Freemasonry

This is a new section I'm adding onto the site, ultimately with thoughts and information about the craft in general. However, to start the page off I've got some interesting, and noteworthy information on a couple of stalwarts from the Galashiels Lodge, namely Brothers Bill Kennedy and Jimmy Mather.

I've also included information from a very special night we had a couple of years ago, when we held a celebration dinner in honour of Brother Jimmy Mather. I did consider where to put this information, and thought about adding it to the 'About 262' page, the 'Past Masters' page, or even adding a new tab, after reflection I thought I'd add a tab simply for 'Freemasonry', and include the following under this tab - such is the importance to the Galashiels Lodge of the achievements of Brother Mather.

Honours held by Jimmy Mather and Bill Kennedy

Both hold Honorary Grand Rank.
Jimmy was given Honorary Assistant Secretary on 29/11/1990. Bill was made Honorary Director of Ceremonies on 29/11/2001.

Both held various Offices in Provincial for many years before their committment to PGL was recognised by giving them further honours, with Jimmy being invited to take a Commission in Provincial and becoming PGL Secretary in 1976 for 5 years. Bill was  given Honorary Rank in Provincial, being made Honorary Substitute Provincial Grand Master  on 18/02/2006.

Both also hold Distinguished Service diplomas from 262, Jimmy was given his on 27/06/1995 and Bill on 28/6/2005.

Jimmy also served as this Province's Representative on the Board of Grand Stewards from 1972 becoming President of the Board in 1990. Bill then took over and has held it since then till the present day. That means Galashiels 262 has provided the PGL Grand Steward for 36 consecutive years which  is a record for a single Lodge.

On Friday 10th of February 2006, the Galashiels Lodge held a special celebration meeting and dinner in honour of Brother Mather, and in note of the 50 years since he was installed as Right Worshipful Master of the Lodge. On this evening, we were treated to a wonderful degree, with Brother Mather again taking the chair and performing exemplary ritual work on the floor for a candidate he'd installed 50 years ago - all this from a man born some 92 years previously!

There now follows transcripts of speeches we were all treated to on this evening, from Brother Jock Blackie PM, Brother Bill Kennedy PM, and Brother Allan Marshall - The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Roxburgh, Peebles, and Selkirk Shires.

Bro James William Renton Mather

A Review Of His Life (Speech By Bro. W.G. Kennedy PM)

James William Renton Mather or 'Jimmy' as he is known by all was not, as most people think, born in Galashiels.  He was actually born in Kelso on the 11th March 1915 and moved to Galashiels when he was four years old. (Gala has never been the same since.) He lived in St Andrews Street, just round the corner from the old Lodge building and attended the Burgh School.
Later he attended the Roxburgh Street Secondary School. Alas, this building no longer exists but it stood where the Ambulance Station is now. It is interesting to note that his headmaster at that school was Humphrey Morris a Past Master of this Lodge. I wonder if he had any influence on Jimmy’s later decision to join the Craft. An interesting point, my own son Alan now wears the Past Masters jewel that belonged to Bro Morris.

When Jimmy left school he was apprenticed to Messrs Lindsay the Painters in Lawyers Brae. Why it was called Lindsay’s I don’t know because Jimmy’s Grand Father, Father and two other brothers all served their time there or were employed by them.

In 1938 he married Ann (nee Ormiston). Ann lived on a farm called Colmslie Hill (some six miles from Galashiels, near Langshaw). It must have been a long walk after seeing her home but maybe he had a bike. They set up home in Meigle Street where they remained until 1979, when he moved to Tea Street, where he still lives to this day.

When war broke out in 1939 Jimmy volunteered and served with the Royal Engineers, and worked in bomb disposal for 3 years. (Even the Germans couldn’t blow the old devil up). He then served with the ‘R’ Force, a kind of secret army. He is also a Normandy veteran.
In 1943 he decided to join the Craft which was a fortunate day for this Lodge. Although serving in London at the time his Commanding Officer asked why he needed an extension to his weekend pass. When he heard the reason was so that he could stay till the Monday to enable him to join the lodge, his reply was something of a surprise 'Oh in that case you had better have a travel pass as well'. He was obviously one of us, and was only too pleased to see a young man joining this wonderful society.

On leaving the army he returned to Galashiels and took up his old job as a painter.     
He was ordained an Elder in Ladhope Church in 1948 a post he fulfilled for more than forty years.
After he retired in 1979 he then decided to stand for the Town Council. He was elected onto the council in 1980 and served for 12 years when he had to give it up as his wife was ill.
He was also a member of the executive committee of the Braw Lads Gathering from 1950 until 1987. He then became President of the gathering for three years (1988 to 1990) and was then made a Life Member. For Many Years until 1999 he still directed the Grand March at the Braw Lads Ball on the night before the Gathering and only last year featured on a video telling the history of the Braw Lads Gathering.   

