Aspects of Scottish Freemasonry

The Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge Officers Luncheon Club held its first meeting of 2012 in the magnificent main dining room at Liverpool Masonic Hall. Chairman Haldane Eccles welcomed over 40 attendees and wished them a happy and prosperous New Year. Following a substantial luncheon, Hal introduced the guest speaker Ian Clark who entertained and educated the members with his lecture entitled ‘Aspects of Scottish Freemasonry’. Although born and bred in Scotland, Ian has spent all of his professional life as a detective mainly in the St Helens area.

He is well qualified to speak on this subject as he is a past master in all three of the home constitutions, England, Scotland and Ireland.  A stalwart and past master of Vigilance and Douglas Lodge No 6236 in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ian was originally initiated into his father’s and grandfather’s lodge in 1979 in his hometown of Blantyre, Lanarkshire, into Lodge Livingstone, Stonefield No 599 of which he was master in 2004. Ian is also the immediate past master of Temple Lodge No 6 in Dublin. He is also a Royal Arch Freemason and holds high office in several other Masonic orders.

Ian commenced by briefly explaining how Freemasonry developed and grew in each country and went on to compare and contrast the management philosophies, size of membership and number of lodges in the three home Constitutions and the financial costs involved in each.

He also gave some clues as to the reasons for the peculiar manner of lodge numbering in Scotland. He commented on the differing nature of Freemasonry both north and south of the border and gave a fascinating insight into the management of craft lodges and the close relationship of the Scottish craft ritual with Mark Masonry and the Royal Arch.

He also made reference to the ‘Passing of the Veils’ ceremony which forms part of regular ritual in Scotland and in which there has been a revival of interest lately in the English Royal Arch. Ian gave a full explanation of the historic, demographic and social reasons for the large membership of individual lodges in Scotland.

His offer of a question and answer session was taken up by several members who asked very pertinent questions which Ian answered fully.

Luncheon Club Vice Chairman Peter Rawlinson rose and thanked Ian for his most interesting and informative lecture. The members echoed his sentiments with prolonged applause. It is to be hoped that the high standard of lectures which was maintained on this occasion by Ian will be continued in future talks.

Luncheon Club membership is open to all Grand and Provincial Grand Officers. The Club meets on the last Thursday of the months of October, November, January, February, March, April and May, when the meeting is addressed by an invited guest who gives an entertaining talk of Masonic interest, except at the May meeting when the annual general meeting takes place. The meetings are held at the Liverpool Masonic Hall, Hope Street. The bar is open at 11.45am. The lunch itself is set up for 12.45pm, followed by the speaker’s address and usually concluded by 2.30pm.  The current annual membership fee and luncheon cost is modest, details of which can be obtained from the secretary, Jim Kontzle at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Pictured from left to right, are: Cyril McGibbon, Ian Clark, Hal Eccles and Peter Rawlinson.