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Lodge Panmure as founded on the 19th July 1822 but it was not until 3rd February 1823 that the Lodge received it’s Charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland. It was the creation of a number of Master Masons belonging to Older Lodges.
The Lodge derives it’s name from The Hon. William Maule Lord Panmure, who was the Provincial Grand Master at that time; he took a keen interest in the foundation and was a contributor of the Lodge.
At its inception the lodge possessed no hall in which to hold meetings, and for a considerable number of years met in the White Hart Hotel. 1867 then The Lodge successfully secured the property on Hill St for the sum of £300 from the Museum Society and used the upper part while the lower was used as a flax warehouse. In 1884 the Brethren had the whole property altered, including the provision of a house for the hall-keeper at a total cost of £300.
In April 1895 Lodge Panmure held a grand bazaar, with the support of the Sister Lodges. This was a major event for The Lodge held over three days and The Grand Master Mason honoured Lodge Panmure by travelling to Arbroath to open the bazaar. It raised a magnificent £674 of which £500 was used to repay the loans taken out to purchase and renovate the property with some of the remainder used to set up a benevolent fund.
The First World War did not leave The Lodge untouched. The Masonic Hall was requisitioned to accommodate a detachment of Queen Alexandra’s Army Nurses and during the period until April 1919, when The Brethren resettled in Panmure Hall, The Lodge found temporary refuge in the Park Street Hall of Lodge St Thomas.
In February 1923 Lodge Panmure celebrated its centenary with a service in St Margaret’s Church and a rededication ceremony performed by a deputation from The Grand Lodge of Scotland, led by The Grand Master Mason, The Honourable The Earl of Elgin. A celebration banquet took was held in the Webster Memorial Hall at which more than 200 Brethren were present.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Panmure Hall was once again requisitioned, in October 1939, by the military authorities, this time to be used as a NAAFI. During that period the Lodge found temporary premises in St Mary’s Church hall before moving and Knox’s Church hall in 1942. The Lodge was soon on the move again in November 1943 when it moved to 9b Millgate in November 1943 where it remained until Panmure Hall was vacated by H.M. Forces May 1946 and was finally able to return home.
The war-time difficulties appeared to be over, but not before one last misfortune. A mine, washed ashore near the harbour, detonated, causing wide-spread damage to many buildings, including Panmure Hall. The entire lodge roof was lifted and failed to resettle resulting in considerable costs for repairs.
In 1973 Lodge Panmure celebrated it’s 150 anniversary and included in the celebrations was a dinner in the Seaforth Hotel.
Lodge Panmure was honoured when Bro. Angus Murray P.M. was commissioned as R.W. Provincial Grand Master of Forfarshire for a five year period and was installed in 2005 Until 2010.
HISTORY OF LODGE PANMURE 299 - ADDRESS GIVEN AT THE 150th CELEBRATIONS
On the evening of the 19th July 1822, ten Master Masons assembled in Arbroath to draft a Petition to the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The petition begins:
“We the undersubscribed (being all Master Masons and belonging to the Lodges annexed to our respective signatures) having taken into consideration the distances most of us are from our respective Mother Lodges find that it would be for our mutual advantage to have a Regular Lodge in this town under the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. We have therefore resolved and do resolve to apply to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a Charter……
The Petition closes:
“…… in the witness whereof we have subscribed these presents with the names of the respective Mother Lodges to which we belong
James Windrom Lodge Forfar & Kincardine
John Petrie “
Peter Thomson “
Geo. Robertson “
Alex. Crighton St. James Newton Ayr
Alex. Caird Mussleburgh & Kilwinning
John Moffat St. Andrews
John Taylor St. Thomas Arbroath
David Dargie No. 81 Gronard Ireland
James Findlay Falkirk Lodge 14
It is of interest and of some significance to those who are familiar with the Masonic ritual of the Lodge that the address of the last-named was given as N. America.
The petition was forwarded to Edinburgh by the Provincial Grand Secretary of Forfarshire and subsequently a Charter was granted to Lodge Panmure from the Grand Lodge of Scotland dated 3rd day of February 1823 being No 299 on the Roll of the Grand Lodge. The first Master of Lodge Panmure, duly elected on 19th February, was Alexander Crighton.
For many years the Lodge had no Lodge Room of their own and the Brethren usually met in the Guild Hall and later in Brother Cloudsley’s White Hart Hotel. Eventually, in the year 1867, the Lodge, after several unsuccessful attempts to find permanent quarters, secured the property in Hill Street, (for which the sume of £300 was borrowed) and it has remained in the possession of the Lodge to the present day despite occasional difficulties and vicissitudes.
At first the lower part of the part of the building was used as a flax-warehouse but in 1884 the Lodge had the whole property altered at considerable expense for which a further £300 was borrowed.
