The History of Masonry in Partick, as would be expected in so small a community, is closely associated with the history of Partick itself. The first active signs, however, seem to have become associated traditionally with one William Miller, a building contractor of Glasgow and Partick, originally from that home of Freemasonry, Kilwinning. It must be assumed that Miller brought with him some skilled Operative Masons, and we first hear of him in connection with a contract for the building of a house in Partick for one George Hutcheson of Lambhill, one of the Hutcheson brothers famed for their philanthropy and (later) being the founders of the Hutcheson’s Hospital and, of course, still connected with the school of that name in Glasgow.

There is a certain amount of dispute about the name and number of the Lodge. In his book entitled “Notes and Reminiscences relating to Partick” published 1873, James Napier FCS, the author, gives the name as “Partick Kilwinning St John’s Lodge No 77”, claiming that the true date of this Lodge cannot be established, as the books of the old Lodge of Kilwinning were destroyed by fire, and the Lodge of Partick St John has been extinct since 1837.

In the book “The History of Partick” by William Greenholme, MAFETS, published in 1928, the number is given as 77. It is possible, of course, that Greenholme merely took his information from Napier.

In his book “The History of Partick St Mary’s No 117”, Thomas A Bell, Master of the Lodge in 1946, may have used Napier’s book for the earlier history of the Lodge, for they are in complete agreement but he is quite emphatic that the title was “Partick Kilwinning Lodge No 64”, stating that in the publication, “The History of Mother Kilwinning Lodge No 0”. In Napier’s book (1873) there is a copy of the original Charter granted to a Partick Lodge under the number 77, the Lodge granting this number was Paisley St Andrews Lodge. It is possible that both Napier and Greeholme were mistaken, since neither of them were intent on compiling a history of Masonry, whereas Bell was, and it might be assumed that his research was more through.

All are agreed, however, that at its inception the Lodge was Operative in the fact that all the leading Office Bearers were Operative Masons. At some stage, Speculative Masons had been admitted, and in the light of the fact that the Disruption Meeting occurred in 1763, only four years after the Charter had been granted, it would be fair to assume that Speculatives had been admitted before 1759, for how otherwise could their numbers have been enough to outvote the Operatives as did happen at the meeting held on St John’s Day, December 27^th 1763?

The cause of the dispute was simply that the Speculatives wished to have a say in the management of the Lodge by becoming eligible for office.  In the open dispute that followed, the Operatives, finding themselves outvoted, retired from the meeting in protest.  The majority of Speculatives left at the meeting proceeded with the elections, one Thomas Miller being elected the RWM. They continued to meet and act as a Lodge, without a Charter according to Bell, but as Partick St. John according to Napier. What the Operatives did was appoint a committee of five to bring the Speculative dissenters to account. This in turn led to an appeal being made to the Sheriff, but the prospect of interminable discussion becoming increasingly apparent, it was finally agreed to settle the matter by arbitration, a committee of Brethren chosen from each of the Glasgow Lodges being set up for that purpose.

Agreement was reached on the 10^th May 1765 whereby the Operatives, or ‘Dissenting Brethren’, were to retain the Charter, Register, Chairs, Jewels etc, at a valuation, which, with such money, bills and so on belonging to the Lodge, were to be equally divided between the parties. The Speculatives were to retain the Old Lodge Room.

The dissenters continued to meet in Partick under the old name and number, but finally moved to Glasgow in 1807 when they received a revised Charter from Mother Lodge of Kilwinning, the last charter granted by her before joining the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The name given was that of Glasgow Partick Kilwinning St John’s Lodge No 77, according to Napier. The Charter and all the records of this Lodge were unfortunately lost when the Lodge was destroyed by fire in 1837, according to Napier, but in 1839 according to Bell.

The Speculative section, after the arbitration, continued to meet and initiate candidates without a Charter. Some attempt seems to have been made around August 1766 to apply for a Charter, but no record of this can be traced at the Grand Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) No 1. However, a petition was drawn up by the Lodge, now at least 50 members strong, on the 10^th February 1796 and submitted through the Royal Arch Lodge of Glasgow (the original name of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow) which, being approved, was carried to the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Charter was granted under the name and title of Partick St. Mary’s Lodge No. 150 and the date was 29^th March 1769. It was signed by the Earl of Dalhousie, Grand Master; it was received in the Lodge on 21^st July 1769.

