An original Paper by E. J. Boyd
on behalf of the Venerable Preceptor, Past Preceptors, Officers and Fratres
Acknowledgements
This little publication could not have been completed without the help
of a number of people. In particular Stewart Baird, Grand Recorder of
the Grand Imperial Conclave who generously ran up his phone bill and pointed
me in the right direction numerous times. Mr Condie of the Grand Lodge
of Scotland who had the lists and details of the Early Lodges when I thought
they didn't exist. Our friend Stuart MacBride Snr. for landing me with
the Project in the first place. The bi-centennial committee for their
help and comments, and the Venerable Preceptor George W.C. Davie for his
last-minute reading of the finished text. James Dempster, an old friend
from my time at the University of Aberdeen for his endeavours to explain
North East and Scottish History to me, in the course of several very long
telephone calls. Chevron for kindly lending to me their scanner to allow
Bill to copy the Documents included. Dick Keith, caretaker of the Temple
for letting me have a rummage through the Basement for the many old books,
and for the use of the Temple Library. The Office Bearers and Brethren
of St George Lodge for allowing me to read their earliest books and original
Charter. Christopher MacBride for graciously allowing his services to
be volunteered and for amusing Kathryn when I was trying to get work done.
ESE Bill Coutts for trawling the earliest records of the St. George Royal
Arch. Mr Lionel Seemungal, noted Masonic writer, Trinidad, for his references.
VPP Sydney Munro for direction and insight. Jack Campbell and Michael
of Langstane Press for printing it and explaining to this mere female
how it should be presented, pretty pictures and all. And of course my
husband Bill, fledgling Knight, for listening to me rabbit on about the
subject month after month, and agreeing to be Editor in Chief, and most
importantly paying those telephone bills. And finally, the Fratres of
St. George Aboyne, for giving me the reason to start on my Quest.
Liz Boyd
March 1994
Liz obtained her MA (Hons) in History and International Relations from
the University of Aberdeen in 1987. Her final year subject was the First
Crusade.
The Fratres of St. George Aboyne felt we should in some way mark our
bi-centenary celebrations and it was decided that this would be in the
form of a short history of Templar Masonry and the St. George Aboyne Preceptory
in particular.
That we exist after 200 years is due to the efforts and support of our
predecessors: We hope through the endeavours of the present Officers and
Fratres that the Preceptory will continue to prosper and in time commemorate
another 100 years.
So read onward Christian Soldiers!
Venerable Preceptor
'Pour la Foy'
In the Beginning
The First Crusade brought about two major events that are of interest
to Templar Masonry: The formation of the Religious and Military Orders;
the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitallers; and the first international
co-operation between traditionally warring European States in the Middle
Ages. The resulting combined war efforts, and associated inter-continental
trade, created an ideal backdrop in which the Christian Knights could
flourish and grow.
The First Crusade was also in part politically expedient as much of Europe
was in turmoil. The Crusades enabled the ruling Monarchs to solve their
population problems by re-deploying a large part of their Nobility (along
with their private armies) to where they could not cause internal strife.
It focused the minds of the people and the Aristocracy on something other
than the unsettled situation at home. Later it was this unstable political
situation that the Templars would take advantage of and use to further
their own interests.
The Formation
The Military and Religious Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of
Jerusalem was founded in 1118 by Hugo de Payens and Godfrey de St. Omar,
who persuaded King Baldwin I of Jerusalem to allow them to install themselves
and their companions in one of the wings of the Royal Palace. The Palace
was situated on the site of the Al'Aqsa Mosque, rumoured to be the site
of the Temple of Solomon, hence the title Templar. The Order originally
comprised three classes: Knights who had to be of Noble birth; Sergeants
who were drawn from the Bourgeoisie and were the grooms and Stewards of
the Order; and the Clerics who were the Chaplains taking charge of the
non-military aspects of the Order.
The Badge of the Knights was a red Cross on a white background with the
Sergeants having a red Cross on a black background. These classes were
later expanded to five with a Knightly Class consisting of Knights joining
either for a set period of time (to fulfil a Quest) or who were in their
advancing years and wished to spend their final days as part of the Order;
and an additional non-military class composed of the Craftsmen and Artisans
necessary for the smooth running of the lands and Estates owned by the
Templars.
