Articles on Tartan Kilts and Freemasonry.

From Damien, Editor of Devotion News

The second edition of Devotion News was produced for April - May 2006 and carried an article “On Kilts and their Tartan patterns”. It was quite topical as the WM of the day, WBro Stephen P, along with his then fiancé (now wife) Sue, had organised and held “Robbie Burns Night” on 28 May 2006. It was a successful and enjoyable night, with Scottish dancers, haggis, piper and tartan aplenty. WBro Don P introduced the Lodge to the drink Athole Brose . The recipe for Athole Brose was the first “food” article in the newsletter.

Over a year ago, I contacted Bro Robert Cooper, curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland’s museum and library on his interesting article “Why no Masonic Tartan. With his permission, I’ve reprinted his article below which not only explains why GL Scotland does not have an official single tartan but also gives a brief account of the formation of his Grand Lodge and insight into why Scottish Lodges, and Scottish Freemasons, have a different approach and the great autonomy enjoyed by local lodges in the Scottish system.

    1. At the time, I was not aware that an American Grand Lodge (Utah) had registered an official tartan for Freemasonry . The Scottish Register of Tartans now shows two; Freemasons' Universal, commissioned by the Grand Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons of Utah for the use of all Masons worldwide. Designed by Anne Carroll Gilmour of Park City, the colours relate to the various 'Masonic organisations and appendant bodies.'.

    2. French Freemasons' Pride, Created for all French freemasons who wish to honour Scotland and Celtic culture.

In addition to these two, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, since its inception in 1736, has used a “splendid tartan”. The main colours are Thistle Green and Gold. The minor colours are blue and black.

The Scottish Tartans Authority returns 12 results when you search “Freemasonry” including a Tartan registered to Lodge Dunblane Australis 966 in New South Wales.

Victorian Lodges, including Devotion, are no stranger to kilts. Our two WMs Paterson, were installed wearing one and our own WBro Todd R, with a Masonic Origin in South Africa generally wears his. Even our Filipino Brother WBro Greg T of Robbie Burns Lodge often wears a kilt to Masonic meetings.

Our own Nick C is also no stranger to Tartan. He was initiated in Lodge Ionic Prudence No. 77 UGLQ. In that lodge, each officer wears a tartan apron owned by the lodge for that specific office. If initiated in that lodge, you wear the lodge’s tartan apron and they also have tartan bow ties and collars. The lodge was consecrated on 13th November 1893 and named “Valley Ionic”. The original Charter was No. 802 Scottish Constitution. The name Valley Ionic was changed to “Ionic” in June, 1896; this alteration was made due to the meeting place changing from the Valley to a large room in the Old Colonial Mutual Building in Queen St Brisbane. When the Grand Lodge of Queensland (GLQ) was formed in 1904 the lodge was renumbered to 54. Mirroring the Victoria experience, only one-third of Scottish lodges in Queensland joined the new Grand Lodge, while only one Irish lodge declined to join, yet no English lodge could be persuaded to exchange its charter. Later (1920) Queensland Grand Lodge (QGL) was formed. According to WBro Kent Henderson “as a prelude to unity, sixty-three of the English lodges then working in Queensland, together with the remaining Scottish lodges, formed the Queensland Grand Lodge”. In 1921 the two Grand Lodges merged into the United Grand Lodge of Queensland (UGLQ) which operates today. Under this Grand Lodge, Valley Ionic was renumbered to 77 superseding the previous No. 54. The Lodge gave rise to two others, “Progress” (in 1926) and later “Prudence Lodge” (in 1957). The second daughter lodge amalgamated with its mother lodge No. 77 with a another name change; becoming Ionic Prudence Lodge No. 77 in 2004, thus preserving the Lodge Charter number 77 and incorporating the names of both Lodges.

Despite all its name and number, and no double many other changes, Lodge Ionic Prudence No. 77 UGLQ has preserved and perpetuated the Lodge Founders’ decision at a meeting on 5 January 1894 to use the Tartan of the McDuff Clan as that of the lodge.

