HistoryChapter 8                           579St Bryde 

The end of hostilities in Europe and the Far East did not mean an immediate return to normality in the country or in the Lodge. The war years had been long and hard. It had been a war in which the civilian population had suffered its horrors at first hand and many years would pass before the scars which it left would heal.

During the war years several Brethren of lodge St. Bryde had attained high offices in both Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge. Two of these distinguished Brethren, Bro. J. Greive and Bro. D. Paterson brought further honour to the Lodge by attaining the rank of Depute Grand Master Mason of Scotland and Substitute Provincial Grand Master of Lanarkshire (M.W.) respectively, during the years 1945-46.

After the war, supplies were still hard to obtain and rations were still in force. The Lodge Secretary was continually at odds with the authorities over our allocation of soap, towels and even char and dross for the boiler. Past Masters Jewels were also impossible to obtain and the Lodge decided that under the circumstances £10 would be put aside until jewels became available, when they would then be purchased and presented to the Past Masters.

Some things were returning to normal however and Lodge St. Enoch No. 1288, despite existing economic depression, celebrated their Silver Jubilee on 5th February 1947 in grand style. Lodge Bothwell Brig. No. 1229 were also in a position to return to their pre-war meeting place in Bothwell and thanked Lodge St. Bryde for allowing them to meet in their halls during the war years.

After the war large attendances at meetings were common and at the first Mark Degree a total of 51 candidates were marked. The Brethren returning from service were keen to renew old acquaintances and the three local Lodges No. 579, 1229 and 1288 held a very successful reunion dinner in our Halls, a function which was to become an annual event in later years.

On 15th December 1947 the R.W.M. Bro. W. Porter intimated to the Brethren that Bro. H. McKirdy had now completed 21 years in the office of Tyler. The Brethren of the Lodge decided to mark the event with a dinner in his honour to be held on 3rd March 1948, at which Bro. McKirdy was presented with a Silver Jewel for his distinguished service to the Lodge. After his death whilst in office in 1956, his widow returned his presentation Jewel to the Lodge, and it was decided by the Brethren that it would be worn by future Lodge Tylers on meeting nights.

The Lodge celebrated its 75th Anniversary on a regular meeting night, 14th February 1951. The highlight of the meeting was an address by Bro. Rev. J. Oliver which traced the history of the Lodge since its foundation and made specific reference to the members of St. Bryde who had gone far in the ranks of Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge.

The following month, notice of the Provincial Grand Lodge visitation caused a number of our Brethren to speak in protest at the form of the visitation. 

For many years the P.G.L. had visited Lodges No. 579, 1229 and 1288 all on the same evening, the meeting place rotating between the three Lodges. This meant that if the meeting was to be held in Bothwell, Office Bearers and Brethren of 579 and 1288 would travel to Bothwell. Bothwell Brig. would open their Lodge at the allotted time of 7 p.m. and after their business with Provincial was over they would close 1229.  Lodge St. Bryde Office Bearers would then open 579 and after their business with P.G.L., would close to allow the Office Bearers and brethren of St. Enoch to open their Lodge and do their business. As the reader can imagine this would take considerable time, even more so when the Lodge had to be raised from the 1st Degree to the 3rd Degree to admit the P.G.L. deputation. Lodge St. Bryde along with 1229 and 1288 put up strong cases at both P.G.L. visitations and quarterly communications to have individual visits made to each Lodge. 

This goal was finally achieved in 1953.

In 1951, the Provincial Grand Lodge and Grand Lodge approved the "Notice of Motion" by the Lodge to change the installation day from a regular Wednesday meeting night to the first Saturday after the fourth Wednesday in November. The Installation Meeting of 1952 was the first by the Lodge on a Saturday. At this meeting Past Masters Jewels were presented to Bros. J. Pollock, R.W.M. 1949,  J. Cunningham 1950 and H. Atkinson 1951, by the R.W.M. Bro. Wm. Laird.

