Merchandise  For Sale: Tie, Aprons and Lapel Badges

Members

Research 

Annual Report

Ayrshire Bluebell Lodge

Regalia & Ties

This makes it all worthwhile!

Col. Buchanan Lodge No. 48 St. Andrew`s Order

Regular Meeting 23^rd. November 2004 Report.  

November  2005

Office Bearers of The Lodge.

Worthy Master                 Ronald McCarney

Depute Master                 Douglas Welsh

Secretary                         James L Jack

Conductor                        Patrick Clarke

Assistant Conductor        Walter Dunn

Guarder                           Scott Moore

Meetings of The Lodge.

Meetings are held at the discretion of the Worthy Master, usually twice per year in the Spring and Autumn. Meetings alternate between Baillieston and Uddingston.

The next Meeting of Adelphi Bluebell Lodge will be on Wednesday 30th. November 2005 at 7.30pm.

in The Masonic Temple, Gardenside St., Uddingston. 

A warm welcome is extended by The Worthy Master and Brethren to Free Gardeners from other Lodges who wish to attend.

Exhibition. Saturday 23rd. April 2005 was a memorable da

This was to be an open doors exhibition with all welcome to share in our interest. 

The Lodge was set up as it would be at one of our meetings (picture above), we displayed our Lodge jewels and aprons on a stand alone display with a colour picture of our entire membership. Tables had been placed along the walls of The Temple and these were loaded with such items as aprons, jewels, charters etc. On the walls hung huge colour copies of Free Gardeners photos from  years gone by. The PowerPoint lecture on Free Gardeners run continuously on a large screen. Our three Free Gardeners  banners were hung from the ceiling and formed the centrepiece of the whole exhibition.   

Visitors also brought items of interest  including an important Free Gardeners gold watch and fob. There were as many visitors attending as members and some showed a genuine interest in joining our Lodge and many discussed our exhibits over a cup of coffee. Importantly, Bill Perry arranged for a video of the Exhibition to be taken and this was transferred to DVD format so that the efforts of the day would not be lost. This DVD was to prove valuable in our visit to Virginia Bluebell Lodge No. 8 in September 2005 (see Lodge news section).

All those present considered the event very worthwhile and our Members were thanked for their assistance in making the event such a success. Members of Ayrshire Bluebell No. 7 were so impressed that they hoped to arrange a similar event in the future in Ayrshire.

Installation. The Meeting on Wednesday 30^th. November 2005 will be a milestone in the history of our Free Gardeners Lodge. The Principal Office Bearers who have been in position since the Lodge was formed will change for the first time. Bro. James L. Jack our Founding Worthy  Master will demit office and another Founder Member Bro. Ronnie McCarney, who is presently Depute Master will be Installed as our Worthy Master. Bro. Douglas Welsh will take over as Depute and James L. Jack will take over from Bro. William Perry as Secretary. The thanks of the Lodge are extended to the original Office Bearers who have worked hard to ensure that the seeds of our Free Gardeners Lodge have been firmly established.

Annual Report. It is with some sadness that I make this my last Annual  Report as the Worthy Master of Adelphi Bluebell Lodge. It hardly seems like three years have passed, since the original four Founders met to discuss how to take the new Lodge forward, we had nothing then, but how we have  progressed! It has been an exciting time and none more so than the last twelve months. Our finances in the bank have broken through the £1000 figure for the first time, our   membership has steadily increased (now stands at over 50) and we have around twenty five Application Papers outstanding. Aprons, Ties and Lapel Pins have been popular with members and we have sold nearly all of the 100 pins that we had made. In the spring we had a very successful Exhibition which was held in Uddingston. Visitors outnumbered Members and a great interest was shown in the items on display. I would like to thank all those who worked so hard to make it such a success. Our Sister Lodges are progressing well, 

Ayrshire Bluebell No.7 had its most recent meeting in Girvan. Bro. Billy Boe was installed as Worthy Master, taking over from Bro. Bobby Laird. Their numbers are increasing and there is a possibility of another Lodge   being formed in the Ayrshire area. It is also possible that the Lodge may hold its own exhibition     sometime next year. The exciting news is the progress that Virginia Bluebell No.8 Wayne Price and Raymond Bro. George Kelly and I attended a meeting of the

Research. Bro. Pringle Johnstone has again submitted an excellent article on Free Gardeners in Airdrie. It gives an excellent insight into life in the area. We are proud owners of an Airdrie Greenhouse Lodge apron which I have copied in this article.  

"Gardenery" - The Gardeners Parade in the days o' Auld Lang Syne.