The original purpose of the Order was to keep the trade routes from the
Mediterranean coast to Jerusalem free from Bandits, allowing Pilgrims
and travellers to journey freely to the Holy City. Within a very short
period of time the Christian Knights formed the core of King Baldwin's
standing army, as the bulk of
Jerusalem's liberating armies returned home, their aims completed. This
reliance by the King led to great rivalry between the Templar and Hospitaller
Orders, and was to eventually become one of the causes of the Templar
downfall.
Both the Templars and Hospitallers started life as Benedictine religious
Orders, but very shortly became independent and answered only to the Pope.
Throughout the 12th and 13th Centuries the power and status of the Templars
was augmented by a series of Papal Bulls that had the effect of making
the Templars into Papal Princes with more power than many of the Temporal
ones.
Early Expansion
Shortly after their formation, the Templars approached Bernard of Clairvaux
(who helped instigate the First Crusade) to prepare a treatise on the
Order with the aim of recruiting more members. At the same time Hugo de
Payens sailed back to Europe in order to recruit more members and to obtain
backing for his Knights from the European Rulers. It was realised that
although the Order had charitable purposes, financial assistance was required
for it to function, as maintaining and equipping the Knights was expensive.
Hugo's recruitment campaign was very successful, with over one hundred
Knights and other members being admitted to the Order. Financially, the
Templars' circumstances continued to improve, as they were granted large
tracts of land and property by grateful Monarchs and Aristocracy. In many
cases land was granted in lieu of manpower.
Templars in Scotland
The Templars first came to Scotland in 1128 during the Reign of King
David I, whom Hugo de Payens visited as part of his recruitment drive.
Hugo made a very favourable impression on King David, to the extent that
he kept himself surrounded by Templars and appointed them as "the
Guardians of his morals by day and night". While remaining close
to the King, the Knights did not involve themselves in political life
as it is not until the 1160's that they start appearing as witnesses to
Royal Charters.
As a result of this Royal favour, the Templars acquired a substantial
property holding in Scotland through gifts from both the King and his
Court.
There were two major Preceptories at the time: Balintradoch (now renamed
as Temple, in Midlothian) which was regarded as the main Preceptory, and
the administrative headquarters of the Order in Scotland; the other was
at Maryculter in Aberdeenshire, on the southern bank of the River Dee.
The grant of the lands at Maryculter was made in 1225 and the Church of
Aboyne about 1239 by a certain Walter Bisset. This land was originally
under the jurisdiction of the Monks of Kelso, and Bisset swore that his
gifting them to the Templars would in no way prejudice the Monks' rights
to the area. However by 1287 this Oath had been broken, with the Monks
maintaining only the lands to the north of the river. The Church at Aboyne
on the south bank, had been confirmed as being owned by the Templars,
by Ralph de Lamley Bishop of Aberdeen, at the insistence of the same Walter
Bisset in 1242. Later, the Knights built their own Chapel within the grounds
of the Maryculter Preceptory, remains of which can still be seen to this
day.
While being rich in land in Scotland, the Templars actual presence was
rather restricted as many of the Knights had eagerly joined their Brethren
in the Holy Land. As a result, the Orders' holdings in Scotland were for
a time administered by the Great Priory of England. This system of governance
worked very well until the start of the Wars of Independence (between
Scotland and England) in the 1290's: More on that later.
There is an interesting anecdote relating to one of the English Grand
Masters at that time, Brian le Jay, a noted warrior eventually killed
by the Scots at the battle of Falkirk in 1298. He was known for his arrogant
and violent nature, and was used by Sir Walter Scot as the model for his
villain, the sinister Brian De Bois-Guibert, Master of the Temple, in
his classic novel Ivanhoe.
The Holy Land lost
During the Crusades, both the Templar and Hospitaller Orders enjoyed
a fearsome reputation on the field of battle, offset by their somewhat
limited successes in guerrilla warfare. Towards the end of the 13th Century,
one of the most decisive battles in the fall of the Holy Land was at Hattim,
where neither the Templars nor the Hospitallers would agree to co-operate.
