GLOSNews                                      579St Bryde 

Dec 2009

Installation. A large number of Brethren from The Middle Ward attended the Grand Lodge Installation and Festival of St. Andrew on Thursday 19th. November. Bro. Charles Wolrige Gordon of Esslemount was Installed for a second year as Grand Master Mason by Immediate Past Grand Master Bro. Sir Archibald D. Orr-Ewing. Guests included R.W.Bro. Peter Lowndes, Pro Grand Master of The United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Master of the newly erected Grand Lodge of Ghana. The Grand Master Mason chose Bro. Hugh Bryson as Depute Grand Master and Bro. Douglas Findlay as Substitute Grand    Master.

Honorary Grand Rank. The Grand Master conferred The Honorary Grand Rank of Junior Deacon on the following Brethren from our Province. Bro. Angus Ross, P.M. Lodge Cambuslang Royal Arch No. 114, Bro. William Perry, P.M. Lodge Robert Burns No. 440, Bro. Alex Kelly, Lodge Major Ness No. 948. The three Brethren are very active in their Mother Lodges and presently hold the Rank of Substitute Provincial Grand Master. The R.W.M. and Brethren of Lodge St. Bryde would like to extend our congratulations.  

Digital Records. The Scottish Masonic Materials Committee of Grand Lodge are presently  encouraging Lodges to digitalise Roll Books and Minute Books so as to preserve them for future generations of     researchers. The new Committee have been most active in producing a Survey Form which asks Lodges to return  information regarding, ie. what minute books they hold, where they are kept, does the Lodge have a Roll book going back to the formation of the Lodge etc. This Form will also be available on line and the information returned will give the Committee valuable information as to the records held by our Lodges.

Seminar.The Committee are also planning another Seminar in 2010 as a follow up to the very successful Seminar which was held in March 2009 in Strathclyde University. The 2010 Seminar will take place on Saturday 24th. April and the     excellent facilities at Strathclyde University will again be the venue. It is planned that Survey returns will be sufficient to allow discussion at this Seminar.

Nov 2009

Bro. James L. Jack, Provincial Grand Master has recommended Bro. Tom McCrone to Grand Lodge as a member of the Board of Grand Stewards. Tom is a Past Master of Lodge Griffin No. 1254, Gartcosh and will replace Bro. James Wood who will demit Office as President of the Board of Grand Stewards at the Installation on 19th. November.

Brethren of 579 are delighted that Bro. George Kelly, Past Provincial Grand Master has further progressed in Grand Lodge and will be Installed as Grand Junior Deacon on 19th. Nov.  Ticket applications can now be made via the Lodge Secretary.

Mar 2009

At the Regular Communication of Grand Lodge which was held in Stirling for the first time in the history of Grand Lodge, Grand Secretary announced that Grand Lodge had been successful in an appeal against VAT being charged on Fees payable by Lodges. The settlement was £900,000 and after expenses and fees have been paid it is expected that each Lodge in Scotland and the two Scottish Lodges which meet in Belgium will each receive a minimum of £600! Grand Secretary will be writing to Lodge  Secretary's soon with details of our Lodges return. 

Dec 2007

New Grand Master Mason.

Bro. Sir Archibald Orr Ewing , Grand Master Mason was Installed on Thursday 29th November 2007 at the Grand Lodge Installation and Festival of St. Andrew. He announced at the Regular Communication of Grand Lodge in October that this would be his last year as Grand Master. Bro. Archie has served a full 5 year term and an additional 3 years as Grand Master after the withdrawal of Bro. Rev. Joseph Morrow. This will mean that a new Grand Master will be Installed in November 2009. 

Interestingly, Bro. Charles Woolridge Gordon was Installed as Depute Grand Master.

Our Province continues to be well represented in Grand Lodge with Bro. George R. Kelly being Installed as Grand Architect and Bro. Kenneth Kennedy, now Past Depute Grand Master.

