The Glasgow Province with some titular changes traces its origin back to the appointment on 7th February 1739 of Alexander Drummond, Master of Lodge Greenock Kilwinning No.12 as Provincial Grand Master over the "Western Counties".

The Commission details those as Argyll, Clydesdale, Dumbarton, Renfrew and Stirling. The title of P.G.M. is, no doubt, derived from English practice where it had been introduced some 15 years earlier.

ALEXANDER DRUMMOND

Taken from an engraving in "Letters of Alexander Drummond, H.M. Consul at Allepo and his travels etc., - a long title, 1754, the book was commissioned by George Drummond 6 times Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1752-53 and edited by Tobias Smollett.

The conception of such office, i.e. the devolution of powers and duties of Superintendence from the centre to the regions was not new in Scottish Masonry as we learn from the Minutes of Mother Kilwinning that Quarter Masters were appointed as far back as 1643, not only for the divisions of Cunningham, Kyle and Carrick, but on one occasion at least for the Quarters of Inchinnan and Dumbarton, Renfrew with Paisley. As Murray Lyon says however, as regards the latter four Quarters, the influence of Kilwinning was little more than nominal.

Alexander Drummond speedily set about his duties and the Minutes of Glasgow Kilwinning No.4 show that he visited that Lodge on 6th March 1739. This was the first official visit by a Provincial Grand Master to a Scottish Lodge. He also visited St. John, Kirkintilloch, No.28 on 6th February 1740, Inverness No.6 in April 1739 and Dumbarton No.18 on 2nd May 1740.

From these sources we get a clear picture of the proceedings. The P.G.M. produced his Commission to the Lodge, took the Chair, and appointed his Wardens (usually the Lodge Wardens) and proceeded to examine the affairs of the Lodge and if in order, approve. He then interrogated the members in the "proper questions of Masonry", and if satisfied, congratulated them. The "proper questions" were, no doubt those of the Catechism which was then the usual method of Instruction as we know from the Catechisms which are still extant.

In addition to these visits, Drummond was largely responsible for the issuing of Grand Lodge Charters to the old Lodges of Kirkintilloch No.28 and Kilsyth No.39. On his appointment as H.M. Consul in Aleppo he was appointed Provincial Grand Master over "The Countries in Europe & Asia bordering the Mediterranean Sea." Alexander Drummond was undoubtedly a most conscientious and active P.G.M. who without precedents to guide him, set an excellent example which alas was not followed by all his successors. Drummond returned to Scotland and took an active part in Masonic affairs becoming Master of Canongate Kilwinning No.2 and in 1760 was deputed by the Grand Master to lay the Foundation Stone of St. Bernard's Well in Edinburgh. On the 30th day of November 1747 the day that Alexander Drummond was appointed P.G.M of the Mediterranean countries, his successor Robert Mollison, Collector of Excise at Ayr was appointed over the Lodges of Kilwinning, Glasgow St. Mungo, Hamilton, Dumbarton, Greenock, Lesmahagow, Lanark, Glasgow Kilwinning, Kirkintilloch, Coltness, and Inverary.

Mollison was initiated at an "Outfield Lodge" at Neilston by a deputation from Mother Kilwinning, (as was the minister Alexander Clark of that parish). At his appointment, Mollison was Deputy Master of Mother Kilwinning and then, as now, the chief administrator. On the face of it, it was an odd appointment as Mother Kilwinning had withdrawn from Grand Lodge in 1743, on the grounds that the Lodge of Edinburgh, Mary's Chapel had been placed before her on the Grand Lodge Roll.

Mollison, however had been passed and raised in Glasgow Kilwinning No.4 and was elected the first Senior Warden of that Lodge in 1735. Perhaps it was a diplomatic choice with the hope in view that Mollison would use his influence to bring Mother Kilwinning back into the fold. If so, it was in vain and another sixty years were to pass before it was successfully accomplished. During Mollison's role as P.G.M. so far as the Glasgow Province is concerned, the only items of interest were the creation of three new Lodges in Glasgow namely Glasgow Montrose in 1754, Argyle Glasgow and Royal Arch Glasgow in 1755.

