Lodge

The Beginning

On 18th January, 1915, a meeting was held in the Lesser Public Hall, Blackridge, with thirteen Master Masons representing five Lodges present - Bros. Jamieson, Morgan, Kennedy, Tease, Dunsmore and Bros. George, John and Samuel Sneddon, all members of Lodge St. James No. 590, Bro. Malcolm Leckie from Lodge Ancient Stirling No. 30, Bros. Johnston and Wotherspoon from Lodge Airdrie St. John No. 166, Bro. Walter Sneddon of Lodge Minto No. 385 in Lochgelly, Fife and Bro. Grant of Lodge St. Leonard No. 580, Loanhead.

The business to be discussed was that over thirty Master Masons resided in Blackridge who, if they wished to attend a meeting, had to walk a minimum round trip of five miles to the East, West or South. They discussed the ways, means and qualifications required to form a Lodge and instructed two of their members to check if the local school would be a suitable place to hold Masonic Meetings. One week later, on 25th January, the meeting was re-convened when it was reported that the school hall had too many entrances, but the Lesser Public Hall was available for let and would appear to fit the requirement.

Further agreed at this meeting was the use of the Patriotic colours of Red, White and Blue, and the name of the Lodge, and it was finally agreed that a Document of Petition should be sent to Grand Lodge for grant of a charter, the fee for which was ten guineas. On January 27th, the petition was taken to the Masters of our two Sponsor Sister Lodges - Lodge St. James, Harthill No. 590 and Lodge Hope, Bridgecastle No. 827 - their signatures appended and thereafter conveyed to The Provincial Grand Master Bro. Dr. Robert Kirk for his approval.

At the consecration and erection, Bro. Dunn, P.M. No. 590, proposing "Lodge Blackridge", said that the usefulness and success of the new Lodge would be determined by how they started; that the one way to start well was to get the right sort of members; that every Mason should show, by his conduct, that he was different from other men; and that, unless his joining the Craft made him a better citizen, a better husband, a better father and a better member of the community, then he was not a Mason at all. He urged all members to Live by this Creed, that the reputation of the Lodge and the Craft would never be sullied.

The founder members of the Lodge celebrated the Consecration of the Lodge at great length. The Provincial Grand Master, Bro. Kirk, was called on military business on that day and the presiding Brother, Bro. Matthew Cowan (Provincial Grand Secretary), officiated over the ceremonial in the Lesser Hall which was to be the home of Blackridge Masons for forty-one years, with a five year lapse from 8th October 1940 till September 1945. The reason for this was that the Lesser Hall was commandeered by the Home Guard for the duration of the Second World War.

In 1924, a large deputation from the Lodge attended the laying of the foundation stone of the new Temple of Lodge Hope Bridgecastle No. 827. On that day, Provincial Grand Lodge was marshaled by a Lodge Blackridge Past Master, Bro. John Condie who was a stalwart in the formative years of the Lodge, an expert ritualist who installed twelve successive Masters, and a tireless supporter of Lodge Blackridge and the Craft at large, who on 11th January 1949, became the only Lodge member to date to hold Honorary Grand Rank, when he received the honour of being created Honorary Grand Marshall of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Since the date of inception, the Lodge met on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month until, in 1926, a closed season of four months per annum was granted. Such was the enthusiasm of the members that, in 1927, five brethren were nominated and contested the chair. One hundred and twelve persons attended the first Annual Ball, tickets cost four shillings, and, to the delight of the Treasurer, a profit was made.

Two long term associations were formed - firstly with the West Lothian Courier which reported widely, with full-page coverage, the consecration of the new Lodge and with Clark's Printers of Bathgate, a contact still fostered by Bro. Alex Harvey, the present proprietor.

