Freemasonry - A little history

    The Grand Lodge of Scotland (GLOS) Museum and Library contains a most unusual archive with records from 1598. The names of Freemasons from that date are recorded from that time although not in a comprehensive way until 1736 when membership records for all of Scotland's Lodges exist from then to the present day. The first Freemason in America was a guy from Aberdeen in 1680. Paul Revere was a member (in fact Secretary and Master) of a Scottish Lodge in Boston Mass. John Paul Jones was a Mason in a Lodge in Kirkcudbright, George Washington brought stonemasons (who were members of Masonic Lodge) to the USA to build the White House. At least two Scottish Freemasons married native Americans and became head of their adopted tribe (the clan - tribe similarities together with the oral tradition on which Scottish Freemasonry is based has not been explored). One of them negotiated a treaty directly with George Washington because they were both Freemasons! The list of such stuff is pretty lengthy. There is heaps more of a similar kind. Scottish Freemasonry is mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records and on their Website as having the oldest Masonic Lodges in the world. That means that Freemasonry originated in Scotland and of course we, and all Scots should be, very proud of that fact.

    Lodge Kuwait Caledonian, was founded on 5th May 1960 and met in Mina-al-Ahmadi. The Lodge's regalia was Royal Blue & White with Caledonia Tartan. Unfortunately the Lodge exists no longer. It is a funny thing about Scottish Freemasonry that there are more Scottish Lodges overseas than here in Scotland. From Chile, Canada, Australia, Korea, Japan, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Sri Lanka, Fiji, to Brussels there are Scottish Lodges. This brief list does not include Lodges which were once Scottish in places such as all the older US states, all the Commonwealth countries etc. Scottish Freemasonry spreads Scottish history and culture all over the world for many of them hold Burns Suppers, St Andrew's nights and Scottish dance classes etc. I have a very good friend in Phoenix, Arizona who my wife and I visit every couple of years. His Lodge now holds an annual Burns Supper that is a sell out every year and his Lodge can seat 300 people! 

from a conversation with Robert L. D. Cooper, Curator, the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library.

Scottish Freemasonry is now officially recognized as being the oldest in the world and is now recorded as a Guinness World Record.

Aitchison’s Haven, a Masonic lodge in Musselburgh, Scotland, has the oldest written records, dating back to January 9, 1599. It ceased to exist in 1856.

Mary's Chapel lodge in Edinburgh is the oldest Masonic lodge still in existence.

See also the Grand Lodge of Scotland Website at www.grandlodgescotland.com