There are no records of Glasgow Montrose Original No.70 available but we know from other sources that besides sponsoring (in the modern terminology) Argyle, Original No.76 and Royal Arch Original No.77 the Lodge remained active throughout the 18th Century and disappeared from the Grand Lodge Roll in 1837. All we know of the Royal Arch Lodge is that it had the distinction of having a Masonic song in its honour which appeared in most of the Masonic song books which were so popular then. The Argyle Lodge Glasgow Original No.76 became, in the first quarter of the 19th Century the most influential Lodge in the Province with a glittering membership of Lord Provosts and the Commercial Aristocracy of the day.

n the 2nd February 1756 Archibald Hamilton of Dalserf, Esquire was appointed Provincial Grand Master to the Lodges of Kirkintilloch, Glasgow Kilwinning, Glasgow St. Mungo, Argyle's Lodge Glasgow, Royal Arch Glasgow, Greenock, Hamilton and Lanark.

In the above Minute of Grand Lodge, the Grand Clerk by an obvious slip of the pen allocates Glasgow Montrose to the Province of Fife & Angus under John Cunningham, Younger of Balbougie, P.G. Master.

Archibald Hamilton of Dalserf, was by profession an Advocate and a member of a family descended by a cadet branch of the Ducal House of Hamilton. His Mother Lodge is not known, but his cousins and near neighbours Hamilton of Raploch and Hamilton of Dalyell were members of Hamilton Kilwinning No.7.

At the August meeting of Grand Lodge in 1757 a petition from David Somervill and others in Glasgow praying for a Charter under the name of St. Paul's Lodge was received and Grand Lodge appointed Bro. Archibald Hamilton, Provincial Grand Master of the District of Glasgow to make enquiry into the circumstances and report. On 14th May 1758 the certificates of Glasgow Montrose, Glasgow Royal Arch and Argyle's Lodge were produced and a Charter of Confirmation given to the St. Paul's Lodge, Glasgow. The Lodge changed its name 4 years later and is now Thistle and Rose No.73.

In 1762 Lodge Thistle No.87 was Chartered and in quick succession St. Marks 102 and Union & Crown 103 within a month of each other in 1766. These were followed by Partick St. Mary's 117 in 1769 preceded by St. David Original No.144 in 1768. Little is known of St. David, Glasgow which was removed from the Grand Lodge Roll in 1823.

At the Committee meeting of Grand Lodge on 3rd December 1768 "irregularities at the laying of the Foundation Stone of Jamaica Street bridge" were reported. The irregularities are not detailed. Dr. Gordon in his "Glasgow Facies" relates that Provost George Murdoch who laid the Foundation Stone as "acting Provincial Grand Master had not applied to Grand Lodge for its sanction and authority and was threatened with Masonic Censure." The Provost sent his apologies and two months later in February 1769 "George Murdoch late Provost of Glasgow" was appointed Provincial Grand Master over the Counties of Lenrick, Renfrew, Air, Dumbarton and Argyle!

When the new Provincial Grand Master took over he found eleven regular Glasgow Lodges in his Province. The following extract is taken from the Minutes of Grand Lodge, 11th February 1771 "Thereafter there was presented a Memorial from David Elliot late Master of St. Mungo's Lodge in Glasgow setting forth and complaining of certain irregularities committed in said Lodge at the election of a new Master and Officers for the present year and appealing from the sentence of a Provincial Grand Lodge held thereupon by order of the Most Worshipful George Murdoch Esq., Provincial Grand Master of the Western District as likewise Minutes of the St. Mungo Lodge and the said Provincial Grand Master together with the Mandates of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Most Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Western District the warrant extracted and attested by Claud Marshall, Provincial Grand Secretary."

This is the first time a Provincial Grand Lodge is mentioned since records began in 1736 as is the mention of a Provincial Grand Secretary. There are no records available of a Provincial Grand Lodge of the Western District assuming that there was one. There can be no doubt that the Provincial Grand Master had powers to appoint a Provincial Grand Secretary whenever he deemed it necessary. We would ask readers to suspend judgement in what a Provincial Grand Lodge was in 1771 for a short time until we come to consider the first codification of Grand Lodge Laws & Regulations in 1802.

It must be said that so far as the irregularities mentioned above are concerned it was a storm in a tea-cup and of no importance to us two hundred years later. It also must be said that the Minutes of St. Mungo's Lodge are absolutely clear and bear no traces of Provincial Grand Lodge involvement in any way nor amendment by the Provincial Grand Master. Grand Lodge upheld the appeal by David Elliot R.W.M.

