HistoryChapter 6                           579St Bryde 

The years immediately after the Great War saw a tremendous upsurge in applications ror membership. Servicemen who had experienced the comradeship of the trenches, now sought to continue that bond when they returned home.

As there was no restriction on the number of candidates a Lodge could initiate on one night, large numbers were initiated and degrees with fifteen candidates were commonplace. Grand Lodge however, moved swiftly to counter the huge influx and on 24th Nov. 1919 altered its laws accordingly :-

"No Lodge shall initiate more than seven candidates on the same day, and no Lodge shall pass to the second or raise to the third more than seven Brethren in either of the said degrees in any one day".

The Lodges overcame this restriction by holding numerous special meetings. In 1920 Lodge St. Bryde held fifty meetings, twenty nine of which were special; 127 candidates were initiated and the average attendance was 99. Coupled with the intrants for the years 1918 and 1919 this meant that a total of 323 candidates were initiated in the first three years after the war.

It also seems to have been the case that in order to satisfy the new Grand Lodge Law, the Brethren would hold a special meeting at 7.30p.m., initiate seven candidates, close the special meeting at 7.30 p.m. and immediately open the regular meeting of the Lodge.

When, after the business of the Lodge was completed a different seven Brethren would be passed or raised.

This rapid expansion caused Brethren to think of founding new Lodges and soon Bro. A. Gibson on behalf of "The Petitioners" sent Lodge St. Bryde a letter asking the sanction of the Lodge, as one of the nearest Lodges, to their proposed Lodge in Bothwell. The Brethren of the Lodge unanimously supported the Petition and on 5th August 1920 Lodge bothwell Brig. No. 1229 was chartered.

The year 1920 also saw the collections at Lodge installations being forwarded for the first time to Grand Lodge Annuity Fund, which in its first 23 years of existence had amounted the sum of £38,716 2/6d. At the Provincial Grand Lodge visitation of that year, the P.G.M. Bro. Spence recommended to the Lodge that in the future when working the Mark Degree the Lodge be raised to the M.M. Degree, reduced to the F.C. Degree and then advanced to the Degree of M.M.M.

Further to the new Lodge being formed at Bothwell in 1921, Bro. Wm. Simpson solicited the support of Lodge St. Bryde in the formation of a proposed Lodge in Tannochside.

The Brethren again unanimously agreed their support and indeed a large number were founder members of the new Lodge St. Enoch No. 1228. Lodge St. Bryde also had the honour of one of its members, Bro. Rev. Wm. Taylor, being installed as the first R.W.M. of Lodge St. Enoch.

Although the Lodge was flourishing the Brethren did not forget those Brethren of the Lodge who had made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War. A special memorial Lodge was held on 27th April 1921 to honour those who had fallen. To the strains of "The Death March" the R.W.M. and Office Bearers entered the Lodge in solemn procession. The Lodge was opened in the E.A. Degree then raised to the M.M. Degree when the Lodge choir under the conductorship of Bro. W. Paterson, rendered various musical items, the Secretary then read out the names of those who had fallen and the Lodge Chaplain, Bro. Rev. G.S. Peebles, gave an exhortation entitled "The duties and responsibilities of Freemasons" The Lodge was then closed in due and ancient form.

Later on in that year, Bro. J. Espie P.M. 1917-18, conferred the Mark Degree on 50 candidates in one night. (This Brother who sailed for South Africa soon after that meeting, returned to the Lodge in 1962 and gave the Brethren an account of how the Lodge worked in those early days.)

In 1924, after many trials and tribulations (previously described in Chapter 4) the Lodge finally completed the new Masonic Halls in Gardenside Street. The consecration ceremonial was conducted on 9th September 1924 at 6.45 p.m. by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Brother Sir Robert King Stewart (Past Grand Master Mason of Scotland)

In his opening address R.W.P.G.M. Bro. Sir R.K. Stewart remarked that this was the third time he had consecrated Lodge Rooms for Lodge St. Bryde. The first being in 1902 and then again in 1916. (Bro. Sir R.K. Stewart served as Provincial Grand Master from 1892-1930). He also complimented the members on their enterprise and assured them that the building was "one of the finest in the Province".

To mark the occasion the R.W.M. Bro. James McGowan presented the R.W.P.G.M. with a bronze Japanese vase and the P.G.L. Secretary with a crystal dish and stand on behalf of the Lodge, as mementos of the occasion. A special collection was taken on behalf of the Royal Samaritan Hospital and amounted to the sum of £7.

At the first regular meeting in the new halls the building committee asked to be discharged from their duties as the work on the Temple was now complete. The R.W.M. Bro. J. McGowan and the Brethren thanked Bro James Anderson and his committee for their devotion and praised the energetic mariner in which they had carried out their duties. The Brethren then decided that since the building committee had been discharged, full powers for the running of the halls were to be handed over to the halls committee.

The halls committee agreed to appoint a Hallkeeper at the annual wage of £15 and from a list of 27 applications Bro. J. Hosie was appointed the first Hallkeeper. The committee also drew up a comprehensive list of 14 regulations which gave the halls factor the right to let the halls, collect the rents and to ensure that the organisation using the hall adhered to the rules laid down by the committee.