The Minute of 14th January 1953 is indeed significant to Minute Book readers as being the first typed Lodge Minute. This tradition was initiated by the then Secretary Bro. E. Kerr and has been carried on by his successors in office, Bros. J.F. Scott and A.S. McAlpine. This time is also significant due to the fact that Grand Lodge had passed a motion compelling daughter Lodges to have an Almoner, which Lodge St Bryde did not. 

The Lodge put forward a motion "That this Lodge appoint an Almoner". The duties of visiting the sick and administering the Lodge benevolence had until this time been carried out by the Master and Wardens, but on 11th February 1953, in accordance with Grand Lodge Laws, Bro. Alex. L. Hamilton was elected as the first Almoner in the history of the Lodge.

The years immediately after the Second World War were like those following the First World War in that there was a large number of candidates seeking admission. However unlike the events after W.W. 1, Grand Lodge had applied stringent restrictions as to the number of candidates allowed to be admitted, e.g. a time lapse between their Degrees and only one Degree per meeting. The result was that by 1953 the backlog was such that the Secretary reported to the Lodge that 44 applicants were waiting to be initiated. The Lodge moved that no applications from outside the province would be accepted until further notice.

The R.W.M. Bro. B. Johnston called on the Provincial Grand Lodge Secretary Bro. Jas. Osborne to present the retiring Lodge Secretary Bro. E. Kerr with the Distinguished Service Membership Diploma. Bro. Osborne remarked that Bro. Kerr had been a member of Lodge St. Bryde for 25 years, 24 of which had been in office; he had been Master in 1935/36 and Secretary from 1938 to 1955.

A year later the R.W.M. Bro. D. Murray made fitting reference to the retirement from office of Bro. N.S. Waidron P.M. who had been Treasurer of the Lodge for the past 15 years. Indeed one of the main factors in the stability of the Lodge throughout its history has been the succession of long serving Secretaries and Treasurers.

The Balance Sheet of 1956 shows how the Lodge had built up various funds

A joint meeting of the Office Bearers of Lodges No. 579 1229 and 128 met on 27th March 1958 to strive for more co-ordination in their actions. The representatives of Lodge St Bryde recommended to the Management Committee the following :-

1. That the Lodge Initiation Fee be increased to £10, provided the three Lodges were in agreement on that sum.

2. That an Annual Re-union of the three Lodges be held on a date suggested.

3. That an Annual Devine Service be held on the Sunday following the Re-union.

4. That the R.W.M., W.S.W., W.J.W. represent the Lodge at the next meeting of the joint committee.

As annual functions were to be recommended, the joint committee appointed the following officials :-

Chairman - Bro. D. Jack P.M. 1288

Secretary - Bro. T. Carmichael P.M. 579

Treasurer - Bro. J. Polson P.M. 579

The general increase in the social activities prompted a notice of motion to be put before the Lodge, "That a license be applied for on behalf of the Lodge, to allow a licensed bar within the premises". This motion caused great discussion within the Lodge and indeed a strong lobby was formed against it. On a vote being taken, the motion was carried by 15 votes to 11, a large number of Brethren abstaining from the vote. Although some Brethren had strong views about having a bar on the premises, and their views are respected, one wonders how the Lodge would cope with the running and upkeep of the premises today without the income from the Lodge bar.

Indeed the initial increased income was put to good use and new office bearers' regalia was purchased. The regalia is still In use in the Lodge to this day.

A special Management Committee Meeting was called on 19th September 1962 to consider any suggestions put forward to raise funds and to ease the strain on the Halls Fund finances. One of these suggestions was that the hall be wired for off peak heating arid after the S.S.E.B. had given permission a work party headed by Bro. H. Lawson carried out the work.

Later in 1966 a proposal was put to build an extension to the premises between the East wall and the adjoining garage, to accommodate new cloakroom and toilet facilities. The plan to build the structure shell and fit out the extension at a later time was approved by the Lodge arid passed by the County Building Department. The work which was started by the Brethren soon met with disaster. While clearing the ground for the foundations, the wall of the adjoining garage collapsed. The Brethren immediately met with the proprietor and offered to rebuild the wall, but the meeting was to be fruitless and soon a Writ was served on the Lodge by the garage owner's solicitors. A legal action in the High Court which lasted three years, finally judged against the Lodge, the sum of £2,529 being awarded to the garage owner and the Lodge also had to pay £2,750 costs.