On 19th December 1771 "upon reading a petition from John Kinniburgh and others residing in and about Shettleston near the city of Glasgow" a Charter was granted under the stile and title of Shettleston St. John. Some twenty years later in 1791 a Charter in favour of Lodge St. Patrick, Glasgow was granted and under this name flourished until 1863 when it adopted the title of Lodge Scotia No.178.

The Provincial Grand Master George Murdoch was in private life a chief partner in the "Great Brewerie" as it was called in Anderston. The firm was called Murdoch & Warroch, the latter being the practical brewer whose memorial remains today as Warroch Street which runs through the original site.

It has to be recorded that during his lengthy term of 26 years as Provincial Grand Master, Bro. Murdoch did not make a single report to Grand Lodge and in 1795 sent his letter of resignation to St. Mungo's No.27 in whose possession it still remains.

His successor was Andrew Houstoun of Jordanhill, Junior Grand Warden, appointed to rule over the "Western District." Usually described as "Banker," Andrew Houstoun was the chief partner in the great West Indian Trading firm of Alexander Houstoun & Co. which was also, with its fleet of ships, depots and harbours in the West Indies, the official agent and victualler to H.M. forces in the Caribbean. There is no record of Bro. Houstoun's resignation but we know that by 1804, the office was vacant and that on 4th February 1805 Sir John Stewart of Allanbank, Bart. was issued a Commission as Provincial Grand Master of the "Under Ward of Lanarkshire."

In the last years of the 18th Century the passing of the Secret Societies Act of 1799 imposed great responsibilities, not only upon Grand Lodge but also on the Daughter Lodges in so far that Annual returns of Members had to be made to the civil Authorities, and also affidavits that the Lodges were meeting all the requirements of the Act. Conscious of the fact that the lines of communication between Grand Lodge, the Provincial Grand Masters and the Daughter Lodges were not as efficient as they should be, Grand Lodge decided that:

1. That a comprehensive re-distribution of the provinces throughout Scotland should be made and suitable brethren appointed as Provincial Grand Masters.
2. A thorough revision of Grand Lodge Laws & Regulations should be undertaken along with the addition of any new Laws which the Standing Committee thought would meet the new conditions and redound to the Credit of the Craft.

The Committee lost no time and by November 1801 the letter to the Lodges on the re-organisation of the Provinces had been delivered. There had been some difficulty in appointing suitable P.G.M.'s. but this was finalised reasonably quickly within a year or two. The Instructions to the P.G.M.'s. contained additional new regulations namely:

1. That the Provincial Grand Master shall visit and assemble all the Lodges in his District at such fixed times and places as may be agreed by him and then in such central places as may best suit the attendance of the brethren fourteen days prior to the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge, if not four times, at least twice in every year giving due and proper notice.
2. That the Provincial Grand Lodge shall consist only of the Masters and Wardens who shall have no votes unless they produce their Annual Certificates.
3. The Provincial Grand Master shall ensure his Secretary or Clerk takes Minutes and transmits an extract to Grand Lodge specifying the names of the Lodges that hold regular meetings to Act of Parliament and also list of Lodges not meeting that they may be struck off.

These new Regulations quite clearly envisage a sort of embryonic Provincial Grand Lodge in which the Masters & Wardens representing their respective Lodges took part in making decisions regarding the affairs of the Province as another Regulation states that the Provincial Grand Masters when determining complaints shall convene the Masters & Wardens, lay the complaint before them and decide by a majority of votes. There is no indication however, that the embryonic Provincial Grand Lodge had any corporate existence independent of the Provincial Grand Master. The meeting was convened by him and there is no provision whatsoever for the election of Office-Bearers for the Provincial Lodge — even the Secretary was not Provincial Grand Secretary but the Provincial Grand Master's Secretary. The most vital omission in the new Laws& Regulations is the absence of any provision which would enable the rudimentary Provincial Grand Lodge to levy fees from its members and the Lodges in the Province and thus make itself viable. However Grand Lodge, with its own problem of arrears, was loath to grant such powers and did not do so until some forty years later. The new Laws & Regulations were duly passed by Grand Lodge in November 1802 and ordered to be "engrossed in the Minutes" and Bro. Alexander Lawrie (later Grand Secretary) was authorised to publish them in his history of Freemasonry 1804.

