Chapter Five
MORE DARK YEARS
Apart from the minute book we have only a few handfuls of papers for the whole history of St.John's Lodge. We have receipts, petitions, draft or scroll minutes, memoranda and statements of accounts. They are a random collection, preserved by accident, and do not give a continuous record of any aspect of the lodge's affairs. Yet it is possible from them to invent a coherent story about the lodge up to 1812 which is the latest date they cover.
Not surprisingly, the first few years are those for which we have least information. In 1765 a Mason Box was constructed locally. In 1767 the lodge was still paying rent to Patrick Doull. In 1770 there was a meeting on St.John's Day. These items alone tell us that the lodge was not wholly dormant.
In 1771 Grand Lodge struck off several lodges "believed not to exist". Among these were No.2,Kilwinning, No.3,Edinburgh Kilwinning Scots Arms,No.6,Perth & Scoon,and No.46 Thurso. No doubt each lodge deserved to be struck off for one reason or another but only Kilwinning Scots Arms was then dormant. It is unlikely that St.John's Lodge was quite inactive but must have had great difficulty because it seems that the landed gentry had lost interest in it. When we come to the election of office bearers at the end of 1772 it is George Gibsone who is Master and all the others are town members.
The next seven years are even more poorly covered but there is enough to show that the lodge continued to operate. We take up the story again in the next chapter from the end of 1779.
Masters and Members
George Sinclair of Ulbster died in 1770 but he may well have ceased to attend the lodge several years earlier. No matter just when he ceased, to give his active support to the lodge there can be no doubt of the inspiration he had provided. It is likely that he took over the lodge just after its formation and we have seen that he was active in the years covered by the minute book and had offered a plot of ground for building. Sinclair was no doubt, often autocratic and, even after the abolition of the hereditary sheriffdom he was the most powerful political figure in town and county. The lodge would miss his presence and his friendly interest.
George Gibsone, in quite a different way, deserves to be remembered. It is perhaps not entirely an accident that the oldest records are his. One suspects that several other secretaries were less enthusiastic in their duties. It seems likely that for twenty years or so he was either Secretary, Treasurer or Master of St.John's Lodge and, as we saw earlier, he sometimes filled more than one office at a time.
Sir James Sinclair of Mey was one of the lairds who made fortunes for the merchants; only an entail kept his ancestral estates out of the hands of his creditors. He may have died at the end of his second year as Master or a few years later - the reference books differ. His convivial presence would be missed. Hary Innes probably also died in the early 1760's so that we can see how the character of the lodge may have come to change.
Another whose name disappears during these dark years is Daniel Macintosh. The only substantial monument still standing in Old St.Peter's Churchyard was erected as "a filial tribute" to the "Learning, Piety and Virtue" of Daniel Macintosh who died in 1782. His son, John was said to be a court painter at the Russian Court at the end of the century. He was, probably, the John Macintosh who joined the lodge in 1773. He owned the ground on which the Salvation Army Hall now stands.
Apart from the minute book we have only a few handfuls of papers for the whole history of St.John's Lodge. We have receipts, petitions, draft or scroll minutes, memoranda and statements of accounts. They are a random collection, preserved by accident, and do not give a continuous record of any aspect of the lodge's affairs. Yet it is possible from them to invent a coherent story about the lodge up to 1812 which is the latest date they cover.
Not surprisingly, the first few years are those for which we have least information. In 1765 a Mason Box was constructed locally. In 1767 the lodge was still paying rent to Patrick Doull. In 1770 there was a meeting on St.John's Day. These items alone tell us that the lodge was not wholly dormant.
In 1771 Grand Lodge struck off several lodges "believed not to exist". Among these were No.2,Kilwinning, No.3,Edinburgh Kilwinning Scots Arms,No.6,Perth & Scoon,and No.46 Thurso. No doubt each lodge deserved to be struck off for one reason or another but only Kilwinning Scots Arms was then dormant. It is unlikely that St.John's Lodge was quite inactive but must have had great difficulty because it seems that the landed gentry had lost interest in it. When we come to the election of office bearers at the end of 1772 it is George Gibsone who is Master and all the others are town members.