________________

Dear brethren roun' this festive board

We're met as brethren aye should be;

Here hate, here discord canna come

Whaur a' is love an' harmony.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

Then shout an' sing in truth an' love,

Lift up your hearts in mirth an' glee;

This is a nicht lang, lang we'll min'-

The Airdrie Greenhouse Jubilee.

W. McHUTCHISON, The " Greenhouse" Lodge Jubilee, 1862.

GARDENING in Airdrie one hundred years ago formed an integral part of the life of the inhabitants. It was the common and favourite hobby of the people and a   splendid hobby too. The pity is that modern conditions of town and city life no longer permit of this healthy pursuit to any great extent. People did not then live - or "exist" might be a better term to apply to some of the present slum conditions - in tenements, nor were there any public works emitting dense clouds of smoke and gas to interfere with vegetation. Every dwelling had attached to it a garden of some size. They didn't have three acres and a cow, but there was certain to be at any rate the indispensable "kailyaird" so famed in song and story. What, indeed would Hallowe'en have been without it? Why, the first ceremony of that time-honoured festival was the blind-fold visit to the yaird.

"Then first and foremost through the kail

Their stocks maun a' be sought anes,

They steek their e'en and graip and wale

For muckle anes and straught anes."

Then who does not know the popular song "There grows a bonnie brier bush" neath which

"A bonny lass and lad

Are busy, busy courtin'

In our kail-yaird,

In days of sweet simplicity

Sic things were often dared,

And mony a maid's been woo'd and won

In her kail yaird.

"Gardening was the weaver's pride. While his lot at times was distinctly hard, nature provided for him here some substantial compensations for in his garden there grew all sorts of flowers, fruits and vegetables. There, too, he profitably employed himself in his leisure hours and there, in the summer evenings, on the garden seat or in the "wee" summerhouse at the end of the walk, he sat with his neighbours or bosom cronies discussing all the weighty problems of both kirk and state.

The Order of Free Gardeners was first introduced into Airdrie in 1812 when the "Greenhouse" Lodge was formed. The next Lodge was the "Olive" instituted in 1823. Later on a third Lodge, the "Thistle" was established. The first and last of these lodges are now out of existence but the "Olive," which owns a hall and other property in    Hallcraig Street, still survives. Throughout last century one of the great gala days of the year was THE GARDENERS' PARADE.

For weeks prior to the date fixed for the event this Annual Fete was the town's topic. Everybody had prepared for it, and, as regards the Lodges themselves a busy     canvass and beat-up for members always took place. The election of the Grand Master and other officers often     excited more interest than a parliamentary contest. The day of the Parade was always proclaimed a general holiday, and no manner of work was permitted to be done. From day-break all the youths of the town were out scouring the woods, and sometimes ravaging the gardens, for miles around in search of evergreens, shrubbery and flowers with which to deck the figures which were always a distinct  feature of the procession, and to make up hand bouquets for the processionists. Large Scotch thistles were in great demand. Festivity and rejoicing ushered in the morn.    

Everybody put on their Sunday clothes, which, according to the late Rev. Dr. Begg, of New Monkland, were, “neat and clean," though he added that "the dress of the women is perhaps finer than is suitable for their station in life." We doubt whether the Doctor was an authority on the point, for it is well-known that he was not very particular in his own attire. The story is told of him that, one of his leading parishioners met him in Airdrie one day and took him to task because of his shabby appearance, but he only got the answer "Toots, man, everybody kens me here." Shortly afterwards the same gentleman happened to meet him in Princes Street, Edinburgh, when he was similarly attired. The gentleman again broached the  subject,  thinking, no doubt, that he had the Doctor this time, but Dr. Begg's ready answer was " Man, there's naebody kens me here."

The procession of 1830 presented some special features of interest. The Olive since its   institution had carried off the palm for its   annual displays, but on this  occasion the Greenhouse was determined not to be outshone. Amongst the Greenhouse exhibits was a figure made at Gartness Forge, representing a gardener in the act of pruning a hedge with a pair of large scissors in his hands. The hedge was in the formation of an oval, and the gardener with his shirt sleeves rolled up and at work looked so life-like that many thought he was a gardener in the flesh. The mechanical apparatus which worked the figure was under the charge of the inventor. The whole exhibit was spoken of for years afterwards as most ingenious. In the procession that day there were a dozen or more other figures, decorated with all manner of flowers and devices, towering high above the loftiest houses in the line of procession. The decorations on the figures consisted generally of representations of the sun, moon and stars, Noah's Ark, and the dove with the olive branch, compass and square, beehives, Adam and Eve, and all kinds of   gardeners' implements. Nor was this all. Mimic kings and queens with gilded crowns and sceptres were arrayed in the very costume of their respective reigns, and at their feet lay the horn of plenty with every variety of fruits and vegetables, such as grapes,  pomegranates, peaches, plums, cherries, apples, etc.  When we add to all this the many beautifully designed flags and banners - regalia and insignia pertaining to the craft - and the fact that each   individual in the Parade carried a bouquet of flowers, we can realise how artistically attractive and gay was the   gardeners' parade in the days o' auld lang syne. Prizes were usually awarded for the best bouquets.