In 1931, the Lodge agreed that fund raising activities be started with the eventual aim of providing the members with their own Lodge Rooms. Two examples in 1937 were - A concert by the 'Sparklites' comedy entertainers, at a fee of £5.5/-, balcony 1/- and area 6d. The balance sheet read as follows - 100 @ 1/- + 400 @ 6d - less expenses, Profit 4/11d. AND A Christmas Concert that year by Armadale Dramatic Club, tickets at the same price, with 150 sold for the balcony and 350 for the area - one wonders if the whole population attended these functions. The Public Hall was, of course, the community centre in those days, being used as a picture hall by a Lodge member Bro. Joseph Darby in the late 1930's through the forties and, latterly, by Tommy Paulo in the fifties and early sixties. The Lodge regarded Tuesday night movies and dances as a menace and, in October 1938, Bro. Wm. Jeffrey, Secretary, wrote to the hall committee complaining of excessive noise and stamping of feet emanating from above to which a non-committal reply was received. This strengthened the resolve of the Members to strive for new premises.

An interesting entry in the Minute of 19th May 1942 is an application from Mr. William Dunbar, a private of British nationality serving in the Canadian armed forces. He was duly initiated, passed and raised, and returned to his regiment. Further reference to this Brother is noted in the minutes of 12th May, 1950, when a letter was received wishing the Lodge well and enclosing his fees for life membership and a donation to the benevolent fund of $25. We had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon and evening with Bill and his good lady in 1989 and, at the time of writing, it is his intention to be with us to join in the 75th anniversary celebrations on 12th May.

In 1944, the Lodge marked the long service of Bro. Wm. Montgomery (Tyler for over 20 years), Bro. John Condie, P.M. and Bro. Dr. Alexander Hopkins, Substitute Master for twelve years. They each received Life Membership of the Lodge, the award to Bro. Hopkins being coupled with his long and outstanding service to the community. Bro. Hopkins still lives in retirement in Edinburgh.

Having existed through two World Wars, the Lodge records show, from 1917 till 1920 and from 1939 to 1945, gifts and letters being sent to serving members and Christmas parcels to their children. Letters were received from the Late Bros. Robert and Matthew Condie, who deeply appreciated their letters from home. Incidentally, these brethren, along with their brother William, were initiated on the same night by their father, the aforesaid Bro. John Condie, along with four other brethren.

The War brought its own restrictions, food being scarce. The Annual Ball in 1943 was held without Dinner and over 160 attended, closed to non-members. It was such a successful function that the late Bro. Alex Watson, P.M., then a newly-joined initiate, made his first proposal that another dance "without food" be held that year which, by all accounts, exceeded the success of the first.

Following the war years, the Lodge became particularly strong with a very good, clear membership and candidate position - a not unusual position being the initiation of seven candidates. The Ritual Team must also have been of a very high standard, indeed, as reports show that, on two occasions, First and Second Degrees were worked on the same evening and Second and Mark Degrees. I hasten to add that these were conferred on different candidates.

On 9th September, 1947, a circular was received from Grand Lodge inviting every Brother of the Scottish Craft to donate £1.00 towards the Grand Master's £100,000 appeal for funds to buy mansions throughout the country for aged Brethren and their dependents - the advent of the Royal Scottish Masonic Homes.

In 1952, all Lodges were placed in mourning for three months following the death of His Majesty King George VI, past Grand Master.

In December, 1953, Bro. William Prentice, R.W.M., headed a deputation to the consecration of the new Temple belonging to Lodge St. John, Stoneyburn, No. 1186. Attending this function would seem to have inspired the Brethren with new vigour for, at the very next meeting, it was again mooted that an all-out effort be made to raise further funding - and search for new premises.

In October, 1955, after several offers had been made and refused, the Lodge purchased part of Edward's Building, at Jardine Place, which consisted, at that time, of a billiards hall and ice-cream shop. The new Temple was dedicated on 24th March, 1956, by Provincial Grand Master Bro. James Williamson supported by twenty-seven members of Provincial Grand Lodge. Thanks to the good husbandry of many Brethren and of good friends outwith Blackridge Lodge, the building of the Temple continued to be a success story. The hall extension was completed in May, 1978, a ground-floor lounge built and opened in December 1978 and a kitchen and committee room extension in 1980. A games room extension was added in 1988.