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| Freemasons' Hall |
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Following its formation in 1736, the Grand Lodge of Scotland was a peripatetic body without a permanent home for a number of years until 1809 when St Cecilia's Hall, Cowgate, Edinburgh, was purchased from the Edinburgh Musical Society by the Substitute Grand Master Mason and two other Brethren on behalf of Grand Lodge for the sum of £1,400. The hall is said to have been copied from an Italian opera house and possessed excellent acoustic qualities. It was built in 1762 by Robert Myle who was a member of the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel, No 1). It should be noted that that building stands to this day and now houses the Russell Collection of early keyboard instruments.
When St Cecilia's Hall was purchased by the Town Council of Edinburgh in 1844, Grand Lodge was again without a permanent home until 1858 when the Grand Architect, Brother David Bryce, was commissioned to design a hall on land which had been purchased at 96 George Street. The Foundation Stone was laid by His Grace the Duke of Atholl, Grand Master Mason, on 24th June 1858.
The "Scotsman" Newspaper carried a report of the ceremony in the following terms: - "The spectacle was one which for grandeur has never been surpassed by any celebration in Scotland. The moment level and square were adjusted one loud 'Harrah!' broke from the assembled Masons; a flag was immediately hoisted on the roof of the Hall, and in answer to this symbol the cannon in the Castle thundered forth their respected (six) salvos, announcing the completion of the laying of the stone of the new Freemasons' Hall of Scotland."
Fifty years later, in 1908, it was resolved to build a new hall, as the old one was too small to accommodate an expanding Grand Lodge, and also was unable to meet the latest standards of public safety and sanitation.
On 20th October 1909, a meeting of the Hall Committee was held and the following recommendation was made to Grand Committee: - "That the Grand Architect, Brother A. Hunter Crawford, member of Grand Committee, be requested to prepare plans for, and estimate the cost of, a new building." The Hall Committee sought also powers to confer directly with the Finance Committee.
Grand Committee met on 4th November 1909, and at that meeting, following the suspension of Standing Orders, Brother A. Hunter Crawford was retained as architect for the project, being asked to prepare plans and estimate costs.
At a further meeting of the Committee on 23rd December 1909, the members employed Brother Charles Marshall, I.M., of Charles Marshall & Son, Glasgow, as measurer of the proposed new building, and it was decided to seek a meeting with the Finance Committee for 12 noon on 20th January 1910. This joint meeting was immediately preceded by a meeting of the Hall Committee, at which Grand Architect's plan and estimated costs received the Committee's approval. In the light of current costs in the 1990's it is interesting to note that Grand Architect's estimated cost for the new building was £30,000.
The decision of the joint meeting was that at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on 3rd February 1910, permission should be sought to go ahead immediately.
Grand Lodge gave its approval with alacrity, and at the same Quarterly Communication Grand Secretary intimated that the offices, the administrative staff and the museum and library would move to temporary quarters at 46 Charlotte Square at a rent of £250 per annum.
At this Quarterly Communication a representative of The Lodge of Journeyman Masons, No. 8, requested the return of a panel which his Lodge had presented to Grand Lodge, an appeal which produced similar requests from other Lodges. The decision of Grand Lodge was that these panels could be returned to the donors, provided that each daughter Lodge concerned met the expense of dismantling and removing its panel.
On 21st April 1910, a special meeting of the Hall Committee heard representations that more spacious accommodation should be allocated to the museum and library, representations which were accepted. Exactly three months later, on 21st July, Grand Secretary produced an eye-catching leaflet in a strong pink colour elaborating on these facilities and appealing for donations of artefacts and books. Also, at the same meeting, Grand Architect's specifications were accepted, and on l9th May John Ingram was appointed Clerk of Works. The Committee met again on 2lst July, the date of Grand Secretary's pamphlet, to be advised that Grand Secretary had secured the use of St Cuthbert's Halls, King's Stables Road, for use for Quarterly Communications during the building period.