For the general public there was provided all sorts of entertainment. The Cross at the old town was a scene of attraction for those who had money to spend. Stands were erected for the display and sale of fruits and confections, the whole scene being similar to that of a Fair Day already described. In the evening balls were held by the various lodges.

The Masons' Lodge in High Street, where William Anderson (Kirky) had his premises, was usually taken by the one party, while "Burns’ Cottage" at the Cross, occupied by Mrs. Teasdale (Mall Main) was taken by the other. Thither did the youth and beauty of the town repair, not “to trip the light fantastic toe" under the varied tints and hues of modern electrical effects, but only by the light of penny candles set in tins affixed to the walls of the so-called ball-room. On went the dance, and joy was unconfined until the candles were snuffed out or perhaps daylight appeared. A single fiddler sufficed for the music. But let us not forget there were some famous fiddlers in those days - foremost amongst whom was Rabbie Brown, eulogised after his death in a poem from which we quote the following: -

 He was a fiddler guid and free;

 His like again you'll never see;

He gart lads and lassies merrilee

In reels gang roun',

Till frae their heels the fire did flee

Tae Rabbie Brown.

 Extract from Airdrie - A Historical Sketch   1921.

Researches. I received an interesting E mail from a friend, Alex Galbraith who has been researching a paper on the history of the Old West Kirk, Greenock. Alex is not a Free  Gardener but is a very    prominent Freemason and came across this important Free Gardeners  gravestone during his researches. It is deeply inscribed

“The Ancient  Order of Free Gardeners - Royal Oak Lodge 12th. July 1754”

and tells a story in pictures. It shows a crossed spade and rake, a tree, a plumbline, a dibble and a rope. The message is inscribed

“Purchased by Greenock Gardeners Society, Dust to Dust”.

We are indebted to Alex for bringing this important piece of history to our attention. This puts The Royal Oak Lodge third oldest behind Haddington and Dunfermline Lodges.                            

New Members. At the last meeting of the Lodge five Candidates were received into our Lodge, Peter MacGregor, Francis Stevenson, William Stirling, David Lindsay, Andrew McAlpine were given the Apprentice, Journeymen and Master Gardener Degrees by Bro. James L. Jack, Worthy Master. It was the wish of the Brethren of the Lodge that Bro. Archie Hoey, a member of the defunct St. Andrew`s Order of Free Gardeners, Heatherbell Lodge No. 18, Greenock. Bro. Hoey be made the first Honorary Member of our Lodge. Bro. Archie has been searching for his Lodge Ritual Books and other items belonging to his Lodge.  Astonishingly, just as Archie  became known to our Lodge we were presented with five aprons from his Mother Lodge. 

Spring 2005

Our Lodge continues to progress in all areas. The membership list is just over 50 with over 20    papers waiting and we are financially secure, but most importantly the enthusiasm of our members has been tremendous. On 23rd. April the Lodge plans to hold an important exhibition of all the Free Gardeners items which have been collected over the last few years.

Office Bearers of The Lodge.

            Worthy Master               James L. Jack

          Depute Master               Ronald McCarney

          Secretary                      William Perry

          Conductor                     Patrick Clarke

          Assistant Conductor       Walter Dunn

          Guarder                        Scott Moore

Meetings of The Lodge.

Meetings are held at the discretion of the Worthy Master, usually twice per year in the Spring and Autumn. Meetings alternate between Baillieston and Uddingston.

The next Meeting of Adelphi Bluebell Lodge will be on Thursday 31st. March 2005 at 7.30pm.

in The Masonic Temple, Church St., Baillieston. 

A warm welcome is extended by The Worthy Master and Brethren to Free Gardeners from other Lodges who wish to attend.

======================================================

EXHIBITION

On Saturday 23rd. April 2005 at 2pm

In

The Masonic Temple, Gardenside St., Uddingston

Adelphi Bluebell Lodge have since their formation collected a large amount of Free Gardeners paraphernalia from various Orders of Free Gardeners.

The exhibition will feature these items in addition to other items on loan from other Lodges.

If you are interested in Free Gardeners Regalia, Banners, Jewels, Charters etc.

DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT.   

 =================================

This makes it all  worthwhile !

A few months ago our Lodge asked permission of Lodge St. Bryde No. 579 to place a small notice on the Lodge St. Bryde  notice board in the Temple foyer. It simply read – Adelphi Bluebell Lodge No. 4 of Free Gardeners meet here, for details contact Jim Jack or Ronnie McCarney.

