THE
MASONIC AND ODD-FELLOWS LODGE
AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND
The oldest of our Masonic Lodges
is the Kilmarnock Kilwinning St John's, No.
22. It is also one of the
oldest existing lodges in Ayrshire originally holding
of Mother Kilwinning. It was
instituted in 1734. The unfortunate last Earl of
Kilmarnock, William Boyd,
was one of its originators, and was its first Right
Worshipful Master. Besides
the Earl of Kilmarnock, a number of influential
gentlemen were connected with
the lodge in its early years. Among these were
Sir David Cunningham of Corsehill,
Thomas Boyd of Pitcon, Alexander Montgomery
of Coilsfield, Peter Cunningham
of Bourtreehill, Charles Dalrymple of Langlands
Robert Paterson, town clerk,
William Park, surgeon, and James Muir, Master of
Arts. The Earl of Errol James
(Boyd) Hay was a member and Right Worshipful
Master of the lodge in 1761.
Among the members at a later period were William
Parker, banker, Thomas Samson,
the hero of the well-known Elegy, Gavin Turnbull
the poet, and John Wilson,
the printer of the first edition of Burn's poems.
Burns was also connected with
the lodge, having been enrolled an honorary mem-
ber in the autumn of 1786.
The present (1864) Right Worshipful Master is John
Stevens, Esq., writer.
The St Andrew's Lodge, No.
126, was instituted in 1771. Its first Right Wor-
shipful Master was Mr Thomas
Boston, who appears from the minutes of the lodge
to have been frequently appointed
to that office. The lodge has continued to
prosper and to hold regular
meetings from its formation to the present time.
The present Right Worshipful
Master is Hugh Shaw, Esq.
In 1767 another Lodge was formed
in the town, and called the St Marnock; but it
does not now exist. Its last
meeting was in 1818. The first Right Worshipful
Master of St Marnock was William
Park of Langlands, surgeon. In 1770 that
office was held by William,
Earl of Glencairn. The Rev. Mr Mutrie of the low
church was chaplain; and among
the honorary members were the honorable John
Cunningham, brother to the
Earl of Glencairn, James Dalrymple, Esq. of Orange-
field, &c.
There was, we may add. another
Lodge in the town, called the St James Nether-
tonholm Kilmarnock, but it
has not existed for a number of years.
The Loyal St Marnock Lodge
of Odd-fellows was instituted 1st January, 1841, and
numbers about six hundred
members. Since its formation to the present time, it
has continued to be popular
and prosperous, and has effected much good as a
benefit society. It dispenses
annually as "sick gift" and "funeral gift" a sum
varying from L300 to L400;
and its funds amount to upwards of L6000. It is
worthy of remark, that while
many friendly societies have ceased to exist
during the last twenty or
thirty years, this institution, by judicious and
economical management, continues
to be prosperous, as we have said, and bids
fair to be as beneficial in
years to come as it has been in the past.
[The History of Kilmarnock, Archibald M'Kay, 1864]
WORLDWIDE MASONIC DIRECTORY - 1860
Name - Occupation - Lodge - Address - City, State - Country
BOYD, William - millwright - Washington Naval - Washington DC - U.S.A.
BOYD, John - merchant - Astoria - Astoria, Fulton County, IL - U.S.A.
BOYD, John J. - Principal of
Louisville Com. College - Abrams -
Louisville KY - U.S.A.
BOYD, F.H.B. - carpenter - St. John's - Baltimore, MD - U.S.A.
BOYD, William H. - publisher
- Corner Stone - 121 S. Fourth St.-
Williamsburg, Kings County,
NY - U.S.A.
BOYD, Charles - druggist and
stationer - Phillipstown - Cold Springs,
Putnam County, NY - U.S.A.
BOYD, William H. - carpenter
and builder - Warren - Montrose, Susquehanna
County, PA - U.S.A.
Source: Universal Masonic Lodge
Directory, 1860. Leon Hyneman Publisher,
1860.
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