A Brief History of Lodge Lochiel 1200
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The First Fifty Years.....At the end of World War I, a few brethren from various Lodges found themsleves in the Corpach area, and got together to try and find out if there were sufficient brethren to form a Lodge there and after many discussions it was decided to apply to Provincial Grand Lodge for permission. The question of where the meetings would take place was the next thing, the GSC Hall Committee was then approached, and two nights per month were set aside, but when deputation came to inspect the hall, it was discovered that voices could be heard quite clearly. and if this was to be used, the brethren would have to talk in a very low voice, and the tyler would have to patrol the vicinity. The next thing was the name of the lodge if a Charter was issued. The Chief of the Clan Cameron was then approached, and although not a brother at that time gave his consent for Lochiel to be used. In June 1920 the Charter was presented to the Lodge by the Provincial Grand Master of Ross & Cromarty and Inverness-shire. At the end of World War II the brethren then decided that it was time they did something to get a hall of their own, and it was decided to commence a building fund. Lochiel was so pleased with this that he immediately gave the site for same, and in our opinion it's the best site in Lochaber, and at the same time laid aside a chair for the Master, his chair is now dressed at all meetings with the regalia in honour of absent brethren. The Lodge building was eventually completed and consecrated and opened on 23rd April 1960 by the Provincial Grand Master of Inverness-shire, Bro W P Cameron, J.P., M.A., F.E.I.S, also a PM of the Lodge. We are deeply indebted to the parents and family of our late Senior Warden Bro D Cameron, who presented the furniture to us which is admired and looked upon with awe by everyone who comes to the Lodge, and was consecrated by Provincial Grand Master of Inverness-shire Bro W P Cameron on 11th January 1961.
(The above was taken from the programme of the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration & Rededication Ceremony - 24th October 1970) |
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We have been ploughing through all the old minute books since 1920 and have come across some quite interesting (and some humourous) articles. Below we have written some snippets from them:
30 June 1920 - The founder members assembled for the first time, these were: Bro D R MacGillivray PM (Lodge Fort William No 43), Bro J Ferguson, Bro W E Cameron, Bro A McSwan, Bro A Stewart, Br D MacInes, Bro D MacPhie, Bro H Gray, Bro D Grant, Bro D MacNab, Bro J Blove, Bro F Munro.
The lodge was consectrated on 28 July 1920
2 August 1920 - Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel ADC, CMG, was balloted and declared clear. He was the first initiate of the Lodge.
13 October 1920 - The first entertainments comittee was formed
6 October 1921 - With the exception of the day the Lodge was consecrated, this was the first deputation from Provincial Grand Lodge to visit Lodge Lochiel.
8 January 1922 - This was the first "open night" where questions were asked and answered for the good of Freemasonry.
10 May 1922 - Bro D W Cameron of Lochiel was instaled into the office of JW. The RWM was pleased to present Bro Cameron a MM apron from the brethern of the Lodge in recognition of Bro Cameron being the first initiate of the Lodge. Bro Ferguson invests Bro Cameron with the apron.
24 May 1922 - Bro Watson was admitted as an honoury member of the Lodge.
12 March 1924 - The Lodge decided to pay for the cost of car hire to transport the office bearers to visit Lodge Fort William No 43 at their request. (It is three miles between Banavie & Fort William!!)
Due to the volume of minutes to read through it will take a while to update this section of the site any more. Please return again to read more.
Below are links to the Office Bearer lists from the years since the start of the website.
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