In 1817, the number was changed from 150 to 115, and in 1846 it was again changed to 117, which it has remained ever since. There is no record as to the reasons for these changes in the number: they simply appear in the Minutes of the meetings.  The name St. Mary’s owes its origin to the fact that the old Lodge Room built in 1619 by one of the Craig Family, in which Partick Kilwinning Lodge No. 64 met, was in fact the local inn or public house. In the upper left hand window there was a transparency of St. Mary, which when the room was illuminated, was a well known focus of admiration and wonder to the people of the district. When the new Lodge was formed, it was natural that the members would want to take the name of the transparency that had stood over their place of meeting for so long. The Old Inn was in Castlebank Street, at the foot of Keith Street, and a water colour of it is still in possession of the Lodge.

The Charter and By Laws of the Lodge limit its place of meeting to Partick, but during a very chequered career this rule was not always adhered to.

Meetings were held every Quarter, viz: Candlemass, Whitsunday, Lammas, and Martinmass. In 1811, the date of the installation was changed to St. Mary’s Day: July 22^nd. At this particular meeting, the Master after being duly elected and installed, and presiding over the meeting for a short time resigned upon payment of fine of five shillings which was unanimously remitted back to him.  Another Brother was elected to fill the vacancy. In 1857 the date of Installation was again changed to December 27^th.

Torchlight processions were held on 29^thDecember, and on the Friday nearest to 29^th March, the date still being used by the Lodge for its Annual Festival.

Interim meetings were held at various times between quarterly meetings, sometimes as many as three times a week. These meetings were not held in the Lodge Hall but usually in the house of one of the members: for preference, that of a publican. This is borne out by various Minutes giving the names of the meeting places, viz: Andrew McEwan, Vintner; Anderson, William Fowler, Vinter; George Muir, Vintner; William Craig, Vinter; Robert Craig, William Grace, Alex Logan, Vintners; and Andrew McEwan, Baker. On three occasions the meetings were held in the house of a woman: on the 27^th December 1815 and again on the 4^th May 1816 in the Old Bridge Inn, run by a Mrs Craig, Vintner; and on the 15^th March 1818 at the house of a Mrs Fowler, Vintner.

In those days the meetings were called by the Tyler going round each of the members with the Master’s command to meet at a certain time and place. The emoluments of the Tyler are not noted, but he was periodically voted the sum of four shillings and six pence to buy shoes. At a meeting on August 19^th 1770, it was passed that the Lodge should not be opened till one hour after the time appointed by the Master, and that all Lodge meetings, other than that on St John’s Day, be closed by 10pm. This is one rule that never seems to have been enforced.

During the later part of the Eighteenth and the early part of the Nineteenth century, the behaviour of some of the members, and in consequence the fortunes of the Lodge, reach a fairly low point, largely due to the fact that meetings, seemed to have been more for social reasons than business, reflected in the places used for these meetings.

Attempts were made from time to time by some more worthy members to raise the character of the Lodge, and this may have been one of the reasons why the Lodge moved to Anderson for a few months in 1810, and again for a longer period in 1814. On the other hand, the moves may have been only a desire for a change of venue to carry on with the debauchery which so often took place as an excuse for a Meeting. For quite long periods the management of the Lodge certainly passed into the hands of some unworthy Brethren, its only periods of renewed but short lived vigour depending upon some public occasion, such as the laying of a foundation stone.  At this time the character of the Lodge was such as to be a barrier to all respectable people holding fellowship with it.

Better influences gradually prevailed, however, and in 1855 we find a number of the members binding themselves to try to improve the Lodge, mention actually being made of the attempt to enable Brethren who were total abstainers to hold office.  Also, the Lodge was not to be transferred from labour to refreshment, but to be closed as soon as Masonic business was finished.

In 1856, a tremendous improvement in the affairs of the Lodge did take place, from which it has gone from strength to strength. This was almost entirely due to the Secretary, one Thomas McKell Campbell who seems to have been especially chosen by the Brethren, as he became Secretary only one month after his initiation.