One interesting fact connecting myself and Bro Jimmy. When the Master of the Lodge was transferred away from the area, Jimmy took the chair so it was Jimmy who gave me my second and third degrees.

Jimmy is and always has been an active member of the local community, and is a well respected man in the town and indeed the whole of the Borders.

That takes care of some of the life story of a remarkable man. I am happy and proud to say he has always been my mentor and still remains a very close friend.

Thank you very much brethren for giving me the chance to pay this small tribute to Brother Jimmy. It is difficult to pay proper tribute to a man like him without talking for hours but I hope I have been able to give you some insight into his long life. Thank you Brethren.

Bro William G Kennedy P M.    The Galashiels Lodge No 262      10/2/2006

----

Brother James William Renton Mather PM

A review of his Masonic career in The Galashiels Lodge No 262 (Speech By Bro. J.W. Blackie PM)

R W M;    R W Substitute Grand Master Mason;  Distinguished Members of Grand Lodge;   R W P G M;  Distinguished Members of PGL;  Guest of Honour Bro J W R Mather P M ;  Reigning Masters;  Past Masters; Worshipful Wardens; and Brethren all.

Firstly can I just say what an honour it is to be asked to give a resume of Jimmy's career in this Lodge which spans 63 years. In other words he joined the craft 8 years before I was born and indeed was installed into the chair of King Solomon 6 months before I started Primary School.
As I say brethren 63 years a Mason, having been initiated on 2nd of February 1943, and I just wonder if anyone present that evening realised that, not only had they a new Last Laid Stane, they had actually initiated a Brother who was destined to become one of the cornerstones of Freemasonry for the next half century and more.

He was passed to the Fellow of Craft on 7th February 1943 and raised to the High and Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on 7th March 1944, being given his Mark on 20th May 1946, one of 21 candidates to do so on that evening. The Mark Master for the evening was Bro Bob McMorran P M, who was to become a great friend. The pair of them along with Bro Bob Anderson were to spend many hours and travel many a mile together as great ambassadors for this lodge.

When I commented on such a large number being given their mark on the same night Jimmy told me that it was not so unusual at that time, indeed he told me that Lodge 262 had so many prospective candidates that soon after the committee stopped any more applications being taken, as they already were struggling to cope with the backlog they already had. The Lodge had even been given a reprimand from Grand Lodge and a reminder that it was unconstitutional to initiate more than five candidates at one meeting. As we will see this constant stream of applications to join was to continue, so he was never short of candidates when he was Master.

Jimmy first took office in the Lodge in 1947 when he was nominated as Bible Bearer an office he held the following year also.
In 1949 Jimmy started on the ladder of progressive offices becoming Junior Deacon.  In 1950/51 he was installed as Senior Deacon. 
1952/1953 saw Jimmy put on the cuffs for the first time when he was became Worshipful Junior Warden.
Then in 1954/55 he was delighted to serve as Worshipful Senior Warden while his close friend Bro Angus MacRae was Master of the Lodge.

Brethren about that time my family moved to the Rink Farm just along the road from here and I can remember as a young lad cycling along the Hollybush Road and regularly meeting this small group of men walking along and talking aloud to each other. It seemed as if they were rehearsing for a play as they were reciting and generally acting in a very strange manner. It wasn’t until many years later that I finally understood what that was all about. They were Masons out learning their ritual whilst walking on the quiet back road along by the Seven Trees. When I reminded Jimmy of this he gave a wee laugh saying he had spent many a Sunday and walked many a mile in the cause of learning the ritual for the degree work. When I told him it had certainly been time well spent as his work on the floor was absolutely first class even today, he told me it was absolutely essential then to be good at your ritual, because if you could not perform in the Lodge to a high enough standard, then you would not be allowed to take office.

However Brethren we now move on to perhaps the most important phase of Jimmy's lodge career.
He was elected as Right Worshipful Master on 5th December 1955 to serve as Master for the year 1956. He was proposed by Bro Angus MacRae the RWM and seconded by Bro W F (Flem) Rutherford PM .
He was then duly installed on Christmas Eve the 24th December 1955. Ninety seven Brethren signed the Attendance Book including every Reigning Master in the Province, an indication of the high esteem in which he was held among his peers at that time.
His Installing Masters were John Crombie PM (1943/44) and Robert Auchterlonie PM (1939/1940) and they also officiated at his re-installation the following year.