The next seven years are even more poorly covered but there is enough to show that the lodge continued to operate. We take up the story again in the next chapter from the end of 1779.
Masters and Members
George Sinclair of Ulbster died in 1770 but he may well have ceased to attend the lodge several years earlier. No matter just when he ceased, to give his active support to the lodge there can be no doubt of the inspiration he had provided. It is likely that he took over the lodge just after its formation and we have seen that he was active in the years covered by the minute book and had offered a plot of ground for building. Sinclair was no doubt, often autocratic and, even after the abolition of the hereditary sheriffdom he was the most powerful political figure in town and county. The lodge would miss his presence and his friendly interest.
George Gibsone, in quite a different way, deserves to be remembered. It is perhaps not entirely an accident that the oldest records are his. One suspects that several other secretaries were less enthusiastic in their duties. It seems likely that for twenty years or so he was either Secretary, Treasurer or Master of St.John's Lodge and, as we saw earlier, he sometimes filled more than one office at a time.
Sir James Sinclair of Mey was one of the lairds who made fortunes for the merchants; only an entail kept his ancestral estates out of the hands of his creditors. He may have died at the end of his second year as Master or a few years later - the reference books differ. His convivial presence would be missed. Hary Innes probably also died in the early 1760's so that we can see how the character of the lodge may have come to change.
Another whose name disappears during these dark years is Daniel Macintosh. The only substantial monument still standing in Old St.Peter's Churchyard was erected as "a filial tribute" to the "Learning, Piety and Virtue" of Daniel Macintosh who died in 1782. His son, John was said to be a court painter at the Russian Court at the end of the century. He was, probably, the John Macintosh who joined the lodge in 1773. He owned the ground on which the Salvation Army Hall now stands.
Chapter Six
REVIVING THE LODGE
When the story begins again at the end of 1779 a number cf interesting points arise. The office bearers were re-elected but unnamed except that the old Tyler was re placed by Donald Oag(or Oagg). This is the first mention of the Tyler although "inferior servants" have been heard of before, The lodge decided to meet and dine at Bro.Robert Nimmo's house on St,John's Day and to walk in procession "as usual". Again,this is a first mention and St.John's Day has almost always been celebrated in Thurso ever since. We will discuss the form of the celebration below. At the same meeting it was decided to set up a committee to examine the funds. The committee met two days later.
Bills of Acceptance
The committee reported on the bills due showing a total of £8/8/6 outstanding from candidates - in one case from 1761. It is not quite clear whether these were bad debts or whether it suited the lodge to collect interest on the bills. The bye laws of a later date suggest that the former is the more likely explanation. Once again it should be noted that this irregular proceeding was not peculiar to St.John's Lodge. In 1772,Grand Lodge - with which, of course, Thurso had lost contact - had declared that bills of acceptance must not be received in payment of dues.
Members
The names appearing in the fragmentary records are new. Captain John Dunnet seems to be the chief organiser at this time although we do not know what office, if any, he had. John Davidson, Ulbster's factor, was Treasurer and Donald Robeson, a writer was Secretary. At first the Master and Depute Master are unnamed although they are referred to from time to time. It is only in December 1782 that we find them to be John Sinclair of Ulbster and John Rose respectively.
We do not knew that John Sinclair took any part in the working of the lodge; indeed, we do not know that he ever attended it. But he certainly took a friendly interest in its affairs and we shall come across his name later. He was the son of George Sinclair of Ulbster and succeeded his father in 1770. Sir John - as he became in 1786 - was a national figure. He was a man of considerable energy and he talked and wrote on all the important issues of his time without quite making his mark in English history. Scotland should always remember the impetus he gave to the Board of Agriculture and should refer to his "Statistical Account of Scotland". In Caithness he was one of the first of the agricultural improvers and he founded the townships of Halkirk and Sarclet. To Thurso he gave the admirable New Town and his statue is appropriately placed in the centre of Sir John Square.
Sir John's mother lodge was Canongate Kilwinning No.2,Edinburgh. His father had been "assumed a Member by the unanimous consent of the brethren" in June 1764 and as George Sinclair spent a large part of his time in Edinburgh, Sir John would know many of the distinguished members of that lodge. He seems to have received his degrees at an informal meeting in February 1771 when he was but 16 years of age.