Three Masonic Tartans

(see further below for more full details)
bove -Tartan used by Grand Lodge Scotland

Above -Tartan used by Grand Lodge Scotland

Above - French Freemasons' Pride

Above - Freemasons' Universal

Members of Lodge Ionic Prudence No. 77in Queensland wearing their regalia incorporating the McDuff Clan Tartan. Note the Tartan bow ties

September 2021 Update - Four Registered Masonic Tartans now know.

Tartan Details - French Freemasons' Pride

The information held within The Scottish Register of Tartans for the "French Freemasons' Pride" tartan is shown below.
Reference: 10557
Designer: Duclos, Richard
Tartan date: 15/10/2011
Registration date: 6 February 2012
Category: Fashion
Restrictions:
Registration notes:Created for all French freemasons who wish to honour Scotland and Celtic culture. Information notes: To view woven sample, please request NAS6/O6/Oversize.
Woven Sample: A woven sample of this tartan has been received by the Scottish Register of Tartans for permanent preservation in the National Records of Scotland.
Registrant details: Mr Richard Duclos, 34 Boulevard Jourdan, Paris, IdF, France, 75014richard.duclos@wanadoo.fr

Source
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=10557

Tartan Details - Freemasons' Universal

The information held within The Scottish Register of Tartans for the "Freemasons' Universal" tartan is shown below.

STA ref: 6245

STWR ref: none

Designer: Gilmour, Anne Carroll

Tartan date: 01/12/2003

Registration date: This tartan was recorded prior to the launch of The Scottish Register of Tartans.

Category: Corporate

Restrictions:

Registration notes:

This was commissioned by the Grand Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons of Utah for the use of all Masons worldwide. Designed by Anne Carroll Gilmour of Park City, Utah the colours relate to the various 'Masonic organisations and appendant bodies.' Woven by the Strathmore Woollen Company of Forfar.


Source

https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=1279

Tartan Details - Grand Lodge of Scotland

bove -Tartan used by Grand Lodge Scotland

The information held within The Scottish Register of Tartans for the "Freemasons' Universal" tartan is shown below.


STA ref: 5776
STWR ref: 2924
Designer: Gaelic Themes
Tartan date: 01/01/2002
Registration date: This tartan was recorded prior to the launch of The Scottish Register of Tartans.
Category: Corporate
Restrictions:
Registration notes:This is not a general Masonic tartan but one designed for the Grand Lodge of Scotland which is custodian to the oldest Lodge Minutes in the world dating from 1599. Masons in other parts of the world wishing to obtain this tartan must, in the first instance, contact the Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum, Robert (Bob) L D Cooper. Postal address: Freemasons' Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh. EH2 3DH. Green lightened here to show sett. Woven sample.

Source
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=1492

Tartan Details - Grand Lodge of Canada

The information held within The Scottish Register of Tartans for the "Grand Lodge of Canada" tartan is shown below.
STA ref: 6353
STWR ref: 3006
Designer: Masonic Themes, Glasgow
Tartan date: Not Specified
Registration date: This tartan was recorded prior to the launch of The Scottish Register of Tartans.
Category: Corporate
Restrictions:
Registration notes:Designed by Masonic Themes of Glasgow exclusively for the Grand Lodge of Canada in Hamilton to mark the Lodge's 150th Anniversary. Only available from that Lodge (George Thelwell on 001 905 271 2598 as at 30.8.04). Colours: Scarlet - representing Canada. Royal (darker) Blue - representing the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. Three Masonic (lighter) Blue stripes - represent the three craft degrees all Master Masons in this jurisdiction are expected to attain. The gold stripe marks the 150th anniversary culminating in July 2005. Black accent shading - is symbolic of our third degree. The primary royal blue and scarlet sections - are further subdivided into 9 sections each, which represents our Grand Master.
Source https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=4892