His first meeting as RWM was on 8th January 1956 when a first degree was worked for five candidates   Wm Bowers
Alex R Wilson
Wm Hume
Wm B Little  and
J McD Reaveley
Who were subsequently passed and raised at the next two meetings on 23rd Jan and 6th February, respectively. That is only four weeks Brethren, and already he has worked all three degrees. It must have taken some doing to learn all that ritual in such a short space of time because there could not have had any chance to have practices. But spare a thought also for the poor candidates who had to learn the Questions.
For the information of our many visitors, this lodge has 42 questions for the First Degree and 40 questions for the Second Degree as our candidate for this evening Bro Dave Murray well remembers.

The drawback about getting information from the records is that although they are full of facts and figures they unfortunately do not give any insight into the quality of the work or the characters involved. We are therefore very fortunate to have had as our candidate this evening Bro Dave Murray who was the initiate 50 years ago and was delighted to repeat his role as candidate again.
I learned from him that he remembers Jimmy and his office bearers being excellent ritualists and that their work was of a very high standard.
Having seen Jimmy in action downstairs this evening that is easy to believe. The Obligation he administered this evening was of a standard that any RWM in his prime would have been proud of far less a man of 92 years old.

To continue brethren, on 25 Feb, the 5th  March, and 19th March 1956, he then Initiated Passed and Raised another five candidates  J Middlemist
J G Johnstone
J Nisbett
G T Young  and
G M Hoggan
Sadly these 10 Brethren have all passed to the Grand Lodge above, and we regret their passing, they are gone but never forgotten.

We now come to a meeting held on the 9th April 1956 at which another five candidates were initiated. That is the meeting we are celebrating this evening. Of the five candidates, two, Leishman Brown and Arthur Murray are also no longer with us, and two others Thomas Beattie and Walter Bryson are not in good enough health to attend.
We wish them a speedy recovery to full health as quickly as possible and regret they could not be here to join us on this auspicious occasion.
The fifth candidate that evening as you know was David Murray and we are delighted not only to have him here, but to even have him joining in the degree. Also Brethren another link with that night, we have with us Bro Danny Kay, who was Bro Murray’s seconder.
I hope it brought back some memories for you Bro Dave and you Bro Danny and that you enjoy your night. 50 years as a mason is a great achievement in its own right, and both of you have reached that landmark. Incidentally Dave did you fall off the goat? (Yes he did) Jimmy then passed and raised these candidates on 23rd April and 7th May.

In all during your two years in the chair Jimmy, you initiated another 32 candidates making a total of 47 new masons in all. Brethren nowadays if we could initiate 47 new candidates in the whole Province in two years we would be delighted. You also saw 45 brethren get their Mark during that time.
The docket inserted in the minute book at the end of Jimmy’s term by the then RWPGM is glowing in its praise of you Jimmy. It makes mention of your commitment to your lodge and to PGL thanking you for all your visiting within and outwith the Province and for the excellence of the degree work in the lodge. It also records that £50 was given to the Benevolence funds on that evening, a not inconsiderable sum for that time.
The difficulty in reviewing such a long career is not what you put in but more what you leave out so I have picked out an article I found from the Border Telegraph of that time.

Lodge Of Sorrow: The Galashiels Lodge No 262 held a lodge of sorrow on Sunday evening under the chairmanship of the RWM Bro James Mather, who after opening the proceedings in the customary manner made the order for a Funeral Lodge. An appreciation of departed Brethren was subsequently delivered by Rev Scott Morrison P G Junior Chaplain. The 36 members to whom the Brethren paid tribute included two Past Masters Bro Capt James L Pringle and Bro Thomas S Morris.                                                     

Having completed your two years in the chair Jimmy you had earned a rest. However it was not long until you were back in harness. Your successor Bro J Hutton who worked for the G.P.O. was transferred to the Isle of Arran so you were called back into action and took the chair from March to December 1959 when Bro John Gladstone was installed.
During that period a certain W G Kennedy joined the Lodge, and as he has already said, you Jimmy officiated at his second and third degrees.
It seems unfair that you have to take the blame for that Jimmy - but you are allowed one mistake in 63 years!
In 1961 you were invited to take the chair to initiate your own son Bro William Brian Mather, and later that year you again took the chair to raise him to the High and Sublime Degree. Those must have been proud and emotional nights for you.

1960/61 you took on the office of Depute Master to Bro John Gladstone. From 1962 for the next ten years you were Lodge Secretary. At the same time you also held the office of  Lodge 262 Steward at PGL, and in 1976 took a Provincial commission as Provincial Grand Secretary.
As if that was not enough, in 1972 you also took on the job of Grand Steward, representing this Province for a total of 18 years, becoming President of the Board of Grand Stewards in 1990. An interesting fact about this Brethren, Jimmy was followed into the post of Grand Steward by his good friend Bro W G Kennedy. This means that The Galashiels Lodge has provided the Grand Steward from this province for 33 continuous years. I think that may be something of a record as well.

