of Lodge Dolphin No. 911, Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge (2000) 
 

The first Reigning Masters Degree in the Province of Stirlingshire was held in Lodge Zetland No. 391 in April 2001and would be an annual event. Lodge Zetland No. 391 and subsequent host Lodges would not be eligible to host the event again until all other Lodges meeting the necessary criteria had the opportunity of so doing. Each Lodge was also invited to suggest a beneficiary for any monies raised from a raffle and collection to be held. Representatives from Grand Lodge were to be invited to attend as guests of honour.

Up to and including the Regular Communication of 25 April 2001 the Minutes of Regular Communications of Provincial Grand Lodge were carefully and painstakingly recorded by successive Provincial Grand Secretaries in Minute Books written by hand. All correspondence was similarly hand written. The continuing development of computers, their affordability and increasing popularity as a communication medium led to the Minutes of the Regular Communications of Provincial Grand Lodge being digitally recorded, printed and bound from1995 onwards. Correspondence was also processed in this manner and was later to be sent by the evolving internet and email system in appropriate circumstances.

In September 2001 Lodge Callendar No. 588 marked its125th Anniversary with a Re-dedication Ceremony at 6.30 pm on Friday 28 September 2001. The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David Dick Laing, although unwell, had the distinct pleasure of leading the deputation from Provincial Grand Lodge into his own Mother Lodge in the first year of his commission. The Office-bearers of Provincial Grand Lodge performed the ceremony. All brethren enjoyed an exceptional Centenary Dinner in the Temple after the Ceremony.

Brother Sandy Whitehead Past Master Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30, Right Worshipful Past Provincial Grand Master was elevated to the rank of Most Worshipful Grand Master Depute of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in November 2001 in recognition of his outstanding service to Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge over many years. Brother Reverend John Harley Jenkinson Senior Provincial Grand Chaplain was appointed to the Office of Grand Chaplain in Grand Lodge at the same time.

Grand Lodge Honours were bestowed on Brother Peter Leckie Past Master Lodge Dolphin No. 911 in November 2001 when he was awarded the Honorary Grand Rank of Junior Deacon by the Grand Master Mason.

The Lodge of Alloa No. 69 was the first Lodge in the Province of Stirlingshire to investigate and set up a World Wide Web site early in 2002. Investigations into the possibility of their webmaster creating a site for Provincial Grand Lodge were initiated by Provincial Grand Secretary Brother James G. White who later went on to become the site webmaster. He was succeeded in this by Brother H. Graeme Russell Past Master Lodge Camelon No. 1456 when he became Provincial Grand Secretary in 2003.

Lodge St. John Tulliallan No. 598 celebrated a Ceremony of Re-dedication on 20 April 2002 to mark their 125th Anniversary in April 2002. The ceremony was carried out by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David Dick Laing assisted by the Senior Provincial Grand Chaplain Brother Reverend John Harley Jenkinson.

It was the turn of Lodge Ladywell No. 1474 to celebrate on 14 September 2002 when a Ceremony of Re-dedication was held to mark their 50th Anniversary. Again the ceremony was carried out by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master but this time assisted by Brother John McKenzie Junior Provincial Grand Chaplain.

Brother Major Sir Ronald Orr Ewing, Past Master Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30, Past Provincial Grand Master and Past Grand Master Mason of Scotland passed to the Grand Lodge above in 2002.

Brother G. Bruce Shearlaw Past Master Lodge Strathendrick No. 780, Past Provincial Grand Secretary (1995 – 2000) was awarded the Honorary Grand Rank of Assistant Secretary in November 2002.

The month of May 2003 saw Lodge Loch Lomond No. 1483 enjoy a Ceremony of Re-dedication to mark their 50th Anniversary. The ceremony was held in the Millennium Hall, Gartocharn when the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David Dick Laing officiated assisted by Brother Reverend John Harley Jenkinson Senior Provincial Grand Chaplain.

The traditional annual award by the Grand Master Mason in November 2003 saw Brother Robert Newlands Past Master of Lodge St. John Tulliallan No. 598 receive the Honorary Grand Rank of Almoner.

At the Regular Meeting of Lodge Camelon 1456, on Thursday 11th December 2003, the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Brother David D Laing installed Brother H Graeme Russell, Past Master as Provincial Grand Secretary and presented him with his Certificate of Commission.

H Graeme Russell
 

The death of Brother Joseph Campbell Past Master Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30 Past Provincial Grand Secretary, Past Substitute Provincial Grand Master was reported at the Regular Communication held on 27 January 2004. He had served continuously as Provincial Grand Secretary from 1975 to 1995. Congratulations were also extended to Brother Colin T. Wyse Past Provincial Grand Master who announced his retirement after seven and a half years as a member of the Benevolence Committee of Grand Lodge.

After 10 years as Provincial Grand Treasurer (1994 – 2004) it was the turn of Brother Norman Reid to announce his retirement at the Regular communication of 25 February 2004.

An inaugural Committee was set up early in 2004 with the object of organising an annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Stirlingshire Charity Bowling Competition to compliment the Charity Golf Competition that had been running for many years. This was followed up by the first Bowling Competition hosted by Lodge St. John Falkirk No. 16 being staged at Falkirk Bowling Club on 22 August of that year when the sum of £1,800.00 was raised for charity and donated to the Scottish Society for Autism, Struan House, Alloa.

It was the sad duty of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master to announce the death of Brother Norman Reid Past Provincial Grand Treasurer at the Regular Communication held on 28 October 2004 so soon after his retirement earlier in the year. It was decided to support the wishes of his widow that the newly purchased Charity Bowling Competition Trophy be inscribed in his name in memory of his distinguished service to freemasonry.

Brother George Rough Past Master Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30 was awarded the Honorary Grand Rank of Jeweller by the Grand Master Mason at the end of 2004.

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