John Rose was Sheriff Clerk of Caithness from 1772 and also held the principal Customs post of Collector. from 1808 to 1818 he was Sheriff-Substitute. John Rose was,perhaps, the most capable of the men who ruled St.John's Lodge. Like several others whose names occur in this history he is commemorated by having a street named after him in the New Town of Thurso.
The Inventory
Among the miscellaneous papers there is an inventory of the lodge's possessions as follows:-
"The R W M's Chair' Thrice raised The S & J Ws Ditto Once raised Tables Covered with Green & Scarlet Bays Forms for Seats
One Lantern with five Branches Mahogany Stand One Ditto with three Ditto Ditto Two Ornamental Covers for the Floor of the Lodge Rods for the Presiding Officers Two Battens for the Stewards Green Ribbons for the Presiding Officers Book of Constitutions Song Books
The R W M' s Working Implements Suites of Clothing Lodge Chist with Two Locks
Lodge Book of Pages containing the Operations of the Lodge Commencing 2lst December 1784."
These items have not, of course, survived but the mere list is valuable evidence of the lodge at the time. There are receipts for the purchase of several of the items dating back as far as 1758 after the special collection we noted above. The local merchants were able to supply most of the things on the list but recourse was made to Edinburgh and Leith merchants for unusual items. Robert Neilson of Leith supplied the floor cloths and the batons and painted and gilded the Master's chair.
The Working
The inventory gives us enough information to justify a reconstruction of the lodge in the late 18th century. In the East would be the Master, or Depute Master, on his dais of three steps. In one of the rooms the lodge occupied they filled in a window and put an arch over it. This would be to form a canopy over the Master. Near the Master would be the five-branched lantern and in front of him would be the working tools and the book of constitutions. The book must have been English because Scotland had no such printed work until much later. The V.S.L.might also be in front of the Master, as in the English lodges, or in the centre of the lodge as we are accustomed to.
Tables with forms would stretch down both sides of the room with a warden at the far end - Senior Warden in the North-West and Junior in the South-West. The brethren would sit on both sides of these tables and, probably, smoke and drink freely during the meeting. In the centre of the room would lie the floor cloth appropriate to the degree being worked. Probably one of the floor cloths was common to the first two degrees while the second floor cloth was used for the third degree alone. These floor cloths would not be so elaborate as the famous Kirkwall Scroll but would rather resemble the modern tracing-boards although-simpler and more crudely drawn. The lodge colour is, apparently, green.
The ceremony would be much simpler than that of today. The obligations, secrets and charges would be fairly familiar but there might be little else recognisable at all. The instruction of the candidate would be completed largely by the answering of questions put to the Wardens or other members by the Master or chairman. This form of instruction has not survived in Graft Masonry but the details are available in the so-called "Lectures" which are kept in print. The ceremony must have been short to allow of the conferring of several degrees at one meeting as often happened.
Although the ceremony may have been short and simple we have no reason to suppose that it was inadequate or perfunctory. The personalities of the members of whom we have knowledge suggest that they are unlikely to have been of the calibre of the Master of an Edinburgh lodge of later date of whom it was said that he "used to have the candidate brought before him, swore him, sometimes at him, and then pithily remarked, 'Damn the rest. Let on the drink'." This is one result of barring refreshment during a meeting.
Benevolence
In December 1782, after the election of office bearers "the Brethren having taken into their consideration the present scarcity of provisions and the calamitous situation the poorer part of the inhabitants of Thurso must be in from that circumstance" resolved to have no dinner on St. John* s Day but that they should contribute to the relief of the poor, particularly indigent brethren and widows of breth ren. This is the first reference we have to benevolence. They did not quite carry out the resolution; they did meet on St.John's Day and their contributions of £2/10/- had to be supplemented by I6/- from the funds to pay for the entertainment. On the other hand,£2/6/- was collected for the poor and £2/14/- was taken from the funds. The total was distributed to four brethren, two widows and the daughter of a member.