Sir John Stewart an initiate of Lodge St. Ebbe No.70 and at the time of his appointment as Provincial Grand Master of the Lower Ward in 1805 was the R.W.M. of the Lodge of Holyrood House No.44. He was an influential member of Grand Lodge and had served as Senior Grand Warden in 1788-9. He speedily got in touch with his Province and within six months had made two reports to Grand Lodge. In his first report he speaks of having made "his first visitation" and held a very numerous and brilliant Provincial Grand Lodge. In his second he complains of the difficulties he is having but does not specify what they were. From other indisputable sources we know that at least two Lodges in Glasgow had R.A. Chapters and Encampment of Kt. Templars attached to them and working under the name and number of the respective Lodges.

In 1806 Sir John laid the foundation stone of Nelson's Monument in Glasgow Green and a year later he was one of the chief negotiators on the Grand Lodge side, with William Inglis the Substitute Grand Master, which reached an agreement with Mother Kilwinning for the latter's return to the bosom of Grand Lodge in 1807. The final meeting was held in the Star Inn, a well-known Glasgow hostelry in Ingram Street opposite the top of Glassford Street.

In 1810 Grand Lodge issued a Commission as Provincial Grand Master for the special purpose only of laying the Foundation Stone of the Lunatic Asylum to the Honourable James Black Lord Provost of Glasgow (a member of Argyle No.76).

In 1813 John Maxwell Esquire Younger of Pollok (afterwards Sir John Maxwell of Pollok) was commissioned Provincial Grand Master of the Under Ward of Lanarkshire. Sir John was an initiate of Pollokshaws Royal Arch Lodge No.153 and later became its Right Worshipful Master. In 1824 he appointed Lord Provost William Smith (member of Argyle Lodge No.76) to lay the Foundation Stone at the opening up of London Street at the Cross of Glasgow. Sir John was a well-known figure in Glasgow not only because of his lineage but because of his large commercial interests in Glasgow including a partnership in the Thistle Bank. Sir John was succeeded by Henry Monteith Esq., M.P. as Provincial Grand Master over the Lodges in the City of Glasgow in 1827.

Henry Monteith of Carstairs had been Lord Provost of Glasgow on two occasions 1814-15 and 1818-19 and in private life was the acknowledged leader of the extensive Cotton trade. His father, James Monteith had been the first to produce a web of pure cotton in Scotland and Henry succeeded to the family business which soon had huge cotton mills, bleaching, and dyeing establishments, all over the West of Scotland. His Mother Lodge was St. Mark's No.102.

In 1829 he issued a commission to Robert Dalglish (a member of the Argyle Lodge No.76) Preceptor of Hutcheson's Hospital to lay the Foundation Stone of Hutcheson bridge at the foot of Saltmarket Street and in 1833 a similar Commission to James Ewing of Strathleven, Lord Provost and M.P. for Glasgow, to do the same for the Broomielaw Bridge. James Ewing was also a member of Argyle No.76.

The l830's was a lean decade for Freemasonry as only six Lodges were Chartered during these years, two of which were Glasgow Lodges or became Glasgow Lodges, namely Duntocher & Faifley Union, now Lodge Union No.322 and Cowcaddens & Port Dundas St. George now St. George No.333. In 1836 Grand Lodge published what is generally referred to as the First Edition of the Constitution & Laws, although as we have seen it was really the Second Authorised Edition. Despite the provision in the 1802 Laws for Provincial Grand Lodges to be called by the Provincial Grand Master at least twice in every year, there is no evidence in Grand Lodge of any such meetings being held or reports made on them to Grand Lodge so it would appear that the Provincial Grand Master was the only real power in the Province.

The advent of Railways in the 1840's led to a more active interest in Grand Lodge by the brethren of the Provinces and correspondingly larger attendances at the Quarterly Communications and the need for devolution of real power to the Provinces was soon apparent. This problem was to be solved by the Constitution & Laws of 1848. The new Laws which enabled what had, up till now, been in reality, a Provincial Grand Master's Lodge, to become what we now know as a Provincial Grand Lodge were as follows

1. Each Provincial Grand Lodge shall hold Quarterly meetings on such days as may be most convenient and their meetings shall not be interrupted by the death or retirement of the Provincial Grand Master.
2. Each Provincial Grand Master shall appoint by Commission or Depute, Two Wardens, Secretary and Chaplain and such other Office-Bearers as Treasurer, Senior and Junior Deacons, Inner Guard, etc may be elected annually by the Provincial Grand Lodge all of whom must be members of Lodges in the Province.
3. The Provincial Grand Lodge may enact that each Lodge in the Province shall make an annual payment variable according to circumstances for defraying the expenses of Regalia, regular meetings and other necessary purposes.