By 1893 £100 had been repaid by diligent saving but it was felt that the Lodge was unable to fulfill its charitable obligations so long as repayment of the loans were outstanding. The Brethren therefore resolved to promote a Grand Bazaar to be held on Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 18th, 19th & 20th April 1895. In addition to the usual stalls musical concerts and original comedy in Four Acts, specially written for the Bazaar were performed each evening.
That the Bazaar was a resounding success was due, in no small way, to the wholehearted support accorded by our Sister Lodges St. Thomas and St. Vigean who each organised a main stall. This spirit of co-operation between the Sister Lodges of Arbroath has always been a pleasing feature of our amicable relationship throughout the years. The Bazaar was formally opened on the first day by Brother Sir Charles Dalrymple of Newhailes, Bart,. MP, Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland. The grand sum of £893 - 0 -10 was realised and after expenses were defrayed the balance of £674 - 7 - 9 was more than enough to pay off the £500 outstanding on the property’s bond. The Lodge was now highly solvent and able to carry out its obligations.
On Tuesday 22nd June, 1897 Lodge Panmure along with the Sister Lodges took part in the Cavalcade and Procession that was part of the Arbroath’s Celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. A photograph of “Panmure Lodge of Freemasons No 299 at the opening of Victoria Park, resplendent in full regalia, frockcoat, and top hats, appears in the Commemorative Book of Celebrations!
The Great War of 1914 – 18 did not leave the Lodge untouched. The Masonic Hall was requisitioned during the last few months of the war to accommodate a detachment of Queen’s Alexandra’s Army Nursing Corps, the Lodge finding temporary refuge in the Park Street Masonic Hall of Lodge St. Thomas. The names of the Brothers who are known to have been killed in action during that great conflict are perpetuated on a Masonic Scroll in the Lodge Rooms.
The 8th April 1919 saw the Brethren resettled once more in Panmure Masonic Hall and it was there that the Lodge celebrated the most important event ins history up till then – the 100th Anniversary of the Lodge’s foundation.
A Centenary Masonic Service was held in ST. Margaret’s Church on Sunday 25th February 1923 by Brother the Reverend R. Smith Mackintosh, Honorary Chaplain of Lodge Panmure. The Ceremony of Rededication was performed bay a deputation from the Grand Lodge of Scotland led by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason the Honourable Earl of Elgin after which a banquet was held in the Webster Memorial Hall at which more than 200 Brethren were present.
Another fifteen years passed before peace was again unhappily disturbed by the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. By 24th October the hall had been requisitioned by the military authorities, this time as a NAFFI, and the Brethren, at very short notice, had to seek an alternative meeting place – not an easy task. There followed a period of great uncertainty when the threat of suspension Lodge Meetings was never far-distant owing to the shortage of suitable premises. That the Lodge continued to carry out its obligation throughout these war years was due to the untiring efforts of the Brethren, several of whom are still active in Lodge affairs to this day. The Lodge found temporary premises in St. Mary’s Church Hall where they remained for some time before moving to Knox’s Church Hall in 1942. Unfortunately difficulty was experienced in obtaining the regular use of this hall and considerable efforts were made to find a more suitable premises which were eventually obtained at No 9b, Millgate and these became the regular Lodge Rooms from November 1943 until the Masonic Hall in Hill Street was vacated by H.M. Forces on 14th May 1946.
The war time difficulties at least appeared to be over but not before the last misfortune! A mine, washed ashore near the harbour detonated causing widespread damage to many nearby including the Panmure Masonic Hall. The entire roof was lifted and failed to resettle, resulting in considerable expense to the Lodge for repairs.
However, the tribulations of the war did have its compensations for it was during this period that the long-lasting ties with the personnel of H.M.S. Condor was established. Over the ensuing years, until the “air station” finally closed down, many naval Brethren have been admitted into Freemasonry by Lodge Panmure – so many in fact, for a time in the 1950s a team was formed entirely from Condor personnel for visitation purposes. They were deemed to be so accomplished in the rituals of the Craft that they were in constant demand throughout the Province.
Since the Charter was granted the mysteries of the Craft have been communicated to a great number of Brethren of all professions, trades and occupations. Many have gone to distant parts and now Brethren of the Lodge are to be found everywhere throughout the world.
Lodge Panmure Number 299 on the Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland is now celebrating the 150th Anniversary of its foundation thanks to the unstinted endeavours of its Brethren of yesteryear. They have set a high standard of success and achievement and it is the responsibility of the present Brethren and of those who enter the Craft in the future to ensure that Lodge Panmure reputation and traditions are maintained in a manner worthy of their predecessors, so that, in the words of the ancient and original Closing Charge of this Lodge:
“….. all may see the benign influence of Masonry as all true Masons have done from the beginning of the World and will do to the end of Time, So Mote It Be!”
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