Lodge History Wemyss 777
A meeting of Freemasons resident in the district of Wemyss who were favourable to the formation of a Lodge in the district was held in the Parochial Board office in East Wemyss on 26th April 1890 at 7pm
Present at that meeting were Bros A Crookston, C L Ward, W G Robertson, W Ness, A McDonald, R Adamson, J Galloway, A Adamson, J Cassels, T Dennard, J Hill, J Hardie, and J Dawson. Bro Crookston took the chair and stated that Bro Wemyss of Wemyss castle was in favour of the proposal that a Masonic Lodge be formed in West Wemyss. It was agreed to apply to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a charter and to name the Lodge Wemyss and to hold the meetings in West Wemyss.
The following office bearers were elected.
RWM Bro Randolph G E Wemyss
DM Bro A Crookston
SM Bro J Anderson
WSW Bro C L Ward
WJW Bro T Dennard
Secretary Bro W Ness
Treasurer Bro W G Robertson
SD Bro A Adamson
JD Bro J Hill
IG Bro J Dawson
Tyler Bro A McDonald
The charter for Lodge Wemyss, West Wemyss was granted on 7th August 1890 and bore the coveted number 777. Until a proper Lodge building was obtained, the meetings were held in the Dorothy school at West Wemyss. At a meeting on 4th September 1890, Bro C L Ward presented the Lodge with a silver square and compasses and Bro J Galloway provided a bible. Bro Wemyss agreed to provide all paraphenalia required to set up the Lodge, the colours of which would be dark blue.
On 25th September 1890 RWM Bro Randolph Gordon Erskine Wemyss was in the chair. He had been a member of Lodge Oswald of Dunnikier since 1888 and that night 8 gentlemen were initiated into the Lodge. As a mark of esteem and as a measure of thanks for the way he had treated the Lodge, the brethren presented Bro Wemyss with a full set of regalia. Bro Wemyss announced that he intended to pay for the conversion of the old church in West Wemyss to be used as the Lodge building. The consecration of the Lodge was held on 11th June 1892.
The brethren left the Lodge at 2pm in a procession behind Methilhill brass band. They marched through Coaltown of Wemyss where they met the Provincial Grand Lodge office bearers and the deputations from the Fifeshire Lodges. The procession then returned to the Lodge by way of East Wemyss and Wemyss castle where the above photograph was taken.
Our first RWM Bro Randolph G E Wemyss was born in Wemyss castle on 11th July 1858 and he was the eldest son of James Hay Erskine Wemyss and Augusta Millicent Anne Mary Kennedy Erskine, youngest daughter of the Honourable John Kennedy Erskine of Dun in the county of Forfar and his wife Lady Augusta Fitzclarence. Bro James Hay Erskine Wemyss was Master of Lodge Kirkcaldie 72 in 1853.