A new foundation stone is laid
It is just over 60 years since a notice appeared in the Glasgow Evening Times and The Milngavie & Bearsden Herald inviting all brethren interested in forming a new lodge, to attend a meeting in Westerton Hall on Monday 21st December 1959.
At that meeting which was chaired by the late Past Master J.J. McNeill, and attended by the then Provincial Grand Master, Brother Harry Blair, the 67 brethren present voted unanimously to erect a new lodge.
On the 20th April 1960 a formal application was made to The Provincial Grand Lodge of Dunbartonshire for the granting of a Charter under the name of Lodge Bearsden.There were 78 Founder Members from 48 different Lodges, one of which was from the English Constitution. The two Sponsor Lodges were Lodge Ellangowan No 716 and Lodge Cochno No 1304 and the application having been approved by Provincial Grand Lodge at their meeting in April, Grand Lodge granted a Charter to Lodge Bearsden on 4th August 1960, allocating the number 1572 on The Roll.
Our colours and regalia
The colours adopted by the Lodge were those of Bearsden Academy namely, Cerise, Green and Gold which are still worn proudly today.
In October of the same year a Chain of Office for the Master was presented by Brother Henry Blair P.G.M. and Brother Ian M. Brown P.G. Secretary, who was appointed as first Depute Master of the new lodge.
Our inaugural meeting
On the 12th November 1960 some 600 brethren assembled in Bearsden Burgh Hall for the Erection and Dedication Meeting when Brother John J. McNeill was installed as the first Master of the Lodge by Brother Blair the P.G.M. assisted by Brother Alexander Anderson S.P.G.M.
This meeting was also attended by Brother Sir George Graham O.B.E. J.P. Past Depute Grand Master and Brother Alexander F. Buchan Grand Secretary representing The Grand Lodge of Scotland and following the ceremonial aspects of the day some 300 brethren sat down to dinner.History records that The Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow Brother Ernest Noakes replied on behalf of the Guests and he proved to be a very faithful supporter of 1572 for many years thereafter.
The Lord Lyon
On the 10th June 1961, The Lord Lyon granted a warrant to matriculate a Coat of Arms for the Lodge. This was duly entered in page 32, volume 45 of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland.
The Coat of Arms comprises amongst other things a bear representing Bearsden, its muzzle meaning that virtuousness and unpleasantness are held in check. Also prominent is a green field which may be interpreted as meaning wisdom with the gold of the chevron symbolising the pure, God given light of freemasonry emanating from The Grand Lodge of Scotland.
Our history was epitomised in the eloquent speech delivered by Bro. Angus Cameron at our 50th anniversary celebration
Coat of Arms Book presented to Brother John Jameson McNeill,
First Master of our Lodge
(use the arrows to turn the pages or swipe the pages left if viewing on a mobile device)
Past Masters of Lodge Bearsden
d | Bro. | John J McNeill | 1960 | – | 61 |
d | Bro. | Stanley Mitchell | 1961 | – | 62 |
d | Bro. | James Williamson | 1962 | – | 63 |
d | Bro. | Thomas Forbes | 1963 | – | 64 |
d | Bro. | George McDonald | 1964 | – | 65 |
d | Bro. | Robert Cooke | 1965 | – | 66 |
d | Bro. | John Peart | 1966 | – | 67 |
d | Bro. | Allan Carpenter | 1967 | – | 68 |
d | Bro. | Ian Kirk | 1968 | – | 69 |
d | Bro. | James Mitchell | 1969 | – | 70 |
d | Bro. | James McKenzie | 1970 | – | 71 |
d | Bro. | Walter Riddell | 1971 | – | 72 |
d | Bro. | John Shaw | 1972 | – | 73 |
d | Bro. | James Page | 1973 | – | 74 |
d | Bro. | Charles Mawer | 1974 | – | 75 |
d | Bro. | Chalmers Faith | 1975 | – | 76 |
d | Bro. | Archibald Brown | 1976 | – | 77 |
d | Bro. | Jack Shearer | 1977 | – | 78 |
d | Bro. | Archibald McDonald | 1978 | – | 79 |
Bro. | Colin Helley | 1979 | – | 80 | |
d | Bro. | David Davies | 1980 | – | 81 |
d | Bro. | Robert Lambie | 1981 | – | 82 |
d | Bro. | Andrew Bell | 1982 | – | 83 |
Bro. | John Herrick | 1983 | – | 84 | |
d | Bro. | Frank Upfold | 1984 | – | 85 |
Bro. | Andrew Stevenson | 1985 | – | 86 | |
d | Bro. | Hamish Ross | 1986 | – | 88 |
d | Bro. | Frank Upfold | 1988 | – | 89 |
| Bro. | Andrew Stevenson | 1989 | – | 90 |
d | Bro. | Andrew Bell | 1990 | – | 91 |
d | Bro. | Alistair Duncan | 1991 | – | 92 |
Bro. | Clifford Otley | 1992 | – | 94 | |
d | Bro. | Alistair Duncan | 1994 | – | 95 |
Bro. | Ian Lister | 1995 | – | 96 | |
Bro. | Jeremy Helley | 1996 | – | 97 | |
Bro. | Charles B Mawer | 1997 | – | 98 | |
Bro. | Ronald Ross | 1998 | – | 00 | |
Bro. | James Neil | 2000 | – | 01 | |
Bro. | Jeremy Helley | 2001 | – | 02 | |
Bro. | James Neil | 2002 | – | 04 | |
d | Bro. | John Mann | 2004 | – | 05 |
Bro. | Jeremy Helley | 2005 | – | 06 | |
d | Bro. | John S Brockie | 2006 | – | 07 |
Bro. | George A Kerr | 2007 | – | 11 | |
Bro. | Anthony Hamilton | 2011 | – | 12 | |
Bro. | George A Kerr | 2012 | – | 13 | |
Bro. | Ian A Lister | 2013 | – | 15 | |
Bro. | Charles B Mawer | 2015 | – | 16 | |
| Bro. | Allan Malaney | 2016 | – | 17 |
| Bro. | Derek Malaney | 2017 | – | 18 |
| Bro. | George A Kerr | 2018 | – | 21 |
| Bro. | Ian A Lister | 2021 | – | 22 |