Lodge Renfrew
County Kilwinning is really the resurrected body of an earlier
lapsed Lodge, Renfrew County Kilwinning, which was itself a
continuation of Lodge Paisley Kilwinning. The minute books, the
Bible and some of the Jewels of those earlier Lodges are still
in our possession, therefore the history of Lodge Renfrew County
Kilwinning covers the period of; Paisley Kilwinning, 1749 to
1755, continued as Renfrew County Kilwinning 1755 to 1805; and
Renfrew County Kilwinning 1855 to the present time.
In 2005, L.R.C.K. celebrated its 250/150 anniversary
of its existence and a rededication ceremony of the Lodge was held in the Temple of Union and Crown 307 followed by a
celebration dinner.
The Lodge over the
years has had many meeting places, but Paisley Town Hall is
where most brethren associate our Lodge with, unfortunately we
had to vacate the Town Hall due to an increase in rent, which
the Lodge felt they could no longer sustain. It was with
regret we therefore vacated the Town Hall a place where we had
held our meetings for ninety-six years.
The Lodge has now
settled into the Temple at Maxwellton Street, Paisley with the
other sister Lodges in the Town and is growing in strength, as
we are now more able to use our funds in a more appropriate
manner such as raising £2,000 for the Beatson Oncology Clinic
during the session 2003.
The Lodge meets on
the second and fourth Thursday of each month (September to
April), with the Installation being held on the first Thursday
of December and the Mark Degree on the first Thursday of May.
One of the
ceremonies held by the Lodge is an 'In Memoriam Service', which
is held on the first Thursday in March, where we remember the
Brethren who have passed to the Grand Lodge above. This
service is well worth attending as we are one of the few Lodges
in the Province who Mark the passing of their Brethren in such a
manner.
Visitations, the
life-blood of Freemasonry, our Lodge actively carries out
degrees in our sister Lodges and they in return reciprocate.
We have an annual visit to The Lodge of Arundel No 5822 in the
English Constitution and they in turn visit our Installation and
have done so for over 25 years.
The highlight of
our social calendar and the mainstay of our fund raising is our
Sportsman’s Dinner, which is held in the Paisley Town Hall and
is usually sold out immediately after the Dinner.
The Lodge has a
varied and very historic past associated with the Town of
Paisley and throughout Renfrewshire, with many notable names
listed as past and present members of the Lodge and if anyone is
interested in its history, two books can be read at the
reference Library in Paisley which will give the historian a
better insight of our Lodge.
The books are; An
Eighteenth Century Lodge in Paisley, by Norman M. MacKean, P.M.
370 and History of Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning No. 370, by
J. Watt Tait, P.M. 370.
The Lodge continues
to make Masonic History and is proud of the fact we gave the
Province of Renfrewshire East, a Provincial Grand Master in the
person of Bro. Alexander G. Hutton P.M. 370, who is still
actively involved in our Lodge meetings.
Like all other
Lodges, we take great pride in being members of this great
fraternity, and are equally proud of being members of a Lodge
with such a wealth of history and tradition behind it.
Anyone interested in obtaining
more details of our Lodge should contact the Secretary at
secretary@rck370.org
