History of the Province

The Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Lanarkshire Middle Ward was constituted and erected at Hamilton, within the Royal Hotel, on the 29th day of April 1878, and included under its jurisdiction three Subordinate Chapters, viz. ‘Robert Burns’ No. 143, ‘Bothwell’ No. 170, and ‘Hamilton’ No. 172.

The following is an extract from the minutes of the provincial Grand Chapter of Lanarkshire dated 22nd July 1878:

“The Committee in terms of Cap. X, Section 8, ordered a meeting of said Provincial Grand Chapter of Lanarkshire to be held in Glasgow on the 22nd inst. At their usual place of meeting and hour for the purpose of reporting to the Supreme Grand Chapter upon the petitions for establishing a Provincial Grand Chapter for the Middle Ward of Lanarkshire in terms of the remit from the last meeting of Supreme Grand Chapter.”

“The meeting then carefully considered the petitions remitted from the Supreme Grand Chapter from Chapters “Robert Burns”, “Bothwell”, and “Hamilton” for the establishing of a Provincial Grand Chapter for the Middle Ward of Lanarkshire.”

It was moved by Companion Thomas M. Campbell and seconded by Companion James Duthie, that the prayer of the petitioners be granted. Companion George W. Donald moved as an amendment, seconded by Companion William Pitt that we do not recommend to the Supreme Grand Chapter the disjunction of those Chapters from the Province and that the prayer of the petitioners be not granted. On the vote being taken, those voted for the motion 10, and for the amendment 4, the motion granting the prayer of the petitioners was therefore declared carried.

Lt. Col. John Clark Forrest of Auchinraith
Lt. Col. John Clark Forrest of Auchinraith

Past Grand Superintendents

  • 1878—1892             Lt. Col. John Clark Forrest
  • 1892—1920             Lt. Col. Sir Robert King Stewart
  • 1920—1926             Lt. Col. Peter Spence (Died in Office Sept 1926)
  • 1927—1930             John Stirling
  • 1930—1934             Cuthbert Robson Larkman
  • 1934—1944             David White Brown
  • 1944—1948             Robert S. Anderson (Died in Office April 1948)
  • 1948—1951             James F. Taylor (Died in Office Dec 1951)
  • 1952—1956             Alexander Thompson
  • 1956—1961             John Snedden (Died in Office Jan 1961)
  • 1961—1971             William Service
  • 1971—1976             James Boslem
  • 1976—1981             James S. K. Wright
  • 1981—1986             James Burgess
  • 1986—1991             Edward Feeney
  • 1991—1996             George Simpson
  • 1996—2001             John Weir
  • 2001—2006             Peter Greenan
  • 2006—2011             James G. Turnbull
  • 2011—2016             David W. McMorris
  • 2016—2021             Alexander R. Brown

Past Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra

  • 1878-1896             William McMurdo
  • 1896-1913             William W. Snedden
  • 1913-1916             John Stirling
  • 1916-1930             Cuthbert Robson Larkman
  • 1930-1946             Thomas S. Galbraith
  • 1946-1948             John McCulloch
  • 1948-1952             Reginald J. Haynes
  • 1952-1958             Samuel McCrackan
  • 1958-1959             James M. Fleming
  • 1959-1965             James S. K. Wright
  • 1965-1971             Malcolm Speirs
  • 1971-1976             Thomas Lowe
  • 1976-1978             George N. E. Wilson
  • 1978-1981             Alexander L. B. Fraser
  • 1981-1991             George J. Smith
  • 1991-1998             Thomas Wilson
  • 1998-2001             James P. Watt
  • 2001-2006             James G. Turnbull
  • 2006-2011             Pringle Johnstone
  • 2011-2016             Gordon Mather
  • 2016-2021             Allan Duffy