|
Provincial Grand Lodge to Daughter Lodges have come to be known in Cadder Argyle.
An excellent Degree Ceremony was thereafter carried out by the Master and Brethren of The Athole Lodge No. 384, and the newest Fellowcraft took his place in the South-East Corner of the Lodge to witness the remainder of the business.
The Master, Brother Charles Blades, then requested the Director of Ceremonies to carry out his special duty. Brother William Cairns was presented in the West of the Lodge where the Master commented that it was unusual for Brother Cairns not to be in the know about what was happening in the Lodge, and thereafter asked the Secretary to read the following tribute:
Brother William Hugh Cairns, Past Master
Honorary Depute Provincial Grand Master.
Past Substitute Provincial Grand Master
There is no record of whether the young Billy Cairns attended the Lodge Christmas parties as a wean, so the first record we have of him is his attendance at the Enquiry Meeting of January 1968, one of 10 applicants being interviewed.
Having been accepted for Membership, he was Initiated on 19th March 1968 at the hands of Lodge Cadder Argyle, Passed Fellowcraft on 4th April by Lodge Shalom 1600, and Raised a Master Mason on 2nd May, once again by the Brethren of 147.
It was not long before he took Office. In December 1968 he was Installed into the post of Supplementary Steward. Senior Offices followed more slowly than they do now:
1969, Director of Music; 1970, Jeweller; 1971, Architect; 1972, Director of Ceremonies; 1973, Junior Chaplain; 1974, Inner Guard; 1975 Junior Deacon; 1976, Senior Deacon; 1977, Senior Warden; and finally on 16th December 1978, he was Installed into the Chair of his Mother Lodge by the Installing Masters, Brother Bobby Seggie and Brother John Shearer.
It should be noted that our current Master, Brother Blades, was Installed on this night as Supplementary Steward, and then took 28 years to reach the Chair.
His meticulous floorwork was renowned, and he was soon called upon to carry out the Installation Ceremony, Installing the Master, Brother Halley, in 1980, and subsequently over the following 26 years Installing 5 Masters and the Office bearers on 3 occasions.
In his capacity as a Quantity Surveyor, his expertise was called upon many times during his spell on the Management Committee and Fabric Committee which lasted from 1976 to date. On one occasion in 1977 he was asked to investigate the crack in the rear gable wall of the building. The report should be available for the next Management Committee Meeting on 21st August.
He was always keen to do well for the Lodge, and accepted the office of Treasurer in 1985, a post he held for 11 years. During this period, the Lodge became known as Billy’s Lodge. It still is. A further 11 years later he is still assisting the current Treasurer.
Not long after leaving the Chair he was elected as Provincial Grand Lodge Management Committee Representative.
He must have displayed some outstanding abilities at their Meetings, and it was in 1988 that the Provincial Grand Master, Brother Alan McWhannell, commissioned him as a Substitute Provincial Grand Master. He must have carried out a good job during that 5 year term, as once again in 1993 he was Substitute for the Provincial Grand Master, Brother James Dunbar.
Ten years was enough, and he was not able to serve during Brother Williamson’s term as PGM, however on 18th December 1999, Brother James Williamson conferred on him the rank of Honorary Depute Provincial Grand Master. The PG Secretary that evening who read the letter of appointment from the Grand Lodge of Scotland was Brother Tom Leckenby, now Provincial Grand Master, who has accepted the invitation to be here tonight accompanied by his Past Provincial Grand Masters.
That, Right Worshipful Master, is a short narrative of the Masonic history of the Brother now standing before us, whom I now leave in your hands for further advancement.
|