The Management Committee met in emergency session to discuss the position.

Our Solicitor advised that an Appeal could cost the Lodge £700 - £1,000, without any guarantee of a reduction in the damages. The committee decided that because the funds were not sufficient to support the award made by the Court, £3,000 would be paid immediately arid the remainder by a loan obtained from the Bank. It was also suggested that an appeal be made to the Brethren to support the Lodge at this time by making donations arid interest free loans. Although the response was considerable the debt was not finally cleared with the Bank until 1974.

During these trying and difficult times the Lodge continued to function normally. The 90th anniversary of the Lodge was celebrated on 9th March 1966 with a dinner to mark the occasion. The Lodge had further cause to celebrate when, at the Grand Lodge Installation of that year, the Grand Master Mason, Bro. Major Sir Ronald Orr Ewing, conferred the honorary grand rank of Junior Deacon on Bro. Gilbert E. Valentine a member of Lodge St. Bryde.

Bro. A. Tunnock presented the Lodge with the Right Worshipful Master's Chain of Office which supported the original Jewel purchased by the Lodge in 1876. The ceremony of dedication was conducted by the Provincial Grand Master, Bro. K.O. Byers, at a special meeting held on 11th May 1968.

At this time the Lodge's financial position was critical and many fund raising schemes were organised, but by far the largest and most ambitious was a Grand Fete and Donkey Derby which was held in the Meadowbank Playing Fields. The Office Bearers and Brethren of the Lodge excelled themselves on this occasion and stalls of every description were organised as well as Donkey Rides and Races. The total proceeds were well over £300, which went wholly to offset the Bank loan.

On 5th November 1969 Bro. H. Gibson presented the Lodge with a Crest which has now become the main attraction in the vestibule. Its simple message is "Welcome" and everyone who enters the building is greeted in the same way. 

(This has recently been replaced with a new mirror presented by the family of PM Ian Pew - Ed)

Bothwell Brig. returned to meet in our premises in 1970 but after a short stay of 5 years they left to hold their regular meetings in Hamilton, where they still meet.

The early 1970's saw the formation of the Centenary Committee, whose members worked assiduously behind the scenes organising the events for the forthcoming celebrations. At the first meeting after the recess of 1970 the R.W.M. Bro. R. Lawson praised the Brethren who were working for the good of the Lodge and particularly those who had painted the Main Hail during the summer. The same month saw the Lodge launch the first issue of a monthly magazine titled "The Right Angle". This magazine was indeed excellent in content. Printed at the Erskine Hospital Workshops and priced at 2/- it was in great demand, in fact the first issue sold 240 copies.

A unique Lodge dinner and presentation was held on 31st October 1970. The P.G.M. Bro. K.O. Byers and a company of 170 Brethrern and ladies celebrated the presentation of nine 50 year Diplomas to Lodge Brethren; 

Bros. J. Junor, A. Adam, J.B.Mlllar, J. Rae,

W. Nisbet, J Freeburn, J. Munro, J MacGregor and D. McGill.

Worsening industrial relations forced the Government of 1972 to impose special regulations restricting the use of electricity for heating and lighting. The Management Committee agreed to close the premises until the restrictions were lifted and as a result two Lodge meetings were cancelled.

On 14th March 1973 Bro. Joseph Poison, who had served the Lodge faithfully as Treasurer from 1956-1972 was presented with a Past Master's Apron by the R.W.M. Bro. A. Stoddart in recognition of his services to Lodge St. Bryde over many years.

The Centenary Year was only a year away when the Lodge was honoured by the election and Installation of Bro. P. Smith P.M. as the P.G.L. W.S.W. In fact this was the last honour that the Lodge received in its first hundred years. The celebrations which the Centenary Committee had been planning over the years had now become reality and in 1976 the Lodge celebrated its Centenary.