During this time you still continued to work for and support Lodge 262, till in 1980 you again took the post of Deputy Master to Bro Andrew Cameron. Every year from then until 2002 you were either Depute Or Substitute Master. Indeed I was honoured when you agreed to be my own Depute when I took the chair in 2000/2001.

Unfortunately recently your health prevented you from taking such an active role, but even so you are still an enthusiastic and regular attender both to this Lodge and also to PGL and Grand Lodge.
We all hope you enjoy this evening Jimmy.  Having spoken to various people I am led to believe this may very well be the first such celebration of its kind within the Scottish Craft. I have written to Grand Lodge to ask if they can give some clarification on this claim and await their answer with interest.
Bill Batten at Victoria Regalia who designed the special medal which was presented to you earlier, said he had never heard of such an event having ever taken place before. If it does turn out to be a first it could not have happened to amore deserving Brother. A unique occasion for a unique man.
Jimmy, Lodge 262 would just not be Lodge 262 without you. We wish you health and strength to keep coming among us for many more years yet. 

Brethren - Would you please be upstanding and join with me in drinking a bumper toast.
I give you Brother James William Renton Mather, Past Master of The Galashiels Lodge No 262.

Brother Jock Blackie - Past Master The Galashiels Lodge No 262   10/2/2006

----

Address to Jimmy Mather

Brethren I give you Bro J W R Mather P M  

What a man. (Speech By Bro. A.J. Marshall RWPGM)

Brother Jimmy, Tonight is a time of great celebration and it is a delight to see you having completed 50 years active service since being installed into the chair of this fine lodge way back in the mists of time. December 1955 to be exact.
Recently you have had a scare with your health, but as we have seen downstairs you are completely back on song. That was a wonderful display of how to work a First Degree; a master in his prime would be proud to say he had run a meeting as well as that.
Brother James William Renton Mather, a contemporary of my late father and a close family friend for many years. You sir, have given me great support and encouragement throughout my Masonic career and I am not ashamed to admit it. Without the support of yourself and my father there is no way I would have achieved the high office I now hold.
I am only one of a great many young masons who have benefited from the support and advice that only a Brother of your experience can give. So it is with great pleasure that I rise to pay tribute to you on this very special night for you.

How do you quantify the time effort and commitment a man such as yourself has give to PGL and indeed to Grand Lodge.
You first began your Provincial Career in 1948, when you took on the office as The Galashiels Lodge representative on the list of PGL stewards.  After serving The Galashiels Lodge as Master you then started to progress in the PGL ranks and were so highly regarded that in 1976 The PWPGM asked you to become one of his Commission - a request you readily agreed to, taking up the post of Provincial Grand Secretary. Incidentally the Galashiels Lodge would not have a representative on the PGL commission again until this year when Bro Jock Blackie took the same office.
Since then you have faithfully served another six PGL Masters.
In 1972 during the Commission of Bro George Mitchell you were indented into the Board of Grand Stewards, a post you held for 18 years until 1990 when having been President of the Board of Grand Stewards you were then retired. You were succeeded in this post by Bro W G Kennedy who still holds the office to this day.

Bro Jimmy you have just about every honour it is possible to attain in the craft;
Distinguished Service to the Galashiels Lodge, a Jubilee Certificate and now a Special Jubilee Medal in recognition of your unbelievable commitment to your Mother Lodge and to the Craft in general. You also hold Honorary Grand Rank of  Honorary Grand Assistant Secretary, conferred on you on 24th November 1990, having been honoured by Bro James B Wilson, the RWPGM of that time in recognition of outstanding service. Aye if only every lodge had a Jimmy Mather in its ranks, The Craft would be in a much healthier state today.

My father used to reckon that you Bro Jimmy were one of the big three in 262 the others being Bro Bob McMorran and Bro Bob Anderson who travelled many a mile and spent many a night representing and promoting 262 and this province all over the country.

Finally Bro Jimmy, from all the surviving RWPGM's, myself, Ted Keeper, Jim Brown, Jim Wilson and Jimmy Dalgleish, Thank you for your support, your friendship and your company over many years. Your commitment to the Craft is beyond compare, as the current RWPGM I speak for everyone in the Province when I say we wish you everything you wish yourself, may you have good health and strength to come among us and enjoy your Freemasonry for many many more years to come.     

Brethren:-  Please Join Me In A Toast,

To Bro Jimmy Mather:   Thank you for your membership and commitment to The Provincial Grand Lodge of Roxburgh Peebles and Selkirk Shires and The Grand Lodge of Scotland.

The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of  Roxburgh, Peebles and Selkirk Shires, Bro Allan J Marshall.
10th February 2006. 
The Volunteer Hall, Galashiels

Great thanks go to Brother Jock Blackie PM for kindly providing the transcripts of the above.