A Brief History of The Celtic Lodge of Edinburgh & Leith 291 (You can view a full history of The Lodge HERE)
The Celtic Lodge 291 from the East
The Celtic Lodge was conceived in 1821 in the house of Alexander Stewart, 188 Cowgate, Edinburgh. The petitioners for a charter being actuated by a strong desire, which they trusted was a powerful motive in the breast of every Scotsman, “to promote the manufacture of the tartan of their native land and encourage the wearing of the ancient costume of their country.”
For this reason one of the Bye-laws of the Lodge was to be that – “all members should be clothed at their own expense in the Royal Tartan in honour of their Celtic forefathers, who wore their tartan at Church and on the battlefield.” The expense so caused was no trifle, as the fine display, so often noted in the minutes, appears to have been obtained at an individual cost of £40 or £50.
For many years the kilted Lodge, escorted by its pipers, and headed usually by some of its military members, was a prominent object in every public Masonic ceremonial, and the enthusiasm of its members for everything national was unbounded.
The godmothers of the Celtic Lodge were Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2 and Lodge Canongate and Leith No. 5, both of whom - not withstanding the opposition of some other Lodges - recommended the petition, hence the use of Edinburgh and Leith in the title of the Lodge.
The first regular meeting took place in the Old Freemason’s Hall, which still exists in the Cowgate. At that meeting, the first to be entered, passed and raised, in the Lodge, was “Alexander Stewart, Spirit Merchant”, a respectable highlander of the Stewart Clan, who at refreshment “liberally treated his brothers with a plentiful supply of sandwiches, Glenlivet Whisky and some bottles of wine.”
The regular meeting of the Lodge thereafter took place in the Freemason’s Hall on Tuesdays and Fridays, but Brother Stewart and his house in the Cowgate was also a popular resort as all private and committee meetings were fixed to take place there. The Bye-laws state that the Celtic Lodge took its rise in the Cowgate, the most ancient place in Edinburgh, except the Castle so it was only right that they should meet there as often as possible, and it helped that Brother Stewart had his house there and that he was so liberal with his Highland Whisky and good food.
For this reason one of the Bye-laws of the Lodge was to be that – “all members should be clothed at their own expense in the Royal Tartan in honour of their Celtic forefathers, who wore their tartan at Church and on the battlefield.” The expense so caused was no trifle, as the fine display, so often noted in the minutes, appears to have been obtained at an individual cost of £40 or £50.
For many years the kilted Lodge, escorted by its pipers, and headed usually by some of its military members, was a prominent object in every public Masonic ceremonial, and the enthusiasm of its members for everything national was unbounded.
The godmothers of the Celtic Lodge were Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2 and Lodge Canongate and Leith No. 5, both of whom - not withstanding the opposition of some other Lodges - recommended the petition, hence the use of Edinburgh and Leith in the title of the Lodge.
The first regular meeting took place in the Old Freemason’s Hall, which still exists in the Cowgate. At that meeting, the first to be entered, passed and raised, in the Lodge, was “Alexander Stewart, Spirit Merchant”, a respectable highlander of the Stewart Clan, who at refreshment “liberally treated his brothers with a plentiful supply of sandwiches, Glenlivet Whisky and some bottles of wine.”
The regular meeting of the Lodge thereafter took place in the Freemason’s Hall on Tuesdays and Fridays, but Brother Stewart and his house in the Cowgate was also a popular resort as all private and committee meetings were fixed to take place there. The Bye-laws state that the Celtic Lodge took its rise in the Cowgate, the most ancient place in Edinburgh, except the Castle so it was only right that they should meet there as often as possible, and it helped that Brother Stewart had his house there and that he was so liberal with his Highland Whisky and good food.
The Celtic Lodge 291 from the West
For five years during its early history the Lodge met in the Masonic Temple in Brodie’s Close, Lawnmarket. This was the house once occupied by Deacon Brodie which had been made into a Masonic Temple by the Roman Eagle Lodge. The Celtic Lodge were very happy in these premises, but circumstances made them move on.
