On Wednesday, 15th February 1893 a dozen men met in the Brightons schoolroom to consider the founding of a new Masonic Lodge. The nearest existing lodges were located in Grangemouth and Falkirk. Recent improvements in road and rail communications had made Polmont, lying on the Edinburgh/Glasgow line, a convenient location and the local expanding population would make a lodge in the district viable.
It was decided to press ahead with the formation of the lodge, and Glenedge Cottage, Quarry Brae, Brightons was leased to become the first premises. The meetings were to be held on the upper floor, leading to the lodge being known locally as “The Lodge in the Garret”. A petition to Grand Lodge of Scotland was drawn up on Wednesday, 1st March (St. David’s Day) 1893. The first name proposed for the Lodge was “St. David’s, Polmont Station”. Four weeks later the name was changed to “Lodge Polmont”. A charter was granted, numbering Lodge Polmont 793 on the Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
The first meeting was held on Wednesday 20th September 1893. On the following Wednesday Lodge Polmont conferred its first degree on Mr. James Maxwell. Weekly meetings were held until the consecration of the Lodge on 18th October by Bro. George Christie, Right Worshipful Provincial Grand master of Stirlingshire. Lodge Polmont was extremely popular from the start and 21 months after Bro. Christie consecrated the Lodge in the Garret he was called upon to lay the foundation stone for the new premises in Maddiston Road, Brightons ( pictured below). He went on to consecrate the new premises on 20th November 1895.
Lodge Polmont rapidly went from strength to strength, financing the new premises and dramatically increasing its membership. In 1900 Bro. John Louden was installed as the first R.W. Master who could call Lodge Polmont his Mother Lodge. The following year the Lodge guaranteed the railway company 500 passengers for the Lodge outing to Tarbert, Loch Fyne. This level of attendance continued during the following years.
The Lodge was flooded with applications for membership after the First World War. Twenty-six candidates were initiated in March 1919. Twenty years later, during W.W.II, Polmont district had a great influx of U.S., Canadian and British forces. This meant Degrees were required to be worked on Wednesdays and Saturdays. During 1943 the all-time record of 103 candidates were initiated. The highest number to receive a degree simultaneously in Lodge Polmont was 62 receiving the Mark Degree on 23rd April 1947. Nine days later a further 58 were also advanced to the Mark Degree – a total of 120 in a fortnight.
In 1919 the Lodge gave a loan to assist the formation of Gray Buchanan Royal Arch Chapter No. 502, which has met in Lodge Polmont’s premises ever since.
There are many incidents of achievement, sacrifice and courage which are recounted in the published Lodge History (available via the Secretary). This is necessarily a brief account for our website.
Regards to Bro. M.Smith. PM 793 for above.
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