History of Lodge St Kessac No.269
1818
Towards the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth we find the Strathearn District a spirt of goodwill and comradeship within which like a rising tide , the influence of Freemasonry spread .
In the village of Comrie were many admirers as well as many members of the Craft but means of transport was a serious problem to them in the winter in attending their nearest Lodge which was nearly 7 miles away in crieff.
The power of Masonry was fast growing stronger and to the Brethern of Comrie it represented a very high ideal , therefore after consideration the hardships and the few meetings they were able to attend in ther Mother Lodge in Comrie under the holding of the Grand lodge Of Scotland.
On the 26th januray 1818
a number of the Brethren met in Comrie they are listed as below
Patrick Comrie . Surgeon . Comrie
John Comrie .Inkeeper . Comrie
Henry Mcqueen . Comrie
Duncan Mclaren . Mason . Dalchonzie . Comrie
Peter McFarlane . Merchant . Comrie
James Hederick . Tollman . Comrie
Mungo Comrie . Cattle Dealer . Comrie
Peter Morrison.Weaver . Comrie
James Marshall . Teacher . Dalginross . Comrie
James Alison . Tomperran . Comrie
Duncan Ferguson . Farmer . The Carse. Comrie
William Sorley . Miller .Comrie
These Brethern convend a meeting to consider the possibility of Erecting a Lodge in Comrie . At the same time wishing well of their Mother Lodge . St Michael . No 38 .Crieff and also to the Grand Lodge of Scotland . As well as the Craft in general.
This meeting unanimously elected Patrick Comrie . Surgeon to preside over them and declared this a Masonic Meeting agreeable to the usages of the Craft . The Brethern at this meeting resolved to apply to the Grand Lodge Of Scotland For a Chapter. The expense of which was defrayed by themselves and proceeded to elect their Office- Bearers from amongst those present .
Patrick Comrie . R.W.M
Donald McRorie. D.P
James Comrie . S.M
John McRorie . S.W
Willam Brown . J.W
Rev . Patrick Mclasaac . Chaplain
John CarMarmichael . Treasurer
Alexander Cameron . Tyler
Knowing that they required the consent of the Provincial Grand Master and the two neighbouring lodges before the required Charter couild be obtained the Brethren deputised Brothers John Carmichael and John McRorie to wait upon the Crieff and Muthill Lodges to sign a certificate before petitoning the Grand Lodge for a Charter. Therefore on the 27th January 1818 these Brethren sought permission from St Michael Lodge 38 Crieff and St John`s Lodge 192 Muthill to apply to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a charter . Both Lodges received the Deputation favourably and singed the Petition as to having a Lodge Constituted in Comrie.
A copy of the certificate as granted and singed bt Crief and Muthill Lodges recorded in St.Kessac records is as follows
We the Depute and Substitute Masters of St.Michael Lodge Crieff in the abscence of our RWM and I the RWM of St.John Muthill do hereby certify to the Right Worshipful Master the Right Worshipful Master Elect and all the Right Worshipful Office-Bearers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland that we consider the application of our Worthy Brethren ofthe Comrie District worthy of being attended to and wouild recommend to the Right Worshipful Office-Bearers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland to comply with their request and grant the Charter required
Signed: St Michael Lodge No. 38
St John Lodge No.192
Having received the formal consent of the Creiff and Muthill Lodges the Brethren of Comrie lost no time in preparing for Grand Lodge a copy of immediately follows the foregoing certificate but was barely completed and is unsigned. It reads thus
To the Right Worshipful Master Mason the Right Worshipful Master-Elect the Right Worshipful Depute Master the Right Worshipful Substitute Master and all the Right Worshipful Office-Bearers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland .
The petition of a number of freemasons holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland regularly
ordered under St Michael Charter Crieff about to constitute a Masons Lodge in Comrie Perthshire Scotland,
such was the nature of the petitions presented to the Grand Lodge of Scotland who assented to there request by granting them a charter dated 4th FEB 1818 with full powers requested. It was with much eagerness and enthusiasm that they started there Lodge in the thriving Village Judging from the various trades and occupations which the brethren followed some of which are unheard of in this century.
It appears that thet had no scarcity of candidates for no time was lost in opening the Lodge a meeting having been convened for the 6th day of Feb 1818 .This was the first meeting to be held under the newly granted charter when by a curious coincidence the number of candidates was 18 and all were admitted as Entered Apprentices .
The next meeting and the first to be held at St Fillans was on the 11th Feb 1818 where they enterd 10 Apprentices which formed a good representation of St Kessac 269 in the district for the future.
On the following day 12th Feb another meeting was held in Comrie when there were 5 initiates. The day after that found them holding another meeting when 9 candidates were admitted 5 of whom were Passed and Raised the same day. For this meeting two separate entries are recorded
Another feature of this Minute Book is that no business was transacted at any of those meetings where Degrees were conferred all business matters being left to the General Meeting prior to which a Committee Meeting was held to make arrangements for where and when the General Meeting would be held. The General Meeting was followed by another Committee Meeting for the inspection of the books and Settlement of accounts.
Such were the business arrangements of the Lodge. during the year all Lodge business was attended to by the committee and continued on this principle for a great many years.
The 14th Feb 1818 saw another four entrants added to the membership roll. Thus within a week or two of forming their Lodge they had 46 candidates initiated into the Mystic Circle which if numbers count justified their claim to have a Lodge in comrie for the furtherance of Freemasonry in Strathearn.
The 1st AGM was held on the 16th Feb 1818 when rules and regulations were made and passed for the instruction and guidance of members .
A separate entry dated 16th Feb 1818 is recorded after the Minutes relating to the General Meeting when 19 candidates were Entered , 8 of whom were Advanced to MM . Whether they were Entered before or after the General Meeting is left for us to conjecture as the evening was spent in song and sentiment.
This was the Foundation laid for St Kessac 269
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