When the story begins again at the end of 1779 a number cf interesting points arise. The office bearers were re-elected but unnamed except that the old Tyler was re placed by Donald Oag(or Oagg). This is the first mention of the Tyler although "inferior servants" have been heard of before, The lodge decided to meet and dine at Bro.Robert Nimmo's house on St,John's Day and to walk in procession "as usual". Again,this is a first mention and St.John's Day has almost always been celebrated in Thurso ever since. We will discuss the form of the celebration below. At the same meeting it was decided to set up a committee to examine the funds. The committee met two days later.
Bills of Acceptance
The committee reported on the bills due showing a total of £8/8/6 outstanding from candidates - in one case from 1761. It is not quite clear whether these were bad debts or whether it suited the lodge to collect interest on the bills. The bye laws of a later date suggest that the former is the more likely explanation. Once again it should be noted that this irregular proceeding was not peculiar to St.John's Lodge. In 1772,Grand Lodge - with which, of course, Thurso had lost contact - had declared that bills of acceptance must not be received in payment of dues.
Members
The names appearing in the fragmentary records are new. Captain John Dunnet seems to be the chief organiser at this time although we do not know what office, if any, he had. John Davidson, Ulbster's factor, was Treasurer and Donald Robeson, a writer was Secretary. At first the Master and Depute Master are unnamed although they are referred to from time to time. It is only in December 1782 that we find them to be John Sinclair of Ulbster and John Rose respectively.
We do not knew that John Sinclair took any part in the working of the lodge; indeed, we do not know that he ever attended it. But he certainly took a friendly interest in its affairs and we shall come across his name later. He was the son of George Sinclair of Ulbster and succeeded his father in 1770. Sir John - as he became in 1786 - was a national figure. He was a man of considerable energy and he talked and wrote on all the important issues of his time without quite making his mark in English history. Scotland should always remember the impetus he gave to the Board of Agriculture and should refer to his "Statistical Account of Scotland". In Caithness he was one of the first of the agricultural improvers and he founded the townships of Halkirk and Sarclet. To Thurso he gave the admirable New Town and his statue is appropriately placed in the centre of Sir John Square.
Sir John's mother lodge was Canongate Kilwinning No.2,Edinburgh. His father had been "assumed a Member by the unanimous consent of the brethren" in June 1764 and as George Sinclair spent a large part of his time in Edinburgh, Sir John would know many of the distinguished members of that lodge. He seems to have received his degrees at an informal meeting in February 1771 when he was but 16 years of age.
John Rose was Sheriff Clerk of Caithness from 1772 and also held the principal Customs post of Collector. from 1808 to 1818 he was Sheriff-Substitute. John Rose was,perhaps, the most capable of the men who ruled St.John's Lodge. Like several others whose names occur in this history he is commemorated by having a street named after him in the New Town of Thurso.
The Inventory
Among the miscellaneous papers there is an inventory of the lodge's possessions as follows:-
"The R W M's Chair' Thrice raised The S & J Ws Ditto Once raised Tables Covered with Green & Scarlet Bays Forms for Seats
One Lantern with five Branches Mahogany Stand One Ditto with three Ditto Ditto Two Ornamental Covers for the Floor of the Lodge Rods for the Presiding Officers Two Battens for the Stewards Green Ribbons for the Presiding Officers Book of Constitutions Song Books
The R W M' s Working Implements Suites of Clothing Lodge Chist with Two Locks
Lodge Book of Pages containing the Operations of the Lodge Commencing 2lst December 1784."
These items have not, of course, survived but the mere list is valuable evidence of the lodge at the time. There are receipts for the purchase of several of the items dating back as far as 1758 after the special collection we noted above. The local merchants were able to supply most of the things on the list but recourse was made to Edinburgh and Leith merchants for unusual items. Robert Neilson of Leith supplied the floor cloths and the batons and painted and gilded the Master's chair.
The Working
The inventory gives us enough information to justify a reconstruction of the lodge in the late 18th century. In the East would be the Master, or Depute Master, on his dais of three steps. In one of the rooms the lodge occupied they filled in a window and put an arch over it. This would be to form a canopy over the Master. Near the Master would be the five-branched lantern and in front of him would be the working tools and the book of constitutions. The book must have been English because Scotland had no such printed work until much later. The V.S.L.might also be in front of the Master, as in the English lodges, or in the centre of the lodge as we are accustomed to.