For the next twenty years the Lodge met in many places, they were quite itinerant in their movements about the town and most of the places they did meet were either inns or hotels until eventually at a suggestion of Grand Lodge in 1891, it moved to George Street. During this period the buildings in Brodie’s Close became vacant and allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
The Celtic Lodge was always a happy Lodge with a great number of friends both at home and abroad. They had visited more than most Lodges throughout the length and breadth of Scotland and all Lodges looked forward to a visit by their Celtic Brethren, dressed in their highland outfits and led by pipers. But being Celts they also had a dour side to their nature.
In 1891 a division arose about the arrangements for the Lodge's Annual Ball, neither side could see their way to cede the point and it is recorded that by a majority of four that the Lodge would cease to function and that they would all part as good friends as usual.
The Celtic Lodge was suspended by Grand Lodge over a dispute between the Lodge and Lodge Dramatic and Arts 757 and reponed in 20th January 1921 with the same flamboyant spirit as their forefathers and are a welcome and honoured member of the Masonic family in Edinburgh. (More information in the Lodge ARCHIVE).
The Lodge met in the Canongate, their landlord being their old friend, the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2. But the brethren wanted premises of their own and were on the lookout for something suitable but their thoughts were forever turning towards the Lawnmarket and Deacon Brodie’s Close.
In 1945 their long search came to an end and they were able to purchase Deacon Brodie’s Close from the Town and Gown Society who were unable to make use of the premises because of the cost of refurbishing them. The fight was then on to raise funds to restore the building to its former glory, to reclaim all the artistic treasures that the building contained and to make a permanent home for the Lodge that would make the brethren proud of their heritage and a joy for visiting brethren to visit and be entertained and primarily to restore to what has been acclaimed as “a bright jewel in the Crown of the Royal Mile”.
For many years the Brethren, their ladies and their friends held dances, whist drives, jumble sales, coffee nights, get togethers and raffles to raise funds for the restoration work. Eventually work started and soon they saw the fruitation of all their labours. On Tuesday 15th January, 1963 the Celtic Lodge were back in Brodie’s Close, to the premises they last used a hundred and forty years previously.
You can read about the 50th Anniversary of the move to Brodie's Close HERE.
For the next twenty years the Lodge met in many places, they were quite itinerant in their movements about the town and most of the places they did meet were either inns or hotels until eventually at a suggestion of Grand Lodge in 1891, it moved to George Street. During this period the buildings in Brodie’s Close became vacant and allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
The Celtic Lodge was always a happy Lodge with a great number of friends both at home and abroad. They had visited more than most Lodges throughout the length and breadth of Scotland and all Lodges looked forward to a visit by their Celtic Brethren, dressed in their highland outfits and led by pipers. But being Celts they also had a dour side to their nature.
In 1891 a division arose about the arrangements for the Lodge's Annual Ball, neither side could see their way to cede the point and it is recorded that by a majority of four that the Lodge would cease to function and that they would all part as good friends as usual.
The Celtic Lodge was suspended by Grand Lodge over a dispute between the Lodge and Lodge Dramatic and Arts 757 and reponed in 20th January 1921 with the same flamboyant spirit as their forefathers and are a welcome and honoured member of the Masonic family in Edinburgh. (More information in the Lodge ARCHIVE).
The Lodge met in the Canongate, their landlord being their old friend, the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2. But the brethren wanted premises of their own and were on the lookout for something suitable but their thoughts were forever turning towards the Lawnmarket and Deacon Brodie’s Close.
In 1945 their long search came to an end and they were able to purchase Deacon Brodie’s Close from the Town and Gown Society who were unable to make use of the premises because of the cost of refurbishing them. The fight was then on to raise funds to restore the building to its former glory, to reclaim all the artistic treasures that the building contained and to make a permanent home for the Lodge that would make the brethren proud of their heritage and a joy for visiting brethren to visit and be entertained and primarily to restore to what has been acclaimed as “a bright jewel in the Crown of the Royal Mile”.
For many years the Brethren, their ladies and their friends held dances, whist drives, jumble sales, coffee nights, get togethers and raffles to raise funds for the restoration work. Eventually work started and soon they saw the fruitation of all their labours. On Tuesday 15th January, 1963 the Celtic Lodge were back in Brodie’s Close, to the premises they last used a hundred and forty years previously.
You can read about the 50th Anniversary of the move to Brodie's Close HERE.