Lodge History

On Wednesday,  6th February, 1924 twenty three Brethren assembled in Brookville Masonic Hall, Antrim Road Belfast for the Constitution and Dedication of Glandore Masonic Lodge No 551.  The ceremony was conducted by the then Provincial Grand Master of the R. W.  Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, R. W. Bro. J. H. Sterling who installed W. Bro. Rev. Samuel Cochrane, B.A., R.N. (Hon.), as the first Worshipful Master.

The first Candidates to be initiated in the Lodge where Bro. John Archer, Bro. George A. Dawson, and  Bro. Gabriele W. C. Porte, all initiated 14th April 1924. The fourth initiate was W. Bro. George N. Chalmers, 19 June 1924, who became the first initiated member to reach the office of Worshipful Master in 1931 and who also served as Director of Ceremonies.  The fifth was W. Bro F. B. McMordie, initiated 19 June 1924, who later served for tens years as Treasurer.

The initiation fee in 1924 was £7 7 0 and the dues 7/6 per quarter.

Membership

After 3 years, membership of Glandore had risen to forty-six and records show that after tens years membership had risen to a total of sixty-nine. By the time of the Lodges Silver jubilee in 1949, the membership had risen to one hundred and ten.  It peaked in 1962 at one hundred and nineteen and has since through the related influences of the Northern Ireland troubles and demographic changes, fallen to it present figure of 48.  The membership however continue to support the Lodge both at our regular communications and the Board meetings which are held one week prior to Lodge meeting.

Retired Brethren Fund

In 1970 Glandore Lodge with the permission of The Grand Lodge of  Ireland set up a ‘Retired Brethren’ fund, the sole purpose of which is to insure that no Brother of Glandore need resign when he retires from employment because of limited means.  The fund was devised and set up by the then Treasurer W. Bro. J. L. Brown and today it still enables all retired Brethren will at least 10 years qualifying membership to enjoy a lower rate of dues.