Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

Increase of the Craftsmen, and their travelling into distant Parts, and convening
themselves in Lodges.” 27
In 1739 the Scottish Grand Lodge recorded that it had granted a
Provincial Commission to the “Worshipful Alexander Drummond Esq. present
Master of the Lodge Entitled Greenock Kilwinning Impowering him to visit the
Severall Lodges in the Countys therein mentioned who Acknowledge the
Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge,” and “such Lodges as hereafter shall be
regularly Constituted by Authority thereof as often as their regular meetings will
admit at least once in the year with Select other powers in manner therein
mentioned and Conform to Instruction given therewith.” 28 Neither the counties
nor the specific powers of Drummond are mentioned. However, a minute entry
from 21 May 1740 verified that Drummond, referred to as the “Grand Provincial
Master of the Western Lodges,” had visited the lodges of Kirkintilloch and
Kilsyth. 29
The only other District to be specifically named was the Stirling District.
On 6 February 1745, the Grand Lodge of Scotland reported that it had received a
letter from the Master of Stirling Lodge No. 30, stating that the members
stood much in need of a Provincial Master for that part of the country not
on account of any irregularities amongst them, But for want of due
instruction in some parts convening the craft. Which being considered
27 Ibid, 217.
28 Grand Lodge of Scotland Minutes, 7 February 1739.
29 Ibid, 21 May 1740. The minute states that as the lodges are “are generally all operative
Brethren, and have but very Small funds for their poor, they are not in a Condition to pay the
Regulation dues for new Constitutions being Two Guineas to the Grand Lodge…Which being
considered by them, They for the Ease and Encouragement of Operative Lodges in the Country
Statute and Ordain That the Said two Lodges and others in their Circumstances shall apply for
patents [and] in time coming shall only pay to the Grand Lodge the dues of Confirmations and
Ratifications being half a Guinea each, and not as new Constitutions, And that the Clerk give
them out accordingly in those Terms.”
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