As a result the Saracens were able to decisively route both Orders, destroying
their reputation of being invincible in set battles. This defeat was viewed
with dismay by the West but with political instability in Europe, no Monarch
was willing to send either the men or resources required to help regain
Jerusalem, despite several calls by the Pope to do so. With the fall of
Jerusalem, both the Templars and Hospitallers moved their Headquarters
to Mediterranean islands, being Cyprus and Rhodes respectively.
Banking and Diplomacy
The Templars together with some of the Noble families of the Italian
City States who had close links with them, came to be regarded as the
Bankers of the Levant (encompassing the Holy Land). With the advent of
the Second and Third Crusades, the Templars were perceived in some quarters
to have hedged their bets, as they were bankers not only to the local
Christian population, but to many of the Saracen Merchants as well, being
generally regarded as honest in all of their dealings. The Banking System
operated with the Templars taking an agreed levy on all funds held, thus
ensuring that the Order never ran short of funds: All parties were satisfied
with this arrangement. Any monies subject to international transactions
were sent, under Templar guard, to the nearest Preceptory in the appropriate
region. Monies and jewels were thus able to move freely throughout the
Levant and Europe with very little risk, further enhancing the reputation
of the Knights.
The Religious and Military Orders were frequently employed by the Royal
Family of Jerusalem as Diplomats, again because they were regarded as
honest men. The Orders had generally amicable relations with the Saracens
in times of peace, as they were not as prejudiced as many of their Christian
counterparts. This association was due to a very healthy respect of the
Saracens as warriors, and an appreciation of their lifestyle which many
Templars had adopted as it was best suited to the climate of the Middle
East. This would later be used as one of the reasons for attacking the
Order, as it 'proved' to some that their very lifestyle was evidence of
Devil Worshipping.
Organisation and Ritual
Legend has it that some of the prevalent Templar tradition and culture
was based on that of the Cult of the Assassins, but this cannot be proved
as direct historical documentation has yet to be uncovered. Part of the
traditional Templar Ritual of drinking from a cup "not made by human
hands" is definitely Assassin, as they used to drink from cups made
from the skulls of their enemies killed in battle. The St. George Aboyne
Preceptory has in its possession two such Trepan Skulls.
France was traditionally regarded as the Western home of the Templar
Order being the most powerful Templar base in Europe. It was regarded
as the premier supporter of the Order, with many of the French Knights
holding influential offices within the Templar hierarchy. The Grand Master
of the Order was traditionally the Prior of Jerusalem, and later Cyprus
after the Knights had retired to the Island following the fall of Jerusalem.
To enable Great Priory to keep contact with the European Preceptories,
an official Visitor was appointed and was regarded as the Grand Masters
Deputy with Ultimate authority in Europe. The Visitor was based in Paris
and regularly travelled between the various European holdings acting as
the eyes and ears of the Grand Master. The French Aristocracy had gifted
much property to the Templars instead of joining the Crusade, deeming
it politically sound to stay at home, as they feared the Crown might appropriate
their land while they were away. Instead many Nobles joined the Order
as Knights in their twilight years, so that their lands would not fall
into the hands of the Crown upon their deaths (it would be absorbed by
the Order). As the Templars enjoyed the protection of the Pope, there
was little the Crown could do.
France and the Papacy
By the turn of the 14th Century the political position was changing.
King Philip (the Fair) of France envied the riches and strength of the
Knights Templar, regarding them as a threat to his position. The Order
had refused to - permanently - loan him money, and some Preceptors had
openly sided with the French Aristocracy during internal political disputes.
It should be noted that at this time, the Feudal System was still operative
in France, unlike most other parts of Europe where it was turning into
a more open and just System of Government.
King Philip determined to outlaw the Order, incidentally gaining their
property and riches for himself. By 1306 Philip had set in motion the
means by which he could remove the perceived Templar threat to his Rule
and restore his bank balance.
At the same time, the Papal See was in difficulty as temporal interests
started to take precedence over more spiritual ones. The ultimate sanction
of the Pope as Head of the Catholic Faith, excommunication, was no longer
particularly effective due to overuse. Many Monarchs no longer regarded
the Papacy as a spiritual body, but as a State in its own right, due to
its vast property holdings throughout Europe: The Pope being regarded
as Head of State.