In October 2004 at the Grand Lodge of Scotland Dinner which was held in the 579 Temple a Brother approached me and introduced himself as Archie Hoey who I knew to be a prominent Freemason from Renfrewshire West Province. A conversation  regarding Free Gardeners ensued and I was pleasantly surprised at the level of knowledge that Archie had. He then told me that he was a member of a Free Gardeners Lodge in Greenock, I was quite surprised as I was  unaware of a new Lodge in Greenock being established. Then Archie went on to explain that he had joined Heather Bell Lodge No. 18 of  Free Gardeners Lodge in Greenock in 1952! The Lodge had been Chartered under the St. Andrew`s Order and had closed in 1954. As there were no other Lodges in the area which had  survived, Archie had not been at a Free Gardeners meeting for 50 years. I was astonished, an original Free Gardener! I went on to tell him about the revival of the Order and that No. 4 had a  meeting in November in Uddingston and that The Lodge would be  delighted if he would attend. Then  another coincidence, a  non – member of the Order donated to the Lodge five St. Andrew`s  Order aprons from, you`ve guessed it Heather Bell Lodge No. 18, St. Andrew`s Order,  Archie Hoey`s Lodge in Greenock.

Bro. Archie Hoey attended our November meeting and was warmly welcomed by our Members and the visitors who were  present. I also presented him with an original apron from his Mother Free Gardeners Lodge for him to wear at our meetings. At the conclusion of the meeting Bro. Archie gave a resume of his memories of the Free Gardeners Lodge in Greenock and the quick decline of the Order.

It would be delightful if Brother Archie Hoey could attend our meetings but as he now lives in Paisley this could be difficult. Who can forget that evening in our Lodge when a Free Gardener who had, through circumstance not attended a Free Gardeners meeting for 50 years, put on an apron from his Mother Lodge once again. It made all our hard work worthwhile. 

================================

Col. Buchanan Lodge No. 48 St. Andrew`s Order Research by         Bro. Pringle Johnstone   

This Gardeners Apron was found in a case along with the Masonic Apron of an old (deceased) member of Lodge Whifflet St John No.963. I myself having recently joined the ‘Free Gardeners’ was excited by this find but curious as to why this Gardeners Lodge was unusually named after a military personage instead of a plant, place or Biblical character as is the normal.

My wife, being a keen local historian and therefore possessing a fair knowledge of the area, suggested it was probably named after one of the ‘Buchanans of Drumpellier' and was able to point me in the right direction with a pile of useful books to peruse. After reading the books I came to the conclusion that my wife was probably correct and the Lodge appears to have been named after the local laird of the Drumpellier estate from 1841 to 1904, Sir David Carrick Robert Carrick-Buchanan.

Before looking at the man himself I would like to outline the story of his forebears.

Andrew Buchanan (1690-1759) was a descendant of John      Buchanan, the King of Kippen.  Andrew was one of the wealthy Glasgow tobacco barons and purchased Drumpellier Estate in 1735.  He became Lord Provost of Glasgow in 1740 (Buchanan Street in Glasgow was named after him). His elder son James, also a Lord Provost of Glasgow, inherited Drumpellier, but it passed out of his ownership in 1777 as the fortunes of the         Buchanan family were badly affected when the American       revolutionaries seized their Virginia plantations. Andrew's   Grandson - David Carrick Buchanan - later emigrated to Virginia and made his fortune.  He re-purchased the Drumpellier Estate. Robert Carrick-Buchanan was the next in succession, and after him came the man in question Col. David Carrick Robert         Carrick-Buchanan.

I can give only the bare outlines of his military career and his    activities relating to Monklands.

He served in the Scots Greys and later commanded the 3rd and 4th Scottish Rifles (2nd Royal Lanarkshire Militia).

Col. Buchanan was a great patron of Scottish cricket and a lover of the sport. He formed his own side from friends and servants and in 1850 the new club of Drumpellier took up residence within the Policies of Drumpellier and was captained by the laird for many years.

He acted as chairman of the Old Monkland Parochial Board and of the Parish Council which replaced that body. He was also a member of the first School Board. Among his numerous        benefactions to the area may be mentioned his gift of the West End Park in 1866 to the people of Coatbridge. In 1869 he       commissioned a hall to be built in Chapel Street in Airdrie to house St John’s Episcopal School. Keenly interested in religion, he transferred the old Comet Inn to the use of the Y.M.C.A., and in 1876 he granted a site for Greengairs Parish Church.

For his public services Colonel Buchanan received the honour of K.C.B. He married Frances Lefroy, daughter of the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. Lady Buchanan made herself no less a friend of Coatbridge than her husband, and enthusiastically supported him in all that he did for the town.