Tables with forms would stretch down both sides of the room with a warden at the far end - Senior Warden in the North-West and Junior in the South-West. The brethren would sit on both sides of these tables and, probably, smoke and drink freely during the meeting. In the centre of the room would lie the floor cloth appropriate to the degree being worked. Probably one of the floor cloths was common to the first two degrees while the second floor cloth was used for the third degree alone. These floor cloths would not be so elaborate as the famous Kirkwall Scroll but would rather resemble the modern tracing-boards although-simpler and more crudely drawn. The lodge colour is, apparently, green.
The ceremony would be much simpler than that of today. The obligations, secrets and charges would be fairly familiar but there might be little else recognisable at all. The instruction of the candidate would be completed largely by the answering of questions put to the Wardens or other members by the Master or chairman. This form of instruction has not survived in Graft Masonry but the details are available in the so-called "Lectures" which are kept in print. The ceremony must have been short to allow of the conferring of several degrees at one meeting as often happened.
Although the ceremony may have been short and simple we have no reason to suppose that it was inadequate or perfunctory. The personalities of the members of whom we have knowledge suggest that they are unlikely to have been of the calibre of the Master of an Edinburgh lodge of later date of whom it was said that he "used to have the candidate brought before him, swore him, sometimes at him, and then pithily remarked, 'Damn the rest. Let on the drink'." This is one result of barring refreshment during a meeting.
Benevolence
In December 1782, after the election of office bearers "the Brethren having taken into their consideration the present scarcity of provisions and the calamitous situation the poorer part of the inhabitants of Thurso must be in from that circumstance" resolved to have no dinner on St. John* s Day but that they should contribute to the relief of the poor, particularly indigent brethren and widows of breth ren. This is the first reference we have to benevolence. They did not quite carry out the resolution; they did meet on St.John's Day and their contributions of £2/10/- had to be supplemented by I6/- from the funds to pay for the entertainment. On the other hand,£2/6/- was collected for the poor and £2/14/- was taken from the funds. The total was distributed to four brethren, two widows and the daughter of a member.
Chapter Seven
THE LODGE REORGANISED
From the middle of the 1780's a new spirit was present in the lodge. That a hall should be built was not a new idea. George Sinclair of Ulbster had offered to give a plot of ground for this purpose before 1758 but the prodigal way in which the funds had been treated shows that the members had no firm plans in this matter. In 1785,however, they instituted the payment of quarter pence to raise the necessary funds. Each brother paid 6d per quarter which might have been calculated to raise £5 per annum. In the first year the amount was, in fact £3/8/-. A little later the combined income from candidates and quarter-pence must have been about £8.
The Bye Laws
One indication of this new spirit was the purchase of the new minute book mentioned in the inventory. Another was the drawing up of a set of bye laws in 1786. We do not have a copy of these but the abstract by Patrick Swany,Jr.» is reproduced in Appendix 1.
The abstract shows that the lower limit of age for initiation was 18 years. This was usual in Scotland until the late 19th century when - in order to conform with the English usage - it was raised to 21 years. In England, exception is made of undergraduates and may be made of others by dispensation. In Scotland,of course, lewises are excepted.
The fees - 23/- for entering,4/- for passing and 7/- for raising - are not cheap in an age when a craftsman's wage might be a little over a shilling per day. The intervals of 12 months and 6 months between degrees is an interesting addition to the usual bye laws. There is a little evidence suggesting that the lodge did usually observe this law for many years but the records are not conclusive.
The dates of meetings are very much the same as those of St.Peter's Operative Lodge today. But we see from the amendments to the bye laws that 9 meetings were too many and the number was reduced to 6. Among the changes made by 1790 we see that the fees were raised to 29/6 for entering,6/- for passing and 11/6 for raising. Most of the other changes were directed at prevent ing the unnecessary dissipation of the funds. The measures were successful as we shall discuss in Chapter Nine.
