Visit to Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning No 370

On Thursday 26th March, a deputation of 18 brethren travelled to Paisley to the Masonic Temple in Maxwellton Road to visit Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning No 370. We were pleased to have in our deputation Bro Richard Kennedy of Lodge Doric Kilwinning No 68 and Bros Alistair Anderson and John Freeburn of Lodge Inverkip Ardgowan No 1425. This visit is going some way to rekindle an old relationship between the brethren of 370 and No XII following IPM Bro Alan Beck’s solo excursion last year and a deputation of nearly 20 brethren coming down from Paisley to No XII’s summer degree in June.
I can vividly remember, as a very young freemason in the mid-1970s, the days when 370 and No XII would have reciprocal visits to the respective Mark Degrees at the end of the session. We would travel to Paisley Town Hall where 370 used to meet. There was a great similarity between the two Lodges in many ways. At the Harmonies at that time, brethren of 370 who were members of a Glee Club used to entertain us very professionally. If my memory serves me correctly, one of them was a very charismatic and amusing individual called Harry McGlashan. We always looked forward to these occasions because they were great fun! Sadly, the relationship with Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning fell into abeyance in the late-1990s.
Back in the 1970s, I remember asking the question, why 370? It was explained to me by a Past Master that the origin of the relationship between the lodges lay with Bro Robert J Drainer who was RWM of No XII in 1951 - 1953. Bro Bob had, I was told, been Headmaster at Camphill
Senior Secondary School in Paisley in the 1950s. That all made sense to me until very recently when I was, sad man that I am, looking thorough some old minute books and found the following evidence of a strong relationship with Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning

Thursday 27th December 1906

Bro Col. DFD Neill IPM, in the Chair

(Festival of St John the Evangelist)

Vote of Condolence with RWM

Thereupon Bro Neill made reference in most sympathetic terms to the bereavement which fallen on the family of the RW Master (Bro RL Scott), through the death of his Mother, and it was agreed to recording the Minutes the deep sympathy felt by the Brethren for the RW Master and his Brother Mr. Chas C Scott and the Secretary was instructed to intimate same to them.
Deputations Dispatched and received.

Deputations were dispatched to visit Lodges No 68, Doric Kilwinning, No 175, Gnk St John, No 217, Cumberland Kilwinning, No 626, Firth of Clyde, and No 989, ‘Sir Michael’ Kilmacolm. In the course of the evening Deputations were received from the same lodges and also from No 370, Renfrew County Kilwinning and No 624 Montgomerie Kilwinning Skelmorlie.

Friday 27th December 1907

At a Meeting of Lodge Greenock Kilwinning No 12, held in the Saloon of the Town hall on Friday 27th Dec 1907 at 730pm to celebrate the Festival of St John the Evangelist

Bro RL Scott, RW Master, in the Chair

Deputations Dispatched

Deputations conveying the fraternal greetings of the Lodge were dispatched to the following sister Lodges; Doric Kilwinning No 68, Greenock St John No 175, Cumberland Kilwinning No 217 and Firth of Clyde No 626.

Harmony

The Lodge was then called from Labour to Refreshment and the remainder of the evening was spent in harmony.

Deputations Received

Deputations were received and welcomed from the above-mentioned Lodges and also from Lodge No 370 Renfrew County Kilwinning Paisley and Lodge Sir Michael No 989 Kilmacolm. The Brethren of these Deputations ably assisted the Brethren of the Lodge in providing a varied and enjoyable programme of vocal and instrumental music.

So it seems that the relationship had actually existed 50 years before Bro Bob Drainer ever went to work in Paisley! I believe that the relationship must have been strong back then for the
brethren to travel, presumably by steam train, in the depths of winter, and two days after Christmas, from Paisley, in the days before the almost universal ownership of the motor car.
So perhaps yet another No XII urban myth is exposed! There is no doubt that the relationship MAY have strengthened through Bro Bob Drainer working in Paisley but he does not seem to have been its instigator. Unfortunately, by the time I was asking the question back then, Bro Bob had passed to the Grand Lodge Above and I never took it up with his son Bro Roy Drainer (also a Past Master of No XII and one of my Installing Masters in 1989 and 1990) because I took what I was told at face value and I a know that the Past Master concerned spoke to me in all sincerity.
I was telling Bro Nicky Stetz, WSW of Lodge Firth of Clyde Gourock No 626 this story just yesterday and we had an interesting discussion. Bro Nicky, in turn, told me of similar urban myths that he has discovered in 626. I suppose the lesson to be learned is that we should all beware of alleged traditions in Lodges and assertions from Past Masters!
All of this has led me to do a little research into Bro Bob Drainer PM of whom I have fond memories. I shall share this in the next issue of Twelve Talk.


Bro Iain White PM

Extract from Twelve Talk 72