"At a special meeting of the Grand Lodge of Scotland held in Glasgow on Tuesday 1st June 1847 present, the M.W. and most noble Duke of Athole etc, etc, and above five hundred brethren. The Grand Lodge having been opened in ample form etc, etc, His Grace said it afforded him great pleasure to present Archibald Alison, the historian of Europe with his Commission and personally install him into office. The usual obligations were then administered to Bro. Alison who returned thanks etc, etc."

The Provincial Grand Master then named as his depute Alexander Hastie M.P. Lord Provost, George Walker-Arnot as Substitute Grand Master, Sir James Campbell, Senior Warden, William Ramsay M.A., Junior Warden, Bro. Dreghorn, Secretary, Bro. Norman McLeod D.D. as Chaplain. At the first meeting thereafter the Roll of Lodges was made up to the No.333, a total of 13 Lodges. Regalia, jewels, aprons, sashes and collars for nine Office-Bearers were ordered. Dates for Visitations were arranged and the R.W. Masters of the Lodges instructed to let Provincial Grand Secretary know, at least two days in advance, where the Lodge was meeting.

In 1849 Caledonian Railway Lodge No.354, and the old Lodge of Glasgow St. John No.3½. was added to the Roll, now more felicitously called St. John 3bis. In 1851 Commercial No.360 and in 1852 Lodge St. Clair No.362 brought the Roll up to 17 Lodges. By 1858 the offices of Architect, Jeweller, Bible Bearer, Master of Ceremonies and a Board of Provincial Grand Stewards had been introduced. In 1858 Sir Archibald Alison and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow was present at the laying of the Foundation Stone of the Second Freemason's Hall in Edinburgh, the Provincial Grand Master being on the toast list. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow was the only Provincial Grand Lodge present.

Archibald Alison, Provincial Grand Master was a lawyer by profession who became Sheriff of Lanarkshire in 1834. At his appointment in 1847 as Provincial Grand Master he enjoyed a European reputation on the strength of his monumental History of Europe (usually 14 volumes of 650 pages each). His Mother Lodge was Glasgow Kilwinning No.4 although he later became R.W.M. of St. Marks No.102.

In 1852 Queen Victoria conferred upon him the title of Baronet. Sir Archibald left the day-to-day administration to Walker-Arnot who became his Deputy. Walker-Arnot, Professor of Botany at Glasgow University did marvellous work for several years in the Province as their Lodge Minute Books testify, notably in the case of Lodge Star No.219 whose Minutes bear witness to his industry by a twenty-five years Balance Sheet in his own hand going back to 1825 thus enabling him to come to a mutual agreement about arrears due to Grand Lodge and for which Grand Lodge extended to him a special vote of thanks. Sir Archibald died in 1867 and was succeeded by Captain Archibald Alexander Speirs M.P. of Elderslie.

The Provincial Grand Master Captain Speirs was initiated in the Prince of Wales Lodge, English Constitution No.259 in 1864 and was affiliated to Lodge St. Mungo No.27. Sad to say the new Provincial Grand Master was only to preside over Provincial Grand Lodge three times before he died in December 1868 at the early age of 28 years. He was succeeded by his Depute, Colonel Walter Montgomerie Neilson of Queenshill, whose Mother Lodge was Caledonian Railway No.354.

The new Provincial Grand Master took over immediately in person and at his first meeting suggested the dignity of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow demanded that they should have their own meeting place and offered to place the sum of £2,000 with the Treasurer to start off the Fund, The Provincial Grand Lodge acclaimed the suggestion and a Committee appointed to acquire or build suitable Halls.

In 1871, the old Lodge of Melrose St. John No.12 which had never joined Grand Lodge agreed to consider applications for Charters and in 1872 an application was received from 62 brethren in Glasgow. The charter was granted and on 5th November 1872, a deputation from Melrose installed the Office-Bearers and Master in the Bath Hall, London Road, Glasgow and the Lodge given the style and title of Glasgow Melrose St. John No.1. Later Melrose St. Mungo was Chartered and three other Lodges in Lenzie, Shettleston and Greenock. There is no mention in the Minutes of these invasions and perhaps rightly, for these Lodges disappeared without trace within a very short time.

