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Chapter
VI
Public
Occasions
In the early years of the Lodge's history, the Brethren
appeared in public in their regalia regularly. The Lodge
marched from its meeting place to a local church for
an annual Divine Service. Usually a band headed the
procession. It was not unusual for Brethren to request
a Masonic Funeral. This also required the Lodge to appear
in public. Freemasons were invited to perform the laying
of foundation stones of important public buildings.
Two events are detailed below.
On St. John's Day, 25th December, 1884 the Lodge held
a torchlight procession to celebrate the anniversary.
The Brethren assembled in the Lodge Room, 87 George
Street, at 7p.m. on that date. They marched in procession
with lighted torches, headed by the Whiteinch Brass
Band, along George Street to Dumbarton Road at the Beehive,
proceeding along Dumbarton Road to Partick. The procession
then by way of Clarendon Street to Church Street where
they were joined by the Master, Andrew M. Smith. The
procession numbered in all about forty Brethren. The
Lodge was opened and passed into harmony. It seems the
harmony continued "until an advanced hour".
Within a few months of the Lodge's erection, it participated
in the laying of the foundation stone of the new Municipal
Buildings in George Square. A very detailed account
of what must have been an historic occasion in the life
of our city may be found in a volume entitled New Municipal
Buildings reference725.13. It is contained in the Glasgow
Collection in the Mitchell Library.
On 6th October 1883, this magnificent ceremonial was
carried out. Although it was autumn, the Great Architect
must have looked favourably upon the event, for the
author of the book stated that, "The day might
be said to have been borrowed from summer." Such
was the significance attached to the proceedings that,
in all public works, labour was suspended for the day;
warehouses and shops were closed. By mid-day, it was
estimated that there half a million onlookers in the
streets of the city.
The procession itself consisted of 35,000 participants.
The length of the procession was 4 miles and it took
3 hours to pass any point along the route.
The civic and masonic procession gathered in the square
of the Royal Infirmary, whilst the trades processions
left from elsewhere. At 1 p.m., the Provincial Grand
Lodge of Glasgow was opened in solemn form by the Provincial
Grand Master, Bro. William Pearce, in the Chapter House
of Glasgow Cathedral. Among the distinguished Brethren
attending were the Provincial Grand Masters of Renfrewshire
East, Ayrshire, Argyll and the Isles, Dunbartonshire,
the Middle and Upper Wards of Lanarkshire, Dumfriesshire,
the Senior Grand Warden and the Provincial Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Canada. The Lord Provost Bro.
John Ure having been found worthy was admitted to Provincial
Grand Lodge. The Brethren of the Lodge of Glasgow St.
John 3bis were according to ancient custom presented
with the working tools. Provincial Grand Lodge was adjourned
and its members joined the civic leaders to worship
in the Cathedral. The procession was formed by the Provincial
Grand Marshall. Lodge St. John Whiteinch as the most
junior Lodge was placed at the head of the procession.
The civic leaders and Freemasons thereafter proceeded
to George Square. On reaching St. Vincent Place, it
took open order to allow the Provoncial Grand Lodge
to pass through the ranks. 5,000 brethren were present.
The ceremonial laying of the foundation stone then
commenced. George Square was packed with 60,000 people
in addition to those in the processions. After silence
had been established, the National Anthem was sung.
The Senior Magistrate asked the Provincial Grand Master
to carry out the ceremony. Bro. Pearce delegated this
duty to the Lord Provost. Prayer was offered.
A number of coins, civic statutes, newspapers and a copy
of the Constitutions and Bye-Laws of the Grand Lodge
of Scotland were deposited in the stone. The Lord Provost
applied the plumb-rule, the level and the square to
the foundation stone. Cornucopias of wine and oil were
appropriately used. As a memento of the occasion, the
Lord Provost presented the Provincial Grand Master with
a silver trowel.
The Provincial Grand Lodge proceeded to the Council
Chambers in Ingram Street where it was closed in due
and ancient form at 4:30 p.m. Thus from early morning
to late afternoon, the city was occupied by this most
wonderful event. For all of us who are currently familiar
with George Square, it is difficult to imagine it in
a different state. Great stands were erected on the
site of the City Chambers for civic leaders, guests
and processions. On either side of the Square, impressive
archways had been constructed.
The day's proceedings did not however end at 4:30.
A dinner for 500 gentlemen was held in the evening.
A record of the speeches made at the dinner are contained
in the aforementioned book. The role played by the Freemasons
of Glasgow on 6th October, 1883 was very ably and sincerely
mentioned in Lord Provost Ure's toast to the Grand Lodge
of Scotland. He said that "without doubt the proceedings
of today would have lost much of their interest if the
Freemasons had been absent." Thus was our great
city provided with an edifice in which to conduct its
business and one whose foundation was well and truly
laid.