Sir David and Lady Buchanan died childless, and the estates passed to a cousin, Mr. David W.R. Carrick-Buchanan. He resided in Corsewall, but on the death of Lady Buchanan in 1912, his son Lt.-Col. Arthur Buchanan occupied Drumpellier.  Lt.-Col.        Buchanan served for twenty years in the 2nd Gordon Highlanders and later commanded the 3rd (Militia) Battalion. Army days over, Lt.-Col. Buchanan entered Parliament as member for Coatbridge at the 1918 Election. In 1919, Mr. D.W.R. Carrick-Buchanan   presented to the town that part of the Policies, 136 acres in extent, which now forms Drumpellier Park. Lt.-Col. Buchanan devoted himself to the interests of his constituents, especially of those who had claims arising from war service. However, he lost the seat at the Election in 1922. He died in 1925, a few months before his father.

Although it is supposition at the present time, (more research is required), I feel sure that this Gardeners Lodge was named after one of these two gentlemen, and I personally favour the former. With luck time will tell. (Hopefully to be continued.) See the   centre page feature on Col. Buchanan Lodge certificate.

Bro. Pringle Johnstone has submitted another article which looks at the Airdrie Greenhouse Lodge Jubilee in 1862. This will feature in our next issue.

Regular Meeting 23^rd. November 2004 Report.

The Regular Meeting was well attended 22 signed the book. We were delighted to welcome Bro. James Clow-Nicol, Worthy   Master of No.1 and Alan McLeod, Worthy Master of No. 2 into our Lodge was well as regular visitors from Ayrshire Bluebell No.7. The Brethren present were delighted to receive Bro. Archie Hoey an original member of Heather Bell Lodge No. 18, St. Andrew`s Order who features in this months magazine.

The format of this meeting was reversed in that the ceremonial working was conducted before the business. This worked well and the new members were able to hear the business of the Lodge   being conducted. Ten Candidates were admitted into the Order including two from Virginia, U.S.A. who were here on holiday. The reason that ten candidates were admitted instead of the usual six was because of a decision taken at the previous meeting  to reduce the number of candidates waiting to join, thus relieving a backlog. New Lodge. The members from Virginia, Wayne Price and Raymond Steele asked our Lodge if it would be possible to establish a new Lodge in America. This new Lodge would be named Virginia Bluebell and would be the eighth Lodge established since the revival of the Order. The Order had three Lodges in America in the late 1880`s but these were now thought to be lost.

Bro. Wayne Price was Installed by Bro. James Jack as Worthy Master of the new Lodge and Bro. Raymond Steele was Installed by Bro. James Clow-Nicol as Depute Master of the new Lodge. They were invested with original Free Gardeners Worthy Masters and Depute Masters jewels and given certificates signed by the three Worthy Masters present. Bro. Jack addressed the members of the new Lodge and charged them to keep in touch with their Mother Lodge on the progress of Virginia Bluebell No. 8. In reply Bro. Price said that he was delighted at the welcome he had  received from the Brethren of the Lodge and the fellowship that he had experienced.

2005 Exhibition. The ongoing arrangements for the Free Gardeners exhibition were discussed and the date of 23^rd. April 2005 finalised.

At the conclusion of the meeting the Brethren were treated to an excellent traditional Scottish dinner provided by Bro. Bruce    Reidford. The address to the Haggis was presented by Bro. Douglas Welsh to the delight of our American Brethren. 

Bro. James Jack, Worthy Master,  will lead a  Deputation from   Adelphi Bluebell Lodge No.4 to the next meeting of  Ayrshire Bluebell Lodge No. 7 on Monday 16th. May 2005 at 7.30pm. in Kilwinning.

If you are interested in supporting the new Lodge in Ayrshire contact Jim Jack or Ronnie McCarney for details.

Autumn 2004

Aprons & Ties.       The long awaited ABL No.4 aprons and Free Gardeners ties were now at hand for sale to members. The aprons are specially designed and screen printed with the Lodge name & number and priced at £10. Free Gardeners ties (also priced £10), are a copy of the original ties which were imported by the Preservation Society from South Africa. The South African ties were extremely difficult to obtain and now that our funds are sufficient it was decided to purchase ties that we could identify with the Order. Sold Out !  Amazingly all 30 aprons were sold before the end of the summer meeting and a re-order has been placed with the supplier. Only about 15 of the 50 ties purchased are still available for sale, so make sure that you get one!

No.7.          Ayrshire Bluebell have decided to order aprons of a similar design as our own with their name and number where ours is. So look out for these in the future !