Realizing that drastic measures were needed, he took the calculated risk (against the Charter) of shifting the place of meeting of the Lodge to his home at 7 Carrick Street Glasgow, changing the name to St. Mary’s Partick and Glasgow Lodge No. 117. He let out the old Lodge Room (one shilling and sixpence for the first hour, and one shilling per hour thereafter). In January 1857 he instituted an Instruction Class, inviting eminent members from other Lodges to lecture. He cut down Harmonies. In November 1858 he instituted a Sick Fund, the members contributing one penny per week. He also arranged for the RWM of the Lodge Cannongate and Leith to act as Proxy Master for St Mary’s in Grand Lodge in Edinburgh.

During 1859 some meetings were being held in the Masonic Hall, 57 Hutcheson Street, Glasgow, but in June 1860, after repeated warnings, the Lodge was suspended by Provincial Grand Lodge. The Lodge transferred back to Partick, to 151 Dumbarton Road, to what was known as Brother James Craig’s Hall.

The Lodge has moved twice since then. In 1875 the Memorial Stone was laid for a new hall (which consisted of the upper floor of a building built in Douglas Street) by the local schoolmaster and then RWM, Brother Wylie. The ground and first floor were to be used as a school, and the upper floor as a Lodge Room. During the ceremony, the Depute Grand Master, Brother Robert Barrow, pointed out the fact that there was not one Lodge in the Province which met in a Hall in any way connected with a Hotel or Public House: a tremendous step over the last twenty five years when previously the Public House and Masonry were synonymous.

On the 28^th May 1908, the Lodge moved to its present premises at 92 Dumbarton Road, the Consecration service being held on the 16^th September, 1908.

At its foundation, the fees of the Lodge were five shillings on Initiation, two shillings and sixpence on Passing, and two shillings and sixpence on Raising. These fees were paid either by cash or by bill. As very few paid cash, there is a long history of attempts to get members to settle their bills. On 11^th February 1803 a committee was appointed to correct and amend the articles and regulations of the Lodge. The most important of these were as follows:

(2) Each new member to pay eleven shillings entry, and five shillings each for Passing and Raising, together with a fee of one shilling per quarter, with a fine of one penny for each quarter missed. Arrears lasting beyond eight years would require a payment of eight shillings before re-admittance could be obtained, such delinquents not being over the age of 45.

(3) No person to be admitted under the age of 16 or over the age of 35; such a person to be of sound and healthy constitution, free from bodily disease, capable of earning his daily substance by his own industry, of good moral character, and his age properly attested.

(4) Sick benefit to be paid from the funds (after the thirty pounds had been gathered) at the rate of four shillings weekly for a Master Mason, and two shillings and sixpence weekly for a Fellowcraft, or Entered Apprentice. Elderly, or infirm members to be paid to shillings per week at least; also the same to Widows of deceased Brethren if in distressed circumstances. The sum of one pound ten shillings to be paid towards funeral expenses.  All such benefits only to be paid if the members were or had been cleared in the Books.

(5) The Master and Office Bearers were obliged to attend the funeral of a Brother without relations who died within three statute miles of Partick. Failure to do so without sufficient reason to result in the payment of a fine of one shilling from the Master and sixpence from the Office Bearers.

(6) No members were to be allowed to vote or allowed to hold office who had not paid their quarterly accounts.

(7) No Fellowcrafts or Entered Apprentices were to be allowed into office, although they were entitled to vote in elections or any other business.

(8) Bad behaviour within the Lodge, such as swearing or intoxication, was to carry a fine of sixpence for each offence, and if persisted in, expulsion from the meeting. In the event of any serious misdemeanour likely to bring odium or reproach on the Lodge or Masonry generally, permanent expulsion would result, with the consequent loss of all benefits.

(9) Affiliates would be admitted on the payment of a sum of eight shillings, thereafter coming under the same rules as other members of the Lodge.

These rules, good as they were, do not seem to have succeeded in persuading the members to pay their dues, for on March 11^th 1825 we read that it was agreed that everyone at this entry should pay the full dues for passing and Raising (as the Glasgow Lodges are doing) and that it was to be made a Bye-Law binding the RWM to settle with the Grand Secretary every year.  Members behind with their accounts should be made clear members upon payment of one shilling.

Despite item 9, we find that only seven days later, two Entered Apprentices were passed to Fellowcraft and raised Master Masons and their accounts settled by bill.