Col. Walter Neilson the Provincial Grand Master was in private life an engineer and the founder of the steam locomotive trade in Glasgow in the 1830's. With the boom in railways throughout the 19th Century, his firm flourished exceedingly and became, in amalgamation with the companies formed by his former managers Henry Dübs and James Reid, the North British Locomotive Co. Ltd which was a power in the land until recent times. During the Provincial Grand Master's term of office eight Lodges were erected bringing the total to 30 Lodges. The Provincial Grand Master resigned in February 1880. Queenshill was his country seat in Kirkcudbright.

In May Sir James Bain, ex-Lord Provost of Glasgow was appointed over the Province of Glasgow but resigned almost immediately and William Pearce appointed in his place at the next Quarterly Communication, and installed by Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, the MW. Grand Master on the 24th August 1880, in the Pillar Rooms, Glasgow, as Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow City. Brother Pearce, afterwards Sir William Pearce, Bart., inherited a Provincial Grand Lodge with a complete set of Office-Bearers down to Standard Bearer and Inner Guard with a General Management Committee, a Charity Committee, Bye-Laws Committee and Halls Committee and the Wardens were elected instead of being appointed by the Provincial Grand Master in the last year of his term.

Sir William Pearce, Bart, M.P. for Govan was a Naval Architect by profession. He was brought up to Glasgow from Chatham dockyard by John Elder to manage his well-known shipyard in Govan. On the death of John Elder in 1869, Sir William became the managing partner and under his direction the new yard of Fairfield was opened a few hundred yards down river. Fairfield was in Sir William's time known throughout the world and contributed not a little to the reputation and significance of "Clyde Built." Sir William was a member of the "Princes" Lodge No.607.

His successor was John Graham of Broadstone in 1889, also a member of the same Lodge. John Graham immediately took up the question of a meeting place for Provincial Grand Lodge. Eventually he set up the Glasgow Masonic Hall Co. Ltd. and asked the Lodges and members to take up shares. He personally purchased the two townhouses and gardens which formed the site of what was to become 100 West Regent Street. Many of the Lodges and brethren took up shares although a substantial number was left with the Provincial Grand Master. Dividends were paid regularly up to the 1914 war and even into the 1920s. The Halls were opened in 1896 and Provincial Grand Lodge met there regularly until 1980.

In 1898 Lodge Pollok No.772, at its own request was transferred from East Renfrewshire to the Glasgow Province.

John Graham of Broadstone C.A. founded the well-known firm of Graham Hay Rintoul & Bell, Accountants and was a P.M. of Lodge the Princes No.607. It was he who suggested in 1902 a Grand Masonic Bazaar which was held over three days in October 1903 and realised over eleven thousand pounds which formed the beginning of the Annuity Fund. Broadstone was his country estate on the outskirts of Stranraer. He died in 1904 and was succeeded by Alexander Archibald Speirs of Elderslie DL., J.P. who was installed as Provincial Grand Master over the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow City in February 1905.

Owing to the limitations of space the events of the modern era are given in the following summary.

