The Birth of a Lodge

 

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Lodge Possilpark was officially consecrated on 29th January, 1925, the date of her Charter being 6th November, 1924, but for almost a year before the consecration ceremony meetings of the Founder Members had been held to discuss progress in the formation of the new Lodge.

The first recorded meeting took place on 12th February, 1924, in the Rockvilla U.F. Church Hall in Saracen Street.  At that meeting thirty three Brethren heard an address by Bro. George Croll, Past Master of Lodge Thistle and Rose No. 73, (who was to become a Founder Member) on the proceedure to be followed if the Brethren decided to form a new Lodge.   After discussion it was decided that a Lodge be formed in Possilpark and that further meetings should be held under the chairmanship of Bro. James Robertson of Lodge Maryhill No. 510 also present were David Gordon, Alex. Russell, John Brownlie, James Candlish, Bro. George Croll and others. Bro. Croll was to provide advice on Masonic Proceedure.

Meeting followed meeting, and on 7th April, 1924, the Brethren met to discuss the important matters of fees, sponsors and the name of the proposed Lodge. The acting Secretary, Bro. John Brownlie, was intructed to write to Lodges Glasgow Kilwinning No.4, The Lodge of Glasgow St.Mungo No. 27, Maryhill No. 510, Kenmuir No.570. When the question of the name of the new Lodge was discussed at that meeting, four suggestions were put forward - Sheriff Allison, Fossil, Possil St.John and Possilpark. On a vote being taken, Lodge Possilpark was accepted.

On 13th June, 1924, the initiation fee was fixed and the official Lodge colours of Stuart Dress Tartan was adopted, and the petition form for submission to Grand Lodge was available for signature (113 Brethren attached their names). The four above named Lodges supported the petition.

A further step forward was taken on 16th October, 1924, when the Brethren agreed that the regular meeting nights should be the second and fourth Thursdays of the month and on this occasion, the design for the Lodge Seal was submitted and approved.
At last,however,they were about to see the result of their labours,for on 5th December, 1924, the acting Secretary was able to report that the Lodge's number on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland was 1330,the Charter having been granted at the meeting of Grand Lodge on 6th November.1924.

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GROWING UP.

At 7.30 p.m. on 29th January, 1925, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow met in the Rockvilla Church Hall for the purpose of the erection and consecration of Lodge Possilpark No. 1330 and the installation of the Master and Office Bearers. The Provincial Grand Master, Bro. A.A. Haggart Spiers of Elderslie, D.L., J.P., presided, accompanied by the Provincial Grand Lodge Office Bearers. Among the representatives of Sister Lodges were Masters and Past -Masters of ten Lodges ranging from No. 27 to No. 1222. The Master and Office Bearers being installed by the Provincial Grand Master and his Depute, Bro. W. Munro Denholm.  The officiating Chaplain was Bro. Dr. L. A. Cameron Reid, D.D., Bro. Haggart Spiers concluded by wishing the new Lodge every success and prosperity in the years to come.

Before Provincial Grand Lodge retired Bro. James Robertson, as R.W.M. of Lodge Possilpark, asked Bro. Spiers to accept honorary membership of the Lodge. This ceremony having been conducted Bro. A.A. Haggart Spiers signed the members' roll as the first honorary member. Some five years later, in November, 1929, Bro. Spiers was to be installed as Grand Master Mason of Scotland and thus Possilpark has the distinction of numbering a Past Grand Master Mason among its honorary members.
The first regular meeting following the consecration was held on 12th February, 1925, when the first seven candidates of Lodge Possilpark were initiated. They were Adam Stewart, Daniel Muir, Charles Waugh, Charles Ralston, James Simpson, James Short and Devis Mackay, the ceremony being carried out by Bro. James Robertson, R.W.M.

It is pleasant to record that among these seven initiates, the first brethren ever to acknowledge Possilpark as their Mother Lodge, was a future Master, Bro. Charles Ralston, being elected to the Chair in the year 1932/33 - he was in fact the first 'initiate' to preside over the lodge, all the previous Masters up to 1932 having been Founder Members.
With that first initiation ceremony the 'birth' of Lodge Possilpark was completed. The Lodge had now commenced its working life and in a few weeks was handling its business as though it had been in existence for years.
Another 'first' took place on Sunday, 13th September, 1925, when the Lodge's first Masonic Divine Service was held in the Rockvilla U.F. Church. Seventeen Lodges were represented. After assembling in the War Memorial Hall the Brethren took up position in Lennox Street and headed by the Possilpark Prize Silver Band, they marched by way of Barloch Street, Bardowie Street and Saracen Street to the Church entrance. The minute records that the procession 'created great local interest' and no doubt the Brethren, founder members and initiates alike, took an especial pride in showing that Possilpark, though not yet one year old, was a lusty infant fit to take her place amongst her older sisters. The service was conducted by the Lodge Chaplain, Bro. the Rev. William McCulloch Steven, B.D. About this time we were indebted to two Past Masters of The Lodge of Glasgow St. Mungo No.27 who gifted to the Lodge our Deacons Rods.