Applications for hall lets were soon approved and it is interesting to note that dancing classes were held on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings every week at the rate of 25/- per night, including the use of the piano. The Order of the Eastern Star No. 54 was among the first organisations to let the hall and their rate was 15/- per meeting and the use of the gas stove was charged at 5/-per annum. The halls committee ran the halls as a business venture along the lines the owners of the previous meeting place (the Public Halls) had done, and even the Lodge had to pay 10/- for each meeting to the Halls committee. As a result by the end of 1925 they were in a position to pay off all the loans made by the Brethren of £10 and under.

The Lodge celebrated its jubilee on 24th February 1926, a regular meeting night, as was the wish of the Brethren. After the conclusion of the business, the R.W.M. Bro. W. Patterson welcomed the P.G.M. Bro. Sir Robert King Stewart into the Lodge, accompanied by a large deputation from P.G.L. Bro. Sir Robert K. Stewart took the chair and mallet and thanked the Brethren for their hearty welcome. The P.G.M. intimated that he was delighted to be present, having been an honorary member of the Lodge since 1891. He also mentioned the fact that Bro. James Robertson (founder member) and Bro James Patrick P.M. (one of the first initiates) were present. The Secretary then read the first Minute of the Lodge and Bro. J. Patrick P.M. gave a most delightful and interesting resume of the first fifty years of the Lodge. A special collection in aid of St.Dunstans Hospital for Blinded Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen was taken and amounted to £4 2/9d. The Lodge was then closed and a dinner and harmony followed the meeting.

The halls were being used to their full advantage by the Lodge. Dances, whists, concerts and social nights were held at regular intervals, all under the watchful eye of the halls committee, who also dealt with complaints and problems. One of the first problems concerned the huge pillars which adorn our main hall. They had to be protected by metal cages because of damage being done by chairs. The committee also listened to a complaint by the hallkeeper that "people" were seen at dances wearing heavy boots and some even had studs. It was unanimously agreed that the hallkeeper post notices saying that in future only those wearing dancing shoes would be allowed to dance. One wonders if the "people" included the ladies!!

The halls were also let as part of the local trades exhibition. Stalls and displays of all the local crafts were set up in the hall and the exhibition ran for five days.

The Lodge received on 25th January 1928 a gift of the Master and Wardens chairs. These chairs were given to the Lodge by the family of the late Bro. John Brown in his memory. A number of Brethren also contributed to purchase new dais for the Master and Wardens and Calton Cabinet Works were given the contract to supply the same.

The following year the Brethren of the Lodge decided that the halls needed redecorating and local painter and decorator, John Williamson, was employed at a cost of £150.

The present tradition of the Management Committee recommending the Brethren for the various offices was first introduced in 1930, before this date all offices were contested openly at the A.G.M., when in some cases more than one Brother was proposed for the office of R.W.M.

The P.G.L. Secretary notified all the Lodges in the Middle Ward of the death of Bro. Sir Robert King Stewart who had held the chair of Provincial Grand Master from 1892 to 1930 and also served as Grand Master Mason of Scotland from 1913 to 1916. The P.G.L. Sec. intimated that all Lodges in the Province would go into mourning for six months until 30th June 1931. The dias of all Lodges to be appropriately draped and black crepe worn over all Lodge clothing.

At the election of Grand Lodge Committee in 1935, two Brethren of Lodge St. Bryde, in the persons of Bro. D. Paterson P.M. and Bro. J. Greive, an affiliate member, were elected to Grand Committee and the R.W.M. Bro. W. McGee stated that "It was very gratifying that of a Committee whose numerical strength was seventeen for all Scotland, Lodge St. Bryde should provide two".

The Lodge celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on 11th February 1936 with a Social Evening held in the halls and attended by over 200, including many distinguished Brethren; R.W.P.G.M. Bro. Captain John Cristie Stewart, who had succeeded his father Sir Robert K. Stewart as Provincial Grand Master, Bro. Leonard Melrose, Grand Treasurer, Bro. J. Greive (579) Grand D. of C., Bro. D. Paterson (PM 579) Grand Com. and Bro. G. Blackie P.G.L. Sec.

The centrepiece of the programme was the toast to Lodge St. Bryde which was given by the Grand Treas. Bro. Leonard Melrose. Bro. Melrose whose agreeable manner made him a very popular figure indeed, gave an excellent speech, so much so that the Lodge printed copies of it in booklet form.

A circular was read from the Grand Secretary drawing the attention of the Brethren to the installation of Bro. H.R.H. The Duke of York (later King George VI) as Grand Master Mason of Scotland on Monday 30th November 1936 in the Usher Hall. As this date of the installation was also the Bi-centenary of Grand Lodge, a bronze jewel was struck to mark the occasion.

The R.W.M. Bro. W. Menzies made fitting reference to the death of Lodge St. Bryde founder member Bro. James Robertson on 27th November 1938. Bro. Robertson had been active in the Lodge since its erection 62 years previously.

The dark days of war were again approaching and the Government lighting restrictions of 1939 were discussed fully by the halls committee who unanimously agreed that the appropriate blackout curtains be purchased and that the halls factor would ensure that all organisations renting the hall be appreciative of their use.