Display.        Items which had been collected since our last meeting were on display on 7^th. August. These included the superb box from Cambuslang Philanthropic Lodge dated 1823. The contents of the box, 30 jewels, original charter from the Western Grand Lodge were also on display. Recently, the Lodge also received 5 aprons from Heatherbell Lodge No. 18, St. Andrews Order of Free Gardeners and two “modern “ aprons which were received as a result of a lecture given by the W.M. at a Church Men`s Fellowship meeting. Bro. Pringle Johnstone brought two superb gold jewels to show members and  Bro. Walter Dunn also brought an unusual United Order jewel. Most of these items are now on display on the Home Page.

Next Meeting.       The next meeting of the Lodge will take place on Tuesday, 23^rd. November 2004 at 7.30 pm. in the Masonic Temple, Gardenside St., Uddingston. Ten candidates will be invited to join our Lodge, including two from Virginia, U.S.A.  All members of our Lodge will receive a letter calling the meeting and Bro. James L. Jack, W.M. requests a large attendance of members to welcome our ten friends who will join our Lodge especially our two friends from Virginia.           

The Gardener - January 04

Let me take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and help during the last year. The success of the Lodge in 2003 was beyond our expectations and I hope that we can progress further in this new year. Our next meeting will be on Wed. 31st. March at 7.30pm. in The Masonic Temple, Uddingston.

Visitors Welcome

New Members

At the meeting held on 20th. November 2003, six new Members were admitted into the Lodge.

Back row, left to right - Archie Chalmers, Gordon Reidford, Hugh Sanders.

Front row - Wallace McGow, Robert Laird and William Boe.

We wish them well and hope that they enjoy our meetings.

Research. 

The book By Bothwell Banks was printed in 1904 and is now much sought after. It paints a rich picture of local history. Interestingly the book mentions Hawthorn Lodge of Free Gardeners. "The 12th. of

November was the day appointed by Royal Charter to be the Fair Day in Bothwell, but from about the beginning of the nineteenth century the date changed to 10th. July, the birthday of Lord Douglas. 

It was held on the village green, and Green Street must have presented an appearance of life which even in these modern days the village would by no means suggest. The Gardeners of Bothwell - a society of considerable antiquity , numbering in membership about five hundred, and possessing

funds amounting to the respectable sum of seven hundred pounds- turned out in all their splendour and made their way in grand procession to the green. First came the box or ark with the papers of the lodge,

having on the front the figures of Adam and Eve, with the serpent between, and the inscription -

From Adam we our airt did get,

I friendship we combine

Our distressed members to support,

Come, brethren all, us join.   

It was customary on this occasion to compete for the best made flower trophy. 

Annual Report.

Bro. James L. Jack, Worthy Master presented the following Lodge Annual Report at the meeting held in Baillieston on Thursday 20th. November 2003.

The first year of  the Lodge had exceeded all expectations. The Lodge had established a format for meetings which was acceptable to all members and had gained approval from visitors from other Lodges. We had been very active in securing paraphernalia and had been donated a full set of original Office Bearers jewels as well as around twelve original Free Gardeners aprons and an original Banner from The Vale of Carstairs Lodge. 

An internet Homepage had been established in connection with Lodge St. Bryde and all our items of interest are displayed on the site. 

Our thanks are extended to David Dawson (not a member) for his hard work on our behalf. 

Four meetings were held during the year 2003 , two in Uddingston and two in Baillieston and twenty five Candidates were admitted. The Lodge membership now stands at twenty nine. During this time a number of

our Members expressed an interest in forming new Free Gardeners Lodges and we were delighted to sow the seeds of our fellowship in new areas. 

A number of our Members from Cheshire formed a new Lodge which they named Cheshire Bluebell on 30th. August. Bro. David Heathcote was Installed as Worthy Master of the new Lodge by our good friend Bro.

James Clow Nicol, W.M. of Lodge Caledonian Thistle No.1. Again at our meeting on 20th. November, Members from Ayrshire formed Ayrshire Bluebell Lodge. Bro. Robert Laird was Installed as Worthy Master by Bro. James Jack and it was to the delight of all present that Bro. Jack invested Robert Laird with a Free Gardeners jewel which had been presented to his Grandfather who was Worthy Master of Douglas Dale Lodge No. 48 in 1911. The Members of No. 4 then approved the loan of an original Douglas Dale Lodge apron to the new Master until the new Lodge was established.

The only shadow in what was a bright first year was our parting of ways with The Free Gardeners Preservation Society. The Society had many good ideas and had considered a structured way forward for Free Gardenery in Scotland, but it was not to be and we parted company in August 2003. The good news is that we still keep in touch and welcome members from other Gardeners Lodges to our meetings with

a strong hand of fellowship and the common goal of promoting our Order.

