LODGE LORD BRUCE 1601


  • HOME PAGE
  • 1601 NEWS
  • R.W.M. & Office Bearers 2024-25
  • Festival of St John 2009
    • Festival of St. John 2021
  • Festival of St John 2010
  • Festival of St John 2011
  • Festival of St John 2012
  • Festival of St. John 2013
  • Festival of St John 2014
  • Festival of St John 2015
  • Festival of St John 2016
  • Festival of St John 2017
  • Festival of St John 2018
  • Festival of St. John 2019
    • Festival of St. John 2021
  • Past Masters & Hon Members
  • 25th Anniversary
  • 50th Anniversary
  • Bro John Crooks P.M.
  • Syllabus
  • The Move
  • Lodge History & Founder Members
  • Masonic Beliefs
  • Contacts
    • Festival of St. John 2021
  • Links
  • Guest Book
  • Past Masters Degrees
  • 1601 SHOP
  • Past Lodge Installations
  • 1601 Honorary Members
  • Masonic Temples
  • Scottish Lodges
  • Festival of St. John 2021
  • Festival of St. John 2022
  • Festival of St. John 2023
  • Festival of St. John 2024

Picture
The fist Lodge Lord Bruce Office Bearers before the Installation on 16th November 1963
Seated in the centre is the Provincial Grand Master of Linlithgowshire Bro Alex Pennycook and to the right 1601 First Master Bro. W Pilmer
Picture
Lodge Office Bearers after they were installed into office 1963
                                   HOW IT ALL STARTED  

In December 1942, a group of Freemasons had a meeting to discuss the forming of a Masonic Lodge in Blackburn West Lothian. Several freemasons attended the meeting, but as there was no sign of the Second World War coming to a close it was decided to wait until after the war before having further discussions. There is no history of a further meeting having taken place. In 1962 some 20 years later there were plenty of Freemasons around the Seafield and Blackburn area and it was not until the B.M.C. factory and the Glasgow overspill housing scheme came together and the village of Blackburn grew considerably that Bro. William Pilmer a young freemason from Tranent called on a few brethren in the factory to discuss if they could get enough brethren interested to form a lodge in Blackburn To say brethren were interested was an understatement. After considerable discussions, it was agreed by the brethren to start a Masonic club in preparation for a Lodge in Seafield and Blackburn district.
A committee was set up to start proceedings and they became the original Founder Members of 1601.


Bro. William Pilmer Lodge Nisbett 1112, Bro. Thomas  Falconer Lodge Tollcross 1194,  Bro. David Corbett  Lodge St. George 617 and Bro. George Park Lodge Corkerhill 1426. These four names may well be long remembered in the history of 1601
Notes of the Masonic Club are very interesting reading, a short resume of same was running functions and of course all other arrangements in forming a Lodge which was quite extensive, this could only be accomplished with great dedication and this the Founder Members had and were really encouraged by help given by all other freemasons. The work continued until they made representation to Provincial Grand Lodge of Linlithgowshire and through them to the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Provincial Grand Master of Linlithgowshire at that time was Bro. Alex Pennycook
The name of the Lodge as you can imagine, was after great consultation with the Brethren, Provincial Grand Lodge and  Grand Lodge. Finally the name was chosen  Lodge Lord Bruce. The brethren required permission from the Grand Lodge of Scotland to use the name Lord Bruce ( now the Earl of Elgin) who duly gave the brethren permission to use his title and of course the use of the Bruce tartan to be used on the Masonic
aprons.

A communication of the Grand Lodge of Scotland held on the 1st August 1963 that the brethren assembled saw the Grand Master Mason of the time Lord Bruce invite the Immediate Past Grand Master to deal with the next item on the agenda. The immanent business was that Grand Lodge accept a committee recommendation that a charter be given to Lodge Lord Bruce and to be given the number sixteen hundred and one on the roll of lodges The application was supported by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Linlithgowshire Lodge St John Crofhead 374 and Lodge HopebridgeCastle 827.
The request as expected was given unanimous approval, a decision that was greeted with loud applause since the brethren assembled that day were happy to see the development of another lodge- but approved the fact that it was to be named after an especially popular and capable Grand Master
A great amount of work still had to be done and having been granted their  charter the brethren at last  began to see their efforts come to fruition. Preparation for the installation began in earnest and it was decided, in order not to clash with any other lodge in the province, the Installation Ceremony and Festival of St John would be held on the 3rd Saturday in November.
After the enquiry meeting held on the 2nd December 1963 five gentlemen's names were put forward for ballot.
On the Monday 9th December 1963, the lodge was opened but with no
degree (the brethren did not want to open with a mock degree) a ballot was held and all five gentlemen were cleared. The lodge was now complete and eager excitement among the brethren to confer their first degree in Seafield awaited.