Brother Hunter Crawford's specifications emphasise the quality of the materials to be used in erecting this new hall, as is shown in the following examples: -
| "Front elevation facework to be of best rock from Black Pasture Quarry." |
| "Facing of base of front elevation and entrance steps to be of carefully selected grey Aberdeen granite from an approved quarry." |
| "Back wall of front building etc. to be faced with enamelled facing-brick of first quality, lead-glazed, from Shaws Glazed Brick Co. Ltd., Blackburn, or Burnley Enamelled Bricks from Brooks & Brooks, Burnley." |
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"Slates to be 1st Quality Tibborthwaite light green peggies with average cover of 2½ inches, neatly bonded and double nailed with copper nails weighing 9 lb. per M." |
At the next meeting of this Committee consideration should have been given to the tenders for the work, but the Grand Committee minutes indicated that difficulties had arisen regarding plumber work, and it was agreed to seek new estimates for this aspect of the project for 24th October, when all tenders would be considered.
In the meantime a special meeting of the Hall Committee was held to hear a report from Grand Architect who intimated that there was no trace to be found of the Foundation Stone of the existing (1858) hall. It was, he said, reported that it was laid on 24th June 1858 by the Duke of Atholl, in the North East part of the building, but careful and diligent search having been made without result, he could only conclude that it had been removed before commencement of the present demolition work. Two weeks later, Brother Hunter Crawford was able to advise another special meeting of the Hall Committee that the stone had been discovered, together with documents and coin of the realm which, in 1858, had been placed with it when it was laid. The coins and other items were handed to the Museum for exhibition. This Foundation Stone can be seen in the basement of Freemasons' Hall, where it has been set into the floor of the Chair Store.
The meeting of 24th October 1910, at which tenders were to be considered, was duly held and the following tenders were accepted:-
| Mason Work | Neil McLeod & Sons, Edinburgh | £14,995. 0. 0 |
| Joiner Work | Scott, Morton & Co., Edinburgh | £9,998. 0. 0 |
| Plumber Work | Archibald Low, Glasgow | £1,767. 0. 0 |
| Iron & Steel Work | Redpath, Brown & Co., Edinburgh | £575. 0. 0 |
| Plaster Work | G. Henry Johnston & Sons, Liverpool | £2,407. 0. 0 |
| Tiler Work | Allan & Sons, Edinburgh | £689.16. 0 |
| Slater Work | P. White & Co., Glasgow | £107.19. 4 |
| Glazier Work | William Meikle & Sons, Glasgow | £865. 0. 0 |
| Asphalte Work | Bradshaw & Co., Glasgow | £156. 2. 6 |
| £31,560.17.10 | ||
| (£31,560.89) |
From 24th October 19l0, the proceedings of Grand Lodge mentioned only minor points connected with the work until 20th April 191l, when it was agreed that on 28th of that month a Memorial Stone would be laid in the North East corner of the new hall building. On that date, a special meeting of Grand Lodge was held, the stone being laid by the Grand Master Mason, the Marquis of Tullibardine, whose grandfather, the Duke of Atholl, had performed the 1858 ceremony. The event of 1911 was reported in great detail in the proceedings of Grand Lodge.
A further £l,600 was expended on pictures and furnishings, and in May 1912 Grand Secretary and his staff vacated Charlotte Square to occupy their new offices, where the business of Grand Lodge has now been conducted since that time.
Brother Hunter Crawford, on 26th April 1911, in his offices at 10 Randolph Place, Edinburgh, wrote notes concerning the two halls, new and old. He described the architecture of his own creation as eighteenth-century Renaissance. It will be of interest to present membership to learn that he described the Main Hall as the Grand Hall and the room in the basement as the Installation Hall. If Grand Architect was intending to plan a building which would reflect the nature of the Scottish Craft, then surely he succeeded, for he built a temple of plain classical beauty without pretentiousness, which is admired by the many visitors from all parts of the world who visit it each year.