Glandore Masonic Lodge 551

Lodge History

A brief history of Glandore Lodge

On Wednesday, 6th February, 1924 twenty four Brethren assembled in Brookville Masonic Hall, Antrim Road Belfast for the Constitution and Dedication of Glandore Masonic Lodge No 551. The ceremony was conducted by the then Provincial Grand Master of the R. W. Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, R. W. Bro. J. H. Sterling who installed W. Bro. Rev. Samuel Cochrane, B.A., R.N. (Hon.), as the first Worshipful Master.

The first Candidates to be initiated in the Lodge where Bro. John Archer, Bro. George A. Dawson, and Bro. Gabriele W. C. Porte, all initiated 14th April 1924. The fourth initiate was W. Bro. George N. Chalmers, 19 June 1924, who became the first initiated member to reach the office of Worshipful Master in 1931 and who also served as Director of Ceremonies. The fifth was W. Bro F. B. McMordie, initiated 19 June 1924, who later served for tens years as Treasurer.

The initiation fee in 1924 was £7 7 0 and the dues 7/6 per quarter.

Membership

After 3 years, membership of Glandore had risen to forty-six and records show that after tens years membership had risen to a total of sixty-nine. By the time Lodges Silver jubilee in 1949, the membership had risen to one hundred and ten. It peaked in 1962 at one hundred and nineteen and has since through the related influences of the troubles and demographic changes, fell to 48 by 2004 and now stands at 37. The Brethren however continue to support the Lodge both at our regular communications and the Board meetings which are held one week prior to Lodge meeting.

Meeting Place
Glandore first sat in Brookvale Masonic hall, later moving to the Provincial Masonic Hall, Rosemary Street. In 2007 when the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim decided to close the Rosemary Street Hall, Glandore again moved to Arthur Square. Our first communication in this hall taking place on the 13th December 2007, when W. Bro. Hugh Rodgers was in the chair.

Retired Brethren Fund

In 1970 Glandore Lodge with the permission of The Grand Lodge of Ireland set up a ‘Retired Brethren’ fund, the sole purpose of which is to insure that no Brother of Glandore need resign when he retires from employment because of limited means. The fund was devised and set up by the then Treasurer W. Bro. J. L. Brown and today it still enables all retired Brethren will at least 10 years qualifying membership to enjoy a lower rate of dues.

80th Anniversary
On Saturday 7th February 2004 W. Bro. S. Madill welcomed the Provincial Assistant Grand Master
R. W. James Stark to Glandore. W. Bro. M. Hewitt was installed in the chair and the Brethren afterwards retired to the Festive Board, enjoying what was to be our last significant anniversary celebration in the large dinning room in the Rosemary Street Hall.

90th Anniversary
At an emergency communication on Saturday, 1st February 2014, In Arthur Square Masonic Hall, the outgoing W. Master, W. Bro. R. Mayne, welcomed Rt. W. Bro. Robert J. Thomson P.P.G.M. on the occasion of the Lodge's Installation and 90 Anniversary. Rt. W. Bro. Thompson had previously visited Glandore whilst serving as Provincial Grand Master but had also served PGL as Provincial Grand Inspector for Glandore Lodge. On the Thursday 22nd May 2014, W. Bro. H. Thompson welcomed to Glandore Lodge The Deputy Grand Master D. T. Grey. At the festive board following the communication the Deputy Grand Master announced that the current Grand Master M.W.Bro. George Dunlop,would be standing down due to ill health.

Lodge of Reserach
On the 11th February 2017 in the Grand Lodge Room, Freemason Hall, Dublin, W. Bro Walsh and W. Bro. Mayne acting a sponsors presented W. Bro Frank Lee to be Installed as W.M of the Lodge of Research CC. W. Bro Lee became the third member of Glandore to occupy the chair in this Illustrious Lodge, W. Bro. James Henry (Harry) Thompson and our founding Master W. Bro. Rev Samuel Cochrane being the previous brethren of Glandore to rise to this office.

The Impact of Covid-19

The largest impact to the operation of the Lodge came in 2020/21 when the worldwide outbreak of covid-19 (sars-cov-2) caused the closure of the Lodge for well over a year. In line with Instructions from Grand Lodge and in line with all other Lodges in Ireland, the lodge remain closed from March 2020 until 28 October 2021 and lodge officers remained in place because the Lodge was unable to meet and hold elections for office. The Brethren became familiar with the online meeting software Zoom, as a number of the brethren met online in order that they could stay in contact.

100th Anniversary

In 2024 Glandore celebrated it's 100th Anniversary. This was marked in numerous ways.

A book was prepared by W. Bro. R. Mayne listing all the Lodge Officers from 1924 to 2023, along with key local and world events from each year. 

Our longest serving and attending member, W. Bro. J. Walsh was asked to occupy the chair for our 100th year and was installed by was installed by Rt. W. Bro. Philip Thompson on Thursday 25th January.

On 3rd February a celebration dinner was held, the guest of honour being M.W. Grand Master of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Ireland, M.W. Bro. Rodney L. McCurley.

The Lode met again on the 6th February for short meeting, this being the actual date of the original constitution and dedication of the Lodge, and afterwards retired to a local restaurant for a meal.

On 22nd June four brethren travelled to London and visited Freemason's Hall and on 9th November the Lodge held an emergency meeting in the Grand Lodge Room, Freemason's Hall, Dublin.