Reinstatement on Grand Lodge Roll
One reason for raising the fees was that 2/6 for registration at Grand Lodge was included. There had been no communication with Grand Lodge since 1760 and St.John's Lodge had been off the roll for 16 years when the following petition was presented in 1787:-
"Unto The Most Worshipful the Grand Master,The Right Worshipful the Grand Wardens and remanent Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
The Petition of the Master Wardens and other Officers and Members of the Lodge of Thurso St.John Humbly Sheweth
That it is with the utmost concern and regret your Petitioners reflect that they have been deficient in so essential a part of their duty as that of keeping up a regular Correspondence with the Grand Lodge; for which neglect they shall only attempt to apologize by the remoteness of of their Situation, and the Lodge being for some time rather in a languishing State, from which however they are now emerging, and daily growing more respectable
That your Petitioners now feel the most ardent Desire to be restored to the Confidence and Protection of the Grand Lodge, without which they cannot proceed with that Zeal and Alacrity which alone can ensure Success in their Endeavours to promote the Interest of the Craft in general or of this Lodge in particular.
That to obtain this grand object of their wishes the Petitioners are only too willing to submit to every reasonable Concession that may be required of them, for past offences, But also hope by their future Conduct to shew that they are not unworthy of the Indulgence which they now solicit.
May it therefore please the Grand Lodge to take the Premises into their serious Consideration,and to order this Lodge to be restored to its former Place upon the Roll of Lodges of this ancient Kingdom, and to all the Rights and Privileges to which it was originally entitled.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray &c.
Signed in presence and "by appointment of the Lodge By
John Rose Master"
Grand Lodge officials were quite accustomed to petitions of this kind and the Substitute Grand Master -who was chairman of Grand Committee - granted the request as the following endorsements of the petition show:-
"Edin.July 27th 1787.
Sir
You will immediately upon Mr.Miller
producing a receipt from the Grand Treasurer
for four Guineas free the lodge of Thurso
St.John of all bygones & replace them in
the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
where that lodge was originally placed
Thomas Hay Subte.Grand Master
To Wm.Mason Esqr.
Writer in Edin.
Secretary to the
Grand Lodge of Scotland"
"Edin.15 Augt.1787 In consequence of the foregoing order of the Depute Grand Master and a receipt of the Grand Treasurer for £4-4 Str shown me I have this day replaced the Lodge of Thurso St.John on the Roll of Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
Ro Meikle Gd.Clk.
in absence of the Secy."
George Miller will be mentioned in Chapter Eight.
From the middle of the 1780's a new spirit was present in the lodge. That a hall should be built was not a new idea. George Sinclair of Ulbster had offered to give a plot of ground for this purpose before 1758 but the prodigal way in which the funds had been treated shows that the members had no firm plans in this matter. In 1785,however, they instituted the payment of quarter pence to raise the necessary funds. Each brother paid 6d per quarter which might have been calculated to raise £5 per annum. In the first year the amount was, in fact £3/8/-. A little later the combined income from candidates and quarter-pence must have been about £8.
The Bye Laws
One indication of this new spirit was the purchase of the new minute book mentioned in the inventory. Another was the drawing up of a set of bye laws in 1786. We do not have a copy of these but the abstract by Patrick Swany,Jr.» is reproduced in Appendix 1.
The abstract shows that the lower limit of age for initiation was 18 years. This was usual in Scotland until the late 19th century when - in order to conform with the English usage - it was raised to 21 years. In England, exception is made of undergraduates and may be made of others by dispensation. In Scotland,of course, lewises are excepted.
The fees - 23/- for entering,4/- for passing and 7/- for raising - are not cheap in an age when a craftsman's wage might be a little over a shilling per day. The intervals of 12 months and 6 months between degrees is an interesting addition to the usual bye laws. There is a little evidence suggesting that the lodge did usually observe this law for many years but the records are not conclusive.
The dates of meetings are very much the same as those of St.Peter's Operative Lodge today. But we see from the amendments to the bye laws that 9 meetings were too many and the number was reduced to 6. Among the changes made by 1790 we see that the fees were raised to 29/6 for entering,6/- for passing and 11/6 for raising. Most of the other changes were directed at prevent ing the unnecessary dissipation of the funds. The measures were successful as we shall discuss in Chapter Nine.