• 1906 Title changed back to Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow
• 1911 Provincial Grand Master changes name to Alexander Archibald Hagart Speirs
• 1915 Presentation of Field Ambulance to Red Cross
• 1916 Lady Anne Speirs Memorial Fund - particularly for comforts for wounded servicemen with weekly visits to all military hospitals in the district
• 1918 Presentation of Silver Tray with engraved titles and crests of all the Lodges up to No.1126, Lodge Eastmuir, on marriage of Provincial Grand Master
• 1919-25 Large influx of initiates which resulted in Grand Lodge setting maximum of seven initiates, with corresponding increase in number of new Lodges Chartered
• 1928 Special Reception for Brethren attending the British Association for Science in Glasgow
• 1929 Provincial Grand Master retires but carries on as Most Worshipful Grand Master
• 1930 John Rankine Andrew P.M. of Lodge Trades House No.1241 installed as Provincial Grand Master
• 1931 John Marr Grant J.P. installed as Provincial Grand Master — P.M. The Princes Lodge No. 607
• 1933 Lodge Cowcaddens No.1341 changes name to Lodge Concord No.1341
• 1936 Installation of Sir Alexander B. Swan D.L.,L.L.D. as Provincial Grand Master
• 1939 Re-introduction of War Hospital schemes for wounded as in 1914-18. Celebration of 200th Anniversary
• 1943 Installation of James Osborn Martin as Provincial Grand Master, initiate of No.1241
• 1948 Installation of Don McKay Kerr as Provincial Grand Master, P.M. of Lodge Clydesdale No. 556
• 1949 Reponal of Lodge Maryhill No.510 - maximum of five initiates
• 1952 100 West Regent Street purchased at book value thanks to A.A. Hagart Speirs
• 1953 Installation of Anderson McMillan as Provincial Grand Master
• 1957 First get together of Masters, Wardens and Immediate Past Masters
• 1958 Installation of Bro. Ernest Noakes P.M. Southern Cross No.1243 as Provincial Grand Master
• 1961 First get together atMasters Dinner in Marlborough House.
• 1963 Installation of John McCulloch Russell C.A., P.M. Glasgow St. John 3bis 1964 Motion to divide Province - defeated by 78 Lodges to 7
• 1968 George Fenwick B.L., P.M. The Princes Lodge No.607 installed as Provincial Grand Master
• 1970 Adam J. Ferguson P.M. Lodge Mosspark No.1329 installed as Provincial Grand Master
• 1975 Brian G. Brown M.B.E., P.M. Glasgow St. John 3bis installed as Provincial Grand Master
• 1979 Special Appeal for "Year of the Child" £10,000 upwards to U.N.I.C.E.F. £10,000 upwards to Save the Children Fund
• 1980 Installation of William Fleming, SB. St.J., P.M. Lodge Galen No.1285 as Provincial Grand Master
• 1981 Appeal for "Year of the Disabled" (Child) — £30,000 to Yorkhill Children's Hospital for special machine for genetic research, £5,000 to Schools for the Deaf
• 1984 Installation of William Cowell Shepherdson, S.B., St.J., P.M. Lodge Commercial No.360 as Provincial Grand Master
• 1989 250th Anniversary Celebrations of Provincial Grand Lodge at which substantial sums were donated to the Lord Provosts Childrens' Fund and the Grand Master Masons Appeal for the Royal Scottish Masonic Homes
• 1989 250 th Anniversary of Provincial Grand Lodge. Ceremony of Rededication by Grand Lodge in the City Halls. Banquet in the City Chambers attended by the Rt Hon Lord Provost Mrs. Susan Baird. Informal reception in Hutcheson's Hall. Installation of Bro. Henry Jeffrey PM 1445 as Provincial Grand Master.
• 1994 Installation of Brother George A L McEwan PM 1341 as Provincial Grand Master. Appointment of Brother Henry Jeffrey PM 1445 as Substitute Grand Master by Bro. Lord Burton GMM. Appointment of Brother William Fleming PM 1285 as Depute Grand Master by Bro. Lord Burton GMM
• 1999 Installation of Bro. Robert R Best MM 102 PM 607 as Provincial Grand Master
• 2004 Installation of Bro. William Gilmour PM 581 as Provincial Grand Master Donations made to Teenage Cancer(Yorkhill Hospital) Appointment of Bro. Robert R. Best MM 102 PM 607 as Depute Grand Master by Bro. Rev. Canon Joseph J. Morrow GMM
• 2009 Installation of Bro. Alistair Henderson PM 683 as Provincial Grand Master. Fundraising Committee established. Over £130k donated to various charities during the term of the Commission. Provincial Grand Lodge represented at Remembrance Sunday Services at Cenotaph. Waverley Cruise supported by Sister Provinces. Provincial Newsletter published. Ceremony of Freemasons' Hall being built in 1911 and 275th Anniversary of Grand LodgeCommonwealth Games in Glasgow - Special Lodge Meetings and other events.
• 2014 Installation of Brother James C. Peddie PM 333 as Provincial Grand Master Charitable Fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer. First Education Seminar. Zip Slide Challenge across the River Clyde - over £120k raised for Grand Master Mason's chosen charity - Prostate Scotland.

Since 1989, the following Lodges have become dormant:

• Lodge Speirs of Elderslie No. 1102.
• Lodge Greyfriars No. 1221.
• Lodge Ibrox No. 1272.
• Lodge Hogganfield No. 1700.
• Lodges South Western No.1242 and Castlemilk No.1536 amalgamated and thereafter became Lodge Unity No. 1242.
• Lodge Unity No. 1242 then became dormant.
• The Lodge of Glasgow St. John No. 3 bis and Lodge James Watt No. 1215 amalgamated under the name of the former Lodge.