On the 13th December 1963 Bro. William Pilmer headed a very large deputation form Lodge Lord Bruce 1601 to Lodge Blackridge 1145 to confer a First Degree. This was quite a unique occasion for a Lodge to confer a degree in a visiting lodge before  they had conferred a degree in their own lodge.
An excellent degree was carried out and R.W.M. Bro. William Tait 1145 congratulated and thanked the brethren of 1601 for making this a very memorable occasion. ( note  the collection for that evening was: £3 pound 2 shillings and one penny)
On Monday 23rd December 1963 Lodge Lord Bruce conferred their first degree at home in the Seafield Hall
The Entered Apprentice Degree was then initiated on five gentlemen  Namely: Bro. J Walker (1) Bro. A. McLachlan (2) Bro. C. Mackie (3) Bro. R. Wallace (4) Bro. W. Ewing (5)

The hall was full to capacity with literally standing room only, such was enthusiasm from brethren throughout Scotland to witness this first degree. While there were many very nervous office bearers, by all accounts an excellent degree was conferred. Lodge Lord Bruce was now on the map of freemasonry and the secretary biggest challenge was to control the list of applications of gentlemen who wished to become members of Lodge Lord Bruce
Listed below are the various lodges and brethren who supplied Masonic articles to form a lodge.
Some off the items are still used to this day.
Lodge Torphichen Kilwinning 13, Lodge Thistle 270, Lodge St Margaret 548, Lodge Crofthead St John 374, Lodge Buchan St John 636, Lodge Hope Bridge Castle 827, Lodge Nisbet 1112, Lodge Blackridge 1145, Lodge Hopetoun St John 1232, Lodge St Andrew 1587, Lodge Kirkliston Maitland 482 and the following brethren made their contributions Bro J. Girdwood 270, Bro D. Girdwood 270, Bro. H Docherty 636, Bro. J Mathieson 793 Bro J. Montgomery 1145, Bro A Livingston 482, Bro C. Low 391, and the following from 1601 Bro W. McCulloch,
Bro. R Kerr, Bro W. Rhind, Bro. J Reston, Bro. W Duncan.

Research by Charlie Rogerson P.M.


Lodge Lord Bruce 1601
FOUNDER MEMBERS

William   Pilmer 
James   Stevenson Purves 
John   Francis 
James   Martin Girdwood 
Peter   Allan 
Matthew  Ryan 
David  Dobbie Ure 
Thomas  Liddell 
Alexander  Russell 
Charles  Frederick Low 
Andrew Ferguson Park 
David   Benzie 
Douglas  Paterson McLachlan
Thomas  Falconer 
James  Hindman Renton 
David  Corbett
John   Duncan 
William   Hannen 
Thomas   Brown Hay 
George McCracken Park 
James   Elliott
Archibald  Sillars McKay 
Andrew  Johnstone William Wallace 
William  Duncan 
Harold   Lochrie  
Malcolm   McLean 
Robert  James Kerr 
John  Paterson  Robertson 
Walter  Thomson Diver McCulloch 
Thomas  Hay (Snr) 
Hugh  Walker Kinniburgh 
John  Bruce 
Robert   Ward Sommerville
John   Adams Hunter 
Alexander   Dale 
James  Peebles Donald 
Harry   Drennan 
William  Veitch Tait 
William  Lewis Wilson 
Robert  Daly Ewing 
David  Swan 
Thomas  Speirs 
James  Mc Donald 
John   Fleming Withers 
Malcolm   Black 
Robert   Hutton Muir
John  Kennedy 
John  Begbie 
William  John McNab Rhind 
William   James McKay
Ronald   Kerr 
John  Watson Bell
John   Brown 
Lawrence Murray Girdwood 
Donald McLeod 
Alexander  McDonald 
Albert   James Leitch 
Jesse  Gordon Bennett 
Gordon  Paterson 
Alexander  Greig Philip 
Charles Collinson 
Hugh Haston 
William  Young Smith 
Walter Thomas Thompson Cowan
Iain Carnegie 
Alexander  Pennycook 
William Sneddon 
Robert  Purdie 
James Dougall 
Daniel Hepburn Howieson 
George Alexander Smith 
George Scott 
David Prentice 
Adam Dickson 
Archibald Simpson 
Robert  Miller 
Lawrence Gibson
William  Goldie 
George  Denholm Gray
James  Mitchell
John  Loughridge
Oliver  McLeish Reekie
James  Forrest
Thomas Baird
Thomas  James Hubert Smyth 
George  Russell 
Alexander Speedie 
William  Hanlon
David   McDermid Easton 
John  Harrison
Thomas   Johnstone


 
 
 
 
  


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.