Honorary Grand Rank. At the Grand Lodge Installation, the Grand Master Mason conferred Honorary Grand Rank on the following Brethren, 

William Craig, P.M. Lodge Buchanan No. 1499 Hon. Grand Senior Deacon, Thomas Lindsay, P.M. Lodge Griffin, Gartcosh No. 1254 Hon. Grand Marshall, Bruce Wilkie, P.M. Lodge Whifflet St. John No. 963. 

These Brethren will be presented with their Certificates at the Provincial Annual General Meeting on 11th. January 2008 in the Masonic Hall, Uddingston.

April 2007

Sadly, on Monday 12th. March 2007, Bro. David Liddle - Granger  of Ayton, Past Grand Master died after a short illness. Bro. Liddle-Granger was Grand Master Mason from 1969 to 1974.  

Michael Wilson. Bro. Michael Wilson, P.M. of Lodge Tollcross No. 1194, Honorary Grand Junior Deacon, sadly died after a long illness. His funeral on 15th. March was well attended by members of our Lodge.  Michael was a true Freemason who will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

December 2006

Grand Lodge Installation –

St. Andrew`s Day 2006.

It was an historic day in Edinburgh on Thursday 30th. November 2006. Firstly Grand Office-bearers - our Immediate Past Provincial Grand Master, Bro. Kenneth D. Kennedy was appointed Right Worshipful Depute Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of  Scotland. What an honour for our Province !

It is thought that Bro. Kennedy is the first Brother from our Province to be appointed to such a high position since Bro. Robert King Stewart prior to the Second World War.

Bro. George R. Kelly, P.P.G.M. continues to progress through Grand Lodge offices and was Installed as Grand Bard.

We in Lodge St. Bryde No. 579 wish Bro. Kennedy and Bro. Kelly our congratulations on their appointments and wish them well in the future.

Secondly, what a day for Lodge Bothwell Brig No. 1229 and Lodge Dura No. 1513. The Grand Master Mason, Bro. Sir Archibald Orr- Ewing conferred the following:

Bro. Donald Mathieson, P.M. was awarded the Hon. Grand Rank of Senior Deacon, Donald has served his Mother Lodge as Secretary for more than twenty years and has also held the high offices of Provincial Grand Secretary and Depute Provincial Grand Master.

Bro. Robert Johnstone, P.M. has been  Treasurer of Lodge Bothwell Brig for over twenty five years and is one of the longest serving Office-bearers in our Province. The Grand Master Mason awarded Bro. Robert the Hon. Grand Rank of Bible-bearer.

Bro. James Galloway, M.M. of Lodge Dura No. 1513 was awarded the Hon. Grand Rank of Marshal, the first person in the history of Lodge Dura to have been awarded Hon. Grand Rank. Bro. Jimmy is a stalwart of the Lodge who is always willing to roll up his sleeves and get involved. He has held a number of  offices in the Lodge and is presently Secretary.

We congratulate these Brethren on their recognition by the Grand Master Mason, their awards are richly deserved.

April 2006

Grand Lodge News.  

The Grand Lodge of Scotland Regular Communication will be held in Edinburgh on Thursday 8th. June and on Saturday 10th. June The Installation of The Provincial Grand Master, Bro. James L. Jack, P.M. Lodge St. Bryde No. 579 will take place in The Civic Centre, Motherwell at 2 p.m.  Bros. Wayne Price and Raymond Steel will be coming over from Virginia from Sunday 4th. to Monday 12th. June. They will be going visit various Lodges as our guests, including the Regular Meeting of Lodge Robert Burns No. 440 on Thursday 8th. June. Lodge Cadder Argyle No. 147 will confer a F.C. Degree and the new Provincial Grand Master will be attending this meeting. 

Grand Lodge Annual Dinner. This years Dinner will be held on Saturday 27th. May at Lodge St. John No. 175, Greenock. The main speaker will be Bro. Bob Cooper, the Curator of The Grand Lodge Museum and Library. Tickets priced £25 are  available via the Lodge Secretary.