At the start of 1919 we find quite a number of candidates coming into the Lodge. In fact at one meeting no less than five were initiated, and this was carried out at a special meeting. At this time the procedure was a little different from what it is to-day. To-day a candidate is proposed and when the ballot has been proved clear the candidate is initiated at some subsequent meeting.
This was not the case in the early years of the Lodge. Then the candidate was balloted for and initiated on the sae evening. In other words, the candidate must have been outside the door of the Lodge awaiting the result of the ballot. This does not seem to be a satisfactory process at all because there was a chance - a very slight one admittedly - that the ballot might not be clear. However, as mentioned this would have been very slight because at this time there was a properly constituted Committee of Enquiry, which had gone into all the details beforehand.
On Sunday, 13th. July, 1919, a Joint Memorial Service was held in Fraserburgh Parish Church under the auspices of the two Masonic Lodges and the four Friendly Society Lodges in the town, to the memory of Brethren who fell in the war. Apparently there was a large muster of the various Orders, particularly of the Freemasons. The procession was formed at the Central School and headed by the Fraserburgh Pipe Band, marched via Charlotte Street and High Street to the Church. For quarter of an hour before the service all the Church bells toiled for a funeral knell and the congregation numbered 1,200, of whom 500 wore regalia.
For more detailed information about the procession route CLICK HERE
The service was conducted by five ministers of the town, and during the service the names of the Brethren who had fallen in the war, were read by the Parish Church Minister, the Reverend M. P. Johnstone. In all, there were 48 names read out - quite a number from the Societies of the town, and this did not include those outwit the Lodges and Societies. There were only two Brethren of the Fraserburgh Lodge of Freemasons who had fallen, viz. Charles Gordon French and George Mellis Hendry.
On the motion of Bro. Donald it was decided that out of the General Fund a Roll of Honour, engraved on a Brass Plate should be mounted and hung in the Lodge. This tablet was unveiled in the Lodge on 13th. April, 1920, by P.M. Bro. Reid, who, in the course of his address, exhorted his listeners in the discharge of their duty to emulate the example of those whose names appeared on the Tablet, for by their consecrated service, their glory would never fade and their names would live for evermore. (Remember that this was after the "War to end all Wars", and those who had been killed were looked upon as the last men who would ever be killed in battle).
By the end of 1920 we find the Lodge in a much better state as regards the financial position. This trend continued right through 1921, due mainly to the increase in the number of candidates. Towards the end of 1921 some of the money, which had been given so generously by the guarantors, was paid back. It was not all paid back at this time, of course, but nevertheless a start had been made. The funds of the Lodge had been further helped by the fact that the Initiate Fee had gone up from £3 3/- (three pounds and three shillings) to £5 5/- (five pounds and five shillings). The Treasurer's statement for 1921 showed a balance in hand of over £92 in the General Fund and over £23 in the Benevolent Fund. Altogether, this appeared to be a very favourable trend.
Page 20
Although the minutes naturally give a great deal of attention to the purely Masonic affairs - Brethren being advanced to higher degrees, the mundane affairs of the Lodge and the recording of visitors - it is gratifying to see that the social aspect was not being neglected. Social evenings seemed to be the order of the day, and in order that the ladies were not left out altogether, whist drives and other social activities were arranged. In the summertime, picnics were held and these affairs were well patronised by the Brethren and their families.
The first annual picnic held by the Lodge took place on Wednesday, 18th. July, 1923. The party left from Saltoun Square at 1.30 p.m. and proceeded to Pennan and Troup. The price of tickets for this outing were 6/- (six shillings), which included the fare from Fraserburgh to Troup and two meals - lunch at 3.30 p.m., and tea at 7 p.m. This first picnic seemed to be a great success and was enjoyed by all who took part in it.
Fraserburgh War Memorial
Another chapter in Fraserburgh's history, in which the Lodge took part, was the Dedication Ceremony of the War Memorial in memory of the Fallen in the Great War of 1914-1918. The Lodge assembled in the Lodge Rooms and adjourned to Saltoun Square where the other bodies of the town were assembling. The procession then marched to Saltoun Place where the ceremony took place on Sunday, 9th. September, 1923.
West Parish Church
About a month after this ceremony the Lodge sustained a great loss, in the death of Bro. John N. Hendry - the first Master of Lodge Fraserburgh No. 1055. The Brethren of the Lodge, in conjunction with the Brethren of Lodge Solomon, attended the funeral service in the West Parish Church (The Hexagon on Victoria Street) and then marched to the cemetery, where a Masonic funeral service was conducted by the Rev. J. H. Williams, a member of "1055", assisted by Bro. J. Sim, the R.W.M. at the time.