A new Lodge has been establishing in Luchars by the F.G.P.S. and is called Eden after the local river. I think that seven Lodges have now been established since the re-establishment of the Order. The F.G.P.S. has been approached to form another two in Perth and Northumberland, I`m sure that our Members wish these new Lodges every success in the future.

Financially, the Lodge is in a very healthy position. The balance sheet presented at the November meeting showed a balance of £560 in the Bank with no accounts outstanding.

Election. At the November Meeting, Bro. James L. Jack was Elected for a second term as Worthy Master and all other Office Bearers were re-elected. 

Ayrshire Bluebell Lodge

Pictured left are the Founder Members of the new Lodge. Left to Right,

Bros. Archie Chalmers, Secretary. Robert Laird, Worthy Master. William Boe, Depute. Hugh Sanders, Guarder. The Lodge plan to meet in several locations in Ayrshire where there seems to be an interest in our Order.

Bro. Archie Chalmers has already been active in researching defunct Free Gardeners Lodges in Ayrshire and has made contact with local museums who hold old minute books etc.

Aprons & Ties. 

Bro. Bill Perry, Secretary is actively involved in obtaining prices for a Free Gardeners tie. The tie will be as near as possible the design of the present tie which is imported from South Africa. Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. is looking at the possibility of having working aprons made by a Regalia manufacturer for the Lodge. These aprons would also be available to be purchased by members if requested.

September 03

Contents

May Meeting.

Ties.

And then there were five.

The Airdrie Olive Lodge of Free Gardeners

Free Gardeners Preservation Society.

Future Lodge Business.

Worthy Master.

May Meeting.

The meeting held on 29th. May 2003 was the first of our meetings to be held in Baillieston. It was decided by the Committee at an early stage that as the object of our Lodge was to revive interest in our Order locally, hence the use of the old Lodge names Adelphi (Baillieston) and Bluebell (Uddingston). We also decided that it would be beneficial if we alternated the meetings between the two towns.

The Lodge was opened by Bro. James L. Jack, Worthy Master and visitors were welcomed from Caledonian Thistle Lodge No. 1, Edinburgh and The Countess of Elgin Lodge No. 3, Kirkcaldy. Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. invited Bro. Dr. James Clow - Nichol, W.M. No.1 and Iain Vincent, W.M. of No. 3 to the East. New Members.

Six new members, Robert Edgar, James Hutton, Alex Mulholland, Richard Whiteford, Bruce Reidford and Robert Abercrombie received the Degrees of Apprentice, Journeyman and Master Gardener.  Bro. Bill Perry, Secretary presented  Bros. James Hutton and Richard Whiteford with original Lodge Adelphi No.21 aprons which belonged to their Grandfathers. At the conclusion of the meeting both visiting Masters were invited to comment on the workings of our Lodge. Both expressed their delight at the progress that we have made. 

Ties.

Free Gardeners ties are not  readily available  and are brought over from South Africa.  We hope to be in a position in the near future to produce our own Lodge tie. If you would like one please give your name to the secretary and when we have sufficient numbers an order will be placed.     

And then there were five.

The Airdrie Olive Lodge of Free Gardeners

Bro. Pat Clarke carried out a good piece of research on The Airdrie Olive Lodge and we feature his findings in this issue. The Lodge had its own hall which was built in 1858 in Hallcraig St. on the West side of St. Margaret`s Church.

The Lodge disbanded in 1925, the last of the four remaining Airdrie Lodges to operate, St. Joseph`s Lodge of Free Husbandmen Gardeners, Airdrie Greenhouse Lodge and Thistle Lodge of Free Gardeners being the others. Other organisations used the Hall, Lodge Operative No. 203 met there, as did two Lodges of Independent Order of Good Templars. In 1967 the Hall was purchased by the Apostolic Church and when they moved to a new building The Olive Hall was demolished in October 1967.

Free Gardeners Preservation Society.

Recently our Lodge decided to withdraw from the FGPS, the reasons for this decision are well know by all our members and do not need to be further discussed here. However, the question must be asked, how will this affect us?

The simple answer is that it will not, providing that we continue to work as hard as we have done in the last year and build on this success.

Future Lodge Business.

At the November Meeting, Five Candidates from Ayrshire will join our Lodge and have asked that we help them in the formation of their own Lodge in Ayrshire.

Worthy Master.

The next meeting will also be the first anniversary of the formation of our Lodge and at this meeting members will be invited to choose the Worthy Master for the session 2003-04.       

The Gardener - April 03

This month Adelphi Bluebell Lodge launches the first issue of its quarterly news magazine, The Gardener. 

The purpose of the magazine will be to keep the members of the Lodge informed and raise the profile of our Order.

News, views, research its all here ....... and there`s more .......we are working on a Homepage!         

