The first reference to obtaining a Charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland is recorded in the beginning of the second book on 30th November 1753, St. Andrew’s Day. At this meeting there were two intrants, Thomas Davidson, surgeon, in Kelso, and Thomas Frazer, merchant in Kelso. After the initiation, the following letter from Grand Lodge, addressed to the Master, Brother David Robertson, was read,
“Sir, Agreeable to your Desire have inclosed, sent you a note of the whole Expence of a Patent of Confirmation from the Grand Lodge, had yours been a. Lodge of short standing the Fees would have been above Three pounds Sterl., there is no other Expence your Lodge is putt too, except half a Crown for inrolling every new Brother in the Lodges Books and that we make them pay when they enter, and setle with the Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication before St. Andrew’s day—pays up the money for what Entrants we have had and getts their names inrolled. If your Lodge agrees you are to send me a nott who is the Master and Wardens and a list of your whole members, who will be inrolled in the Grand Lodge books for £1. 13. 10. Offer my compliments to Mrs Robertson and am,
Sir
Your most obet St
John Fisk”
At the meeting of the 28th of December, 1753, James Lidderdale was chosen as Master. It was also agreed at that meeting,
“…the Lodge authorised the Treasurer to pay out the expence of a Charter from the Grand Lodge to Mr. Lidderdale, the present Master, or any other member that may transact that matter.”
Accordingly, the charter was received in due course, and bears the date, “the sixth day of February, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four years,” Charles Hamilton Gordon, Esq., being the Most Worshipful Grand Master.
Displayed above is the original Charter of the Lodge of Kelso, issued by the Grand Lodge on 6th February 1754. Our earliest recorded minute dates back to 27th December 1701, during which time the Lodge operated independently of the Grand Lodge. Although no number appears on the Charter itself, the number “58” has always been associated with the Lodge. The full transcription is provided below.
Vernon states in this book “The History Of Freemasonry In The Province of Roxburgh, Peebles and Selkirkshires, From 1674 To The Present Time” that there was a document belonging to the Lodge (This document no longer exsists today) headed thus
“Roll of the Honble Lodge of Massons in Kelso – taken the 18th Janry 1754 according to Seniority in order to be presented to the Grand Lodge Scotland to obtain a “Charter of Confirmation.”
Then follows the list of office-hearers as under,
James Litherdale, Esqre., collector of his Majesties Excise Decr 27th 1736
George Wood, Baxter, Depute Master Jany 22 1743
Walter Anderson, Mercht Senior Warden Novr 30th 1744
John Stewart, Surgeon Junior Warden Novr 30 1743
Thomas Potts Shirref Clerk of Roxburghshire Treasurer Decr 21 1747
William Cockburn Mercht Secretary Decr 26th 1747
Then there is a list of the other sixty-five, making seventy-one in all upon the roll at the time of applying for the charter. The rest are carefully arranged according to seniority, thus,
Robert Pringle of Clifton Esqre Jany 20th 1704
Robert Mather Mason Decr 27th 1704
James Mein Mason Decr 27th 1700
Robert Fairington Mason Decr 27th 1711
Alexander Sloan Sclatter Decr 27th 1716
William Ramsay of Templehall Esqre Decr 27th 1725″
Vernon noted that of the twelve above names, there were but three operative masons. And out of 71 names on the roll, less than a third. There were ten country gentlemen, thirteen professional gentlemen, eight merchants, several farmers, wrights, brewers, distillers and others not connected in any way with operative Masonry, showing the strong spectulative element in the Lodge at this comparitively early date.
There is nothing more said about the Charter after this minute. A year later the Lodge had 76 members – the envy of any modern-day Lodge. Brother James Lidderdale went on to become the Provincial Grand Master of Roxburgh and Peebles and the Lodge continued to flourish. As the need for skilled masons declined Mason’s Lodges started admitting more Speculative Masons or Non-operative Masons. These new members were the landed gentry of the time and we see the formation of Freemasonry as we know today. The Lodge became a society for benevolence and spiritual enlightenment and no longer a Trades Guild. They were the shakers and movers of society, the people who had power or influence.
By 1844 the Lodge’s influence waned and it went into dormancy only to be revived 34 years later in 1878 by Brother W. Fred Vernon, Master of the Tweed Lodge of Kelso. Brother Vernon went on the become Master of the old Kelso Lodge and was the only member to have been Master of both Kelso Lodges.
Displayed above is a copy of the Charter of the Tweed Lodge of Kelso No. 261, issued by the Grand Lodge on 5th August 1816. The original was returned to the Grand Lodge following the Amalgamation in 2011. The full transcription is provided below.
WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH
Friday 9th May 2025 – Special Meeting
Kelso Lodge Rooms, Tyle 7.00pm:
Business:
Kelso & Tweed working a 3rd Degree for Lodge St John Jedburgh 104.
Fund raising night for our Local Charities
View our Calendar of Meetings
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Websmaster: TJ Slater