In November of the same year, we find Alexander Arthur Fraser (the Master of Saltoun) be proposed for affiliation to the Lodge. At this time he was the Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. About a fortnight after this proposal, the Master of Saltoun, who was a Master Mason of Lodge Mary's Chapel No. 1 Edinburgh, was admitted and obligated as an affiliate member of "1055".
Lord Saltoun, of Abernethy, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1445 for Sir
Lawrence Abernethy. The title remained in the Abernethy family until the death in 1669 of the 10th. Lady Saltoun. She was succeeded by her cousin Alexander Fraser, the
11th. Lord. He was the son of Alexander Fraser and Margaret Abernethy, daughter of the 7th. Lord Saltoun. The title has remained in the Frasers of Philorth
family ever since.
The Frasers of Philorth are a Scottish lowland family. Their family seat is in Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Since the time of Alexander Fraser, 11th. Lord Saltoun,
the heads of the Philorth family are the Lords Saltoun.
At the Annual General Meeting of 1923, the financial statement again showed itself to be in a healthy condition, and again it was decided to pay back some of the money which had been so willingly loaned by certain members. As there were still eight members to be paid back, the Lodge came to the decision that two of those would be reimbursed and that the ballot system should be used. Thus the eight names were put into the ballot box and two names wee withdrawn, and they were to be the two who should receive their money back on this occasion.
At he installation ceremony on 27th. December, 1923, a picture of the late Bro. J. M Hendry, the first Master of the Lodge, was accepted on behalf of the Lodge by the R.W.M. After the installation ceremony the usual harmony took place and arrangements were made for another social evening to take place in January, 1924.
Quite a number of visitors came to the Lodge, and they gave the appearance that interchange between Lodges in the Province seemed to be the coming trend. Indeed such was the zeal for this that we find the R.W.M. of "1055" thanking two Brethren of Lodge Inversaintcairn for walking from St. Combs to Fraserburgh on a stormy night (about 6 or so miles), just to attend a meeting. This zeal for Freemasonry must be complimented because it shows that the people concerned tried to do their part in the furthering of the craft in the Province.
Page 21
The Lodge at this time was still meeting monthly - that is, the regular meeting was held once a month - but quite a number of special meetings were being held. It did happen, however, that on the regular meeting there was no candidate. This only happened on the occasional meeting and then the meeting was usually open for questions and answers and for re-instruction in Freemasonry. This type of meeting was well attended and enjoyed by all who took part.
Alexander W.F. Fraser
19th. Lord Saltoun
Grand Master 1897 – 1900
At the nomination meeting of office-bearers for 1925, the Master of Saltoun - Alexander Arthur Fraser - was proposed and seconded as R.W.M.. This was indeed an honour to the Lodge as it must also have been to the Master of Saltoun. In honour of the occasion it was intimated that the Master of Saltoun was to present a photograph of his father (19th. Lord Saltoun) to the Lodge. It was gratefully accepted and is still to be found in the Lodge to-day.
The year of office of the Master of Saltoun passed in an uneventful manner with the Lodge making steady progress. By the end of the year the Balance Sheet still pointed in an upward trend, and everything was moving to the satisfaction of all. The outgoing R.W.M. was unanimously nominated the Proxy Master of Lodge Fraserburgh to the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
The following year was marked by its lack of candidates (1926). Whether this was a sign of the times or not, records do not disclose but it must have been general throughout the country as work and hence wages were very hard to find. At the Annual General Meeting of that year the Treasurer, Bro. A. J. Russell, showed that there was only a credit balance of 7/5 - 7s-5d - seven shillings and five pence - , and in the course of his remarks stated that it was necessary to find at least six candidates each year in order to meet the total yearly expenses of the Lodge, and it was only extraordinary happenings in the previous year that made it possible to show a credit balance. To try to cut down the expenses a little, Bro. Russell said he had interviewed the proprietor of the property and had succeeded in having the rent of the Lodge Rooms reduced to £5.
In moving the adoption of the Balance Sheet for that year the R.W.M. referred to the great voluntary assistance the Treasurer had given to the Lodge and thanked Bro. Russell for his work, in appreciation of which, this service was placed on record.
In this chapter we have followed the fortunes of the Lodge through eight years of its history, and although these fortunes have tended to have their ups and downs, the Lodge was still carrying on and showing that even in times of adversity the faith which had started the Lodge in 1909 was still in the right hands and somehow we have the feeling that better days are still to come, even, although, before they arrive, the clouds will be even darker than they were at the close of 1926.
Page 22
« Previous Chapter » - « Next Chapter »