During this first year of the Lodge's existence the brethren had never lost sight of their ambition that one day there would be a Masonic Temple in Possilpark. Various Functions were organised, and on 15th September a Grand Concert was held in the Lyric Theatre at which artistes from the Pavilion and Empire Theatres gave their services. Much of the credit for persuading these professional artistes to take part was due to an enthusiastic young Office Bearer - one James Candlish, Sword Bearer of the Lodge. The First Annual Meeting was held in November, 1925, when the financial statement was laid before the Lodge. After only ten months' working the General Fund stood at £211, the Benevolent Fund at £138 and the Building Fund at £105. Up to 31st October, 1925, the Lodge had held 15 regular meetings and one special meeting, 32 candidates had been initiated and the average attendance had been 77.

Following the adoption of the financial statement the office bearers for the ensuing twelve months were elected and on 10th December, 1925, the first 'normal' installation ceremony took place, Bro. Robertson again being installed as Master.
On 29th January, 1926, an anniversary dance was held in Woodside Halls to commemorate the consecration of the Lodge twelve months before and by special dispensation from Grand Lodge, the brethren attending the dance, were permitted to wear Masonic Regalia. Financially, as well as socially, the evening was highly successful and it was decided that a Master's Chain should be purchased from the proceeds.

The chain was duly purchased and when Provincial Grand Lodge made their first visitation to Lodge Possilpark on 11th March, the Substitute Grand Master, Bro. Matthew Robin, performed the investiture.  Bro. Robin, in his subsequent remarks, congratulated the Lodge on gaining a 'clear Minute' at this, the first Provincial Visitation. At the Harmony that evening one of the artistes who enter­tained the brethren was Bro. Charles Coburn, the original 'Man who broke the Bank at Monte Carlo'.
When the next Annual Meeting was held on 25th November, 1926, Bro. Robertson intimated that he did not wish to stand for re-election as Master. In the year 1926/27 Bro. Alex. Russell was installed R.W.M. of the Lodge,among the Office Bearers Bro. James Patrick was installed as Tyler, an office he was to hold for the next twenty seven years.

In his year of Office Bro. Russell did not neglect the social side of Lodge affairs and in an interim report on 27th May, 1927, the Treasurer was able to report that functions held during the winter months had shown a total profit of nearly sixty pounds. At this time the Building Fund stood at £228 and the General Fund at £193.
It is worthy of note that at the Masonic Divine Service on 11th September, 1927, the two elected Chaplains of the Lodge acted as officiating clergymen, bk>. the Rev. McCulloch Steven, a founder member, reading the lesson and Bro. the Rev. J. Maxwell Dewar, who had been initiated on 13th May, 1926, delivering his first Masonic sermon, based on Fidelity. In this year and the next, the two brethren elected to the offices of Chaplain were in fact Ministers of religion. Bro. David Gordon was installed as R.W.M. on 8th December, 1927.

During Bro. Gordon's year his son, Peter McNiven Gordon, was initiated and was later to become Master of the Lodge in 1936/37. At the same meeting an application was read from Daniel R. Munro who was also to be elected to the Chair in the fulness of time.
In December, 1928, Bro. David Gordon was succeeded by Bro. James Candlish as Master'and one of Bro. Candlish's first - and most pleasant - duties was to present to Bro. Gordon a handsome silver tea-service in appreciation of his and Mrs. Gordon's services to the Lodge. This tea-service, unfortunately, went to the bottom of the Atlantic when the ' Athenia' was sunk by the Germans on September 3rd, 1939.
The year 1929 saw the beginning of the economic crisis in the outside world and soon the financial affairs of Lodge Possilpark were to feel the strain. Towards the end of Bro. Candlish's year, a sub committee had to be formed to review the financial position and to report on falling attendances.

As always, however, the wives of the brethren were active in their support of the Lodge. They organised several functions and devised various means of raising funds. Again and Again we find reference to donations by ladies who, happily, still take an active part in our social affairs. Here, as on numerous occasions in our history, our grateful thanks are due to the ladies for their vigorous support of the Lodge and of an Order which, by its very rules, they themselves were precluded from joining.
Towards the end of Bro. Candlish's year, in October 1929, the Lodge was honoured by the election of our first Master, Bro. James Robertson, as Provincial Grand Standard-bearer. Thus, from the purely Masonic point of view, Bro. Candlish's year ended on a note of encouragement, but when he vacated the Chair on 28th November, 1929, it was already evident that difficult days lay ahead for the Lodge and for the world in general.

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