Reinstatement on Grand Lodge Roll
One reason for raising the fees was that 2/6 for registration at Grand Lodge was included. There had been no communication with Grand Lodge since 1760 and St.John's Lodge had been off the roll for 16 years when the following petition was presented in 1787:-
"Unto The Most Worshipful the Grand Master,The Right Worshipful the Grand Wardens and remanent Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
The Petition of the Master Wardens and other Officers and Members of the Lodge of Thurso St.John Humbly Sheweth
That it is with the utmost concern and regret your Petitioners reflect that they have been deficient in so essential a part of their duty as that of keeping up a regular Correspondence with the Grand Lodge; for which neglect they shall only attempt to apologize by the remoteness of of their Situation, and the Lodge being for some time rather in a languishing State, from which however they are now emerging, and daily growing more respectable
That your Petitioners now feel the most ardent Desire to be restored to the Confidence and Protection of the Grand Lodge, without which they cannot proceed with that Zeal and Alacrity which alone can ensure Success in their Endeavours to promote the Interest of the Craft in general or of this Lodge in particular.
That to obtain this grand object of their wishes the Petitioners are only too willing to submit to every reasonable Concession that may be required of them, for past offences, But also hope by their future Conduct to shew that they are not unworthy of the Indulgence which they now solicit.
May it therefore please the Grand Lodge to take the Premises into their serious Consideration,and to order this Lodge to be restored to its former Place upon the Roll of Lodges of this ancient Kingdom, and to all the Rights and Privileges to which it was originally entitled.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray &c.
Signed in presence and "by appointment of the Lodge By
John Rose Master"
Grand Lodge officials were quite accustomed to petitions of this kind and the Substitute Grand Master -who was chairman of Grand Committee - granted the request as the following endorsements of the petition show:-
"Edin.July 27th 1787.
Sir
You will immediately upon Mr.Miller
producing a receipt from the Grand Treasurer
for four Guineas free the lodge of Thurso
St.John of all bygones & replace them in
the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
where that lodge was originally placed
Thomas Hay Subte.Grand Master
To Wm.Mason Esqr.
Writer in Edin.
Secretary to the
Grand Lodge of Scotland"
"Edin.15 Augt.1787 In consequence of the foregoing order of the Depute Grand Master and a receipt of the Grand Treasurer for £4-4 Str shown me I have this day replaced the Lodge of Thurso St.John on the Roll of Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
Ro Meikle Gd.Clk.
in absence of the Secy."
George Miller will be mentioned in Chapter Eight.
The Festival of St.John
From various receipts we get a better picture now of the celebration of the festival of St.John the Evangelist. We noted above that the lodge in 1779 resolved to meet, dine and walk in procession. In 1781 the lodge met at 11 o'clock in the forenoon for business. The brethren met again in the evening to walk in procession "in usual order" and then dined together. Each brother paid I/- and the balance was taken from the funds.
There were celebrations in 1782 and 1783. The latter is the first in which torches are mentioned although they would be used earlier. The first musician is a fife player who received payment for his services in 1784 and 1785. Whether he was alone or was paid separately is not known. For 1787 we have a receipt for 5 pints of tar, 3 pints of "rosen", 3 pints of brimstone, l/4 pint of saltpetre,1 quire of gray paper and a quantity of nails. This cost 6/2½p. 2/6p was paid for junk i,e. old rope or cordage. Another receipt is for 5/6p paid for 22 pints of ale for the torchmen.
In 1789 the torches cost 15/8½p and 7/- was spent on "an anker ale and a pint whisky for the torchbearers"; "two fiddles and a piper" cost 7/6p while their "entertainment and drink" cost a further 5/-; "entertainment and drink for two Stewards & two arms-bearers & Toiler" came to 10/-. There is also mention in that year of pipers, drummers and three sword-bearers. Perhaps the last group were for the procession while all the others were for the ball. Another receipt was for 16 candles "burnt in the dancing room" at 2/6p.
In 1790 the cost of torches had risen to 18/5p Not surprisingly the torch bearers seem to have been given no whisky that year but there was a bottle of punch for the "musitioners". It is only for these few years that we have such detail available but we must suppose them to be typical of many years. We can see that the festival of St.John must have been a notable event in the social calendar of the town and a source of considerable entertainment - not to mention employment - to the populace generally.
Language Translator
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