In the early years of the Lodge's history, the Brethren
appeared in public in their regalia regularly. The Lodge
marched from its meeting place to a local church for an
annual Divine Service. Usually a band headed the procession.
It was not unusual for Brethren to request a Masonic Funeral.
This also required the Lodge to appear in public. Freemasons
were invited to perform the laying of foundation stones
of important public buildings. Two events are detailed
below.
On St. John's Day, 25th December, 1884 the Lodge held
a torchlight procession to celebrate the anniversary.
The Brethren assembled in the Lodge Room, 87 George
Street, at 7p.m. on that date. They marched in procession
with lighted torches, headed by the Whiteinch Brass
Band, along George Street to Dumbarton Road at the Beehive,
proceeding along Dumbarton Road to Partick. The procession
then by way of Clarendon Street to Church Street where
they were joined by the Master, Andrew M. Smith. The
procession numbered in all about forty Brethren. The
Lodge was opened and passed into harmony. It seems the
harmony continued "until an advanced hour".
Within a few months of the Lodge's erection, it participated
in the laying of the foundation stone of the new Municipal
Buildings in George Square. A very detailed account
of what must have been an historic occasion in the life
of our city may be found in a volume entitled New Municipal
Buildings reference725.13. It is contained in the Glasgow
Collection in the Mitchell Library.
On 6th October 1883, this magnificent ceremonial was
carried out. Although it was autumn, the Great Architect
must have looked favourably upon the event, for the
author of the book stated that, "The day might
be said to have been borrowed from summer." Such
was the significance attached to the proceedings that,
in all public works, labour was suspended for the day;
warehouses and shops were closed. By mid-day, it was
estimated that there half a million onlookers in the
streets of the city.
The procession itself consisted of 35,000 participants.
The length of the procession was 4 miles and it took
3 hours to pass any point along the route.
The civic and masonic procession gathered in the square
of the Royal Infirmary, whilst the trades processions
left from elsewhere. At 1 p.m., the Provincial Grand
Lodge of Glasgow was opened in solemn form by the Provincial
Grand Master, Bro. William Pearce, in the Chapter House
of Glasgow Cathedral. Among the distinguished Brethren
attending were the Provincial Grand Masters of Renfrewshire
East, Ayrshire, Argyll and the Isles, Dunbartonshire,
the Middle and Upper Wards of Lanarkshire, Dumfriesshire,
the Senior Grand Warden and the Provincial Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Canada. The Lord Provost Bro.
John Ure having been found worthy was admitted to Provincial
Grand Lodge. The Brethren of the Lodge of Glasgow St.
John 3bis were according to ancient custom presented
with the working tools. Provincial Grand Lodge was adjourned
and its members joined the civic leaders to worship
in the Cathedral. The procession was formed by the Provincial
Grand Marshall. Lodge St. John Whiteinch as the most
junior Lodge was placed at the head of the procession.
The civic leaders and Freemasons thereafter proceeded
to George Square. On reaching St. Vincent Place, it
took open order to allow the Provincial Grand Lodge
to pass through the ranks. 5,000 brethren were present.
The ceremonial laying of the foundation stone then
commenced. George Square was packed with 60,000 people
in addition to those in the processions. After silence
had been established, the National Anthem was sung.
The Senior Magistrate asked the Provincial Grand Master
to carry out the ceremony. Bro. Pearce delegated this
duty to the Lord Provost. Prayer was offered.
A number of coins, civic statutes, newspapers and a copy
of the Constitutions and Bye-Laws of the Grand Lodge
of Scotland were deposited in the stone. The Lord Provost
applied the plumb-rule, the level and the square to
the foundation stone. Cornucopias of wine and oil were
appropriately used. As a memento of the occasion, the
Lord Provost presented the Provincial Grand Master with
a silver trowel.
The Provincial Grand Lodge proceeded to the Council
Chambers in Ingram Street where it was closed in due
and ancient form at 4:30 p.m. Thus from early morning
to late afternoon, the city was occupied by this most
wonderful event. For all of us who are currently familiar
with George Square, it is difficult to imagine it in
a different state. Great stands were erected on the
site of the City Chambers for civic leaders, guests
and processions. On either side of the Square, impressive
archways had been constructed.
The day's proceedings did not however end at 4:30.
A dinner for 500 gentlemen was held in the evening.
A record of the speeches made at the dinner are contained
in the aforementioned book. The role played by the Freemasons
of Glasgow on 6th October, 1883 was very ably and sincerely
mentioned in Lord Provost Ure's toast to the Grand Lodge
of Scotland. He said that "without doubt the proceedings
of today would have lost much of their interest if the
Freemasons had been absent." Thus was our great
city provided with an edifice in which to conduct its
business and one whose foundation was well and truly
laid.
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