The first Regular Meeting of the Lodge took place on Tuesday, 11th. February 2003 in the Masonic Temple, Uddingston. The four Founder Members of the Lodge, Jim Jack, Worthy Master, Ronnie McCarney, Depute Master, Bill Perry, Secretary and Pat Clarke, Conductor welcomed a Deputation from The Countess of Elgin Lodge No. 3, Kirkcaldy, headed by Ian Vincent, Worthy Master.

Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. invited Ian Vincent, W.M. No.3 to the East and explained to him the progress which had been made in establishing the new Lodge and the Free Gardeners regalia which had been donated.

New Members.

Six new members, William E. Orr, Walter Dunn, Alasdair Dunlop, Robert Kennedy, Jim Huxtable and Scott Moore received the Degrees of Apprentice, Journeyman and Master Gardener. Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. then Installed Bro. William E. Orr as Chaplain, Walter Dunn as Assistant Conductor and Scott Moore as Guarder. 

At the conclusion of the meeting Bro. Ian Vincent, W.M. No. 3 congratulated the Brethren of No. 4 on their degree work and their enthusiasm for the Order.

He was impressed by the layout of the Lodge and the general good organisation and thought which had made the meeting such a success. The new members were presented with certificates and were each given an Application Form which it was hoped would lead to further growth of the Lodge.  

The Collection amounted to £25. At the close of the meeting the Brethren enjoyed tea, coffee and sandwiches before the visitors made their way home to Kirkcaldy. 

Objectives of The Lodge.

The last Free Gardeners Lodge met in Scotland in the mid 1950`s more than 250 years after the first Gardeners Lodge was recorded at Haddington.

The defunct organisation left a wealth of paraphernalia, regalia, jewels, minute books and other items of interest which over the period of time began to be lost.

In 2002 a group of individuals who were interested in Free Gardenery decided to try to re establish the Order in Scotland by firstly setting up a Preservation Society whose aim was to stop valuable items of Scottish interest being lost.

Free Gardeners Lodges were found to exist in South Africa and Australia and arrangements were made to contact Free Gardeners who were arriving in Scotland on holiday to meet together, form a Lodge and Initiate members. This was successfully achieved and a Lodge was founded. We are now the fourth Lodge to be established in Scotland and interest in the Order seems to be growing.

Our objective is to research local Free Gardeners Lodges which have long since gone, but more importantly preserve their beautiful embroidered aprons, jewels and other items of interest. Our Lodge has so far been successful in this, we have located the first minute book of The Western Grand Lodge of Free Gardeners in the Mitchell Library which dates from 1859 to 1884. This book has revealed some very interesting facts about the early development and organisation of the Order.

We have also been  fortunate in that people have been very generous in donating

to the Lodge, Free Gardeners paraphernalia. A Lady from Holytown donated fifteen Office Bearers jewels from Greengairs and Motherwell. Some of which can be seen by clicking on this link

Bill Perry has identified five beautiful embroidered aprons from the original Adelphi Lodge No. 21, Baillieston. Recently, five other aprons were donated to the Lodge, including one from Douglas Dale Lodge No. 48 and another from Airdrie Green House Lodge which dates from 1812.

Our Lodge decided at an early stage that we would wear the original Free Gardeners regalia where possible and so preserve the traditions of the Order.                  

Good Publicity.

The first meeting of the Lodge was well received in the local Press, The Bellshill Speaker, Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser both carried a good account of the meeting. The Hamilton Advertiser sent a reporter to interview Bro. Jim Jack, Worthy Master and an excellent report and a colour photo of the Founder Members appeared under the Uddingston News section.  

Research. 

Douglas Dale Lodge of Free Gardeners No.48.

Last month Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. received correspondence from a friend Bobby Laird whose Grandfather had been a Past Master of Douglas Dale Lodge in Douglas, this led to further correspondence with John Brodie from Douglas who had in his possession two Free Gardeners aprons. Bros. Jim Jack, Pat Clarke and William Orr met John Brodie in Douglas intending to photograph the aprons for our files. To our surprise and delight we were presented with both aprons for the Lodge.

Further research led to the Mitchell Library and the first minute of the Lodge.

Apron of Douglas Dale Lodge No.48.

The Lodge received its Charter from The Western Grand Lodge of Free Gardeners on 27th. October 1876.

The Grand Lodge met in the Masonic Hall Douglas where a large Deputation from Carluke Thistle Lodge were also present. After the ceremonial the Brethren walked in procession through the village.

Lecture.

Bro. Jim Jack, W.M. will give a Powerpoint lecture on Free Gardeners at the meeting of Lodge St. Bryde No.579, Uddingston on 23rd. April 2003 at 7.30pm.