When Pope Boniface and King Philip were at logger-heads over the French
attempts to tax the Church, France therefore regarded the problem as being
secular rather than spiritual in nature, so when no agreement was forthcoming,
Philip took matters into his own hands. He determined to resolve the matter
with a show of force: This resulted in the Pope being taken hostage and
held captive until an agreement that pleased Philip was reached. At this
point King Philip realised that the best way to secure his position was
to control the Papacy, as after the hostage incident he was rather predictably
excommunicated, causing him further problems at home and abroad as he
no longer had the spiritual blessing necessary to be King.
Philip very quickly realised that to control the Pope was to control
the hearts and minds of the general populace, who seemed always to maintain
their absolute faith in the Church regardless of anything that befell
them. The belief was that regardless of how difficult your life on Earth,
as long as you were spiritually cleansed before you died, you would go
to Heaven. When Pope Boniface died, Philip arranged for the election of
his candidate, Clement V, and to doubly ensure that his interests were
the interests of the Pope, he forced the Papacy to move from Rome to Avignon.
This understandably annoyed the Italians, who proceeded to place their
own candidate on St Peters Throne, thus splitting the Catholic Faith,
and further weakening the Church.
Arrest and Imprisonment
By 1308 Philip felt in a strong enough position to move against the Templars.
He summoned the Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay and his opposite
number in the Hospitallers to France, purportedly to discuss the position
of the Military Orders. He believed that their original function ended
with the loss of the Holy Land, and that there was no possibility of another
Crusade. The Hospitallers did not attend as they were busy subduing the
Greeks in Rhodes and therefore escaped their intended demise at the hands
of Philip. The Templars did attend, and three days after Jacques de Molay's
arrival in Paris with much of the Templar
wealth from Jerusalem, all Templars in France were arrested and placed
under the Inquisition. Philip also obtained from the Pope an injunction
to obtain the arrest of all members of the Order throughout Europe and
place them in the hands of the Inquisitors. All Templar lands, property
and wealth were forfeit with Philip declaring himself caretaker of these
in France. This gave Philip the necessary finance to put into motion the
removal of his enemies at home, and ensured that the French Monarchy had
no financial worries for a long time to come.
As a result, his successors were able to finance the prolonged conflict
of the Hundred Years War, which the French eventually won with the aid
of Joan of Arc. Legend states that Joan of Arc was not a mere peasant
girl ignorant of military matters, but had actually been trained in the
art of Warfare by a Preceptory hidden in the wilds of Argyll. She returned
to France with her fighting abilities honed, making her an effective battlefield
leader and not just a figurehead. This would explain in part why the English
were so keen to burn her at the stake when they eventually captured her.
Prior to their arrest by King Philip, the Templars had no forewarning
of his actions, with all the correct proprieties being observed on Jacques
de Molay's arrival, and relations between the Templars and the French
Monarchy stable. The Order knew the state of Philip's finances, but such
was their confidence that the French Preceptors mistakenly believed themselves
to be impervious to anything Philip might do, as they were under Papal
authority. In some cases Preceptors had been abusing their rank and position,
living as Princes with blatant disregard to their Knightly vow of Poverty,
Chastity and Obedience.
The Trial and Dissolution
After his arrest on 10th October 1307, Jacques de Molay 'confessed' to
many things including perjury, idolatry, and anything else the Inquisitors
could think of, in order to avoid the torture chamber. Philip's initiative
took the Pope by surprise,
Papal authority only being regained after a year, but by that time the
damage had been done: The show trials and the 'confessions' had been proclaimed
and public opinion was firmly against the Templars. The only concession
the Pope was able to extract from Philip was that all Templar holdings
be returned to the Church. Philip conceded this and the property fell
into the possession of the Hospitallers. However, as the Crown had factored
the Property in the interim, a fee was levied, effectively securing Philip's
financial situation while also beggaring the Hospitallers, ensuring that
they would not have the resources to move against him at a later date,
and so eventually, after much political manoeuvring, the Templars in most
of Europe were extinguished, the victims of a political game they had
never wanted to be a part of. After nearly seven years of captivity, Jacques
de Molay was burnt at the stake on 11th March 1314, along with a number
of his former Priors, in a showcase execution where he recanted and cursed
both the Pope and the King promising they would meet him at the final
judgement within the Year: A prophesy which was fulfilled.
The Templar's fate throughout Europe differed widely from country to
country. The Papal Decree outlawing the Templars was ignored in both Spain
and Portugal, as they were then fighting the Saracens on behalf of those
Monarchies: Instead they changed their name to protect the Order from
the Inquisition, becoming answerable to the Kings instead. The Teutonic
Knights were unaffected by the upheavals as they had never directly meddled
in politics, despite being closely allied with many of the powerful Germanic
families, and they were at the time busy in Eastern Europe on behalf of
the Emperor.
The English Reaction
In Britain, the War of Independence was still raging, and King Edward
ignored the Papal Bull where it suited him. He proceeded to imprison any
Templars who disagreed with him, except for those that had actively aided
him in his Scottish campaigns. Edward had eventually to allow the Inquisition
into England, but he refused to allow them to use torture as this was
contrary to all Laws of the time, as laid down in the Magna Carta. Note
that at this time the English Judicial system was far more advanced than
anywhere else in Europe and the idea of innocence until proven guilty
was already firmly established.
The Position in Scotland
The position in Scotland was more complex; many Templar Knights were
fighting on behalf of King Robert the Bruce while others were fighting
with King Edward. The area south of the Forth was held by the English,
north of the Firth by the Scots. Upon receiving the Papal Decree, Edward
ordered all Templars to surrender themselves at Holyrood. Two Knights
were arrested, Walter de Clifton and William de Middleton with a third,
Thomas Tocci, giving himself up. None of them were of fighting age, or
Scottish by birth. These Scottish Templars were tried by the English Administration
but the Court reached no decision, probably because of the unstable political
climate. Acceding eventually to French pressure, in 1312 Edward abolished
the Templars in both England and Scotland: Any Scottish Templars who were
arrested were confined to the Cistercian Houses, which was a far stricter
Order than the Benedictines to which the Templars originally belonged.
Templars north of the Firth of Forth naturally chose not to comply with
Edward's orders, and so avoided arrest. As Bruce had already been excommunicated
by the Pope for refusing to offer fealty to Edward, he did not feel obliged
to obey the Pope in this matter, although he must have received the Papal
Decree. Instead he sequestered all Templar property and allowed the order
to continue in existence: To proscribe the Knights Templar would have
severely reduced the size of his standing army. There existed no amity
between Bruce and the French so any pressure brought to bear would have
been useless, and he again rightly felt that he could act with impunity.
The Wars of Independence
After 1312 "The Knights Templar" disappear from reliable record
books, being generally regarded at the time as having been disbanded:
They did however continue to exist under different guises, fighting for
Robert the Bruce and playing at least a small part in the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314: The style of fighting employed by Bruce's Cavalry was remarkably
similar to that of the Templars and the tactics employed bore the hallmark
of Templar strategy.
One of the many Holy Relics of the time The Brecbannoch, a very large
battle standard, appears at the Battle of Bannockburn carried by Henry
de Monymusk. This was given to Henry prior to the Battle, by the Abbot
of Arbroath, to be kept in perpetuity by his family. The Brecbannoch was
one of the more important Scottish relics of the Middle Ages. Henry also
acquired the lands at Forglen as part of the Brecbannoch's dowry. The
Templar holdings in Scotland not acquired by the Hospitallers were given
by Bruce to his loyal followers, who previously had not held property.
Many Templars were the younger sons of the existing Nobility, and since
the life of a Knight was a far better option than taking the cloth to
be shut up in a closed Monastic order, they joined the Order of the Temple.
By 1320 King Bruce was back in Papal favour and he considered it politic
to be seen to be observing the Papal Decree. In order to ensure the continuing
liberty of those Templars loyal to his Cause he formed the Royal Order
of Scotland: This Order, like the modern Knights Templar, continues to
this day.
What happened to the Templars?
Perhaps understandably, little is known of the fate of the "Order
of the Knights of the Temple" during the rest of the Middle Ages.
It is very likely that several Templars joined the Order of the Knights
Hospitallers, which exist in a modern form today, a view that is partially
supported by the traditional ritual used by modern Masonic Encampments.
It has been suggested, with some validity, that the Order went 'underground'
and became absorbed into Freemasonry which existed in Scotland as early
as 1290. Several competing (and complementary) theories exist, but sadly
none are fully substantiated by surviving records.
Towards the end of the 15th Century, evidence suggests that there was
a secret society operated in the North East of Scotland by the Lairds,
led by the Earls of Huntly. This group was very involved in the politics
of Scotland having been active in the assassination of the Bonny Earl
of Moray in 1592. Later references in Privy Records refer to an organisation
called the Band of the Boys led by Gordon of Gight, an ancestor of the
notorious Lord Byron. This was an illegal group with its own set of Rules
that had been in existence for quite a number of years. Regrettably throughout
the generations they had become very much a law unto themselves and had
essentially become a band of Upper-class outlaws.
The leader of this group in 1715 was Lord George Keith, Earl Marishal,
who formed it into a very active intelligence unit to aid the Stuart cause.
He also helped set up other similar organisations in both England and
France, being "The Knights of St Thomas Acon" and the "Realm
of Sion". He is credited by some with the re-introduction of the
Knights Templar into Scotland about this time, and there is sufficient
evidence linking some 18th Century Preceptories to this date to tenuously
support this assertion. These organisations supplied the necessary intelligence
to help plan the abortive 1745 uprising and later convince the Earl Marishal
that the Stuarts were a lost cause: He transferred his attentions to Eastern
Europe and was very active in the services of Elizabeth of Russia and
later Frederic the Great in that Monarch's Prussian campaigns. There is
an unsubstantiated story which tells that Frederic, on hearing of the
death of Lord Keith, abandoned the battlefield to return to attend his
friend's funeral. However, all of the papers relating to his covert Jacobite
operations were burnt, as a precaution against his estates being appropriated
(again) by the Crown on the basis of the information contained in them.
The Jacobite Experience
In the late 17th Century and early 18th Century, when King James II /
VII was in hiding from William of Orange, King James is known to have
granted Chivalric Arms to his followers in France, England and Scotland.
Records are scarce, but it does appear that some grant other than the
Scots "Order of the Thistle" was made, and it seems likely that
the "Order of the Knights of the Temple" was made instead.
In September 1745 at Holyrood, Bonnie Prince Charlie is credited as being
installed as the Grand Master of the Templars: The evidence for this is
very flimsy and cannot be substantiated. What is more likely is that the
Prince was installed as the Grand Master of the Royal Order of Scotland,
as the purported regalia worn is similar to that of the Royal Order in
the 18th Century.
It may surprise some to discover that a non-Masonic Templar Order, styling
themselves "The Chivalric Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem"
exists, and indeed recently opened a "Moravia Preceptory" at
Elgin on 28th October last year (1993). They were chartered by the (non-Masonic)
Scottish Grand Priory in Edinburgh, which was re-established in 1972.
This Order cites the same traditional early history as the Masonic Templars,
dating back to the formation of the "Order of the Temple" in
1118. Whilst this modern Order does not claim direct association with
the Medieval Knights, it is noteworthy that their traditions are based
on a Templar organisation that survived into the mid-18th Century, which
coincidentally faded at the time of the resurgence of Templar Masonry.
The first Grand Masonic Body
The Grand Lodge of Scotland was formed as a governing body in 1736, bringing
Freemasonry somewhat further into the open. The first elected Grand Master
was William St. Clair of Roslin, formerly the hereditary Grand Master
Mason of Scotland (previous to the formation of Grand Lodge) and a Templar
as well: The St. Clairs were one of the oldest Scottish families. Previously
they had been keeper of the Holy Relics, and legend has it that when Jacques
de Molay was arrested, many of the Templar relics were sent to Scotland
and into the keeping of the St. Clairs. One of the earliest St. Clairs
is said to have been entrusted with taking King Bruce's Heart to the Holy
Land: It never got there as he was waylaid and attacked in Spain.
By the time of the first Jacobite uprising in 1715 there is some evidence
to suggest that the Templar tradition had been continuous throughout.
Further examination of the St. Clairs reveals that Templar iconography
was in frequent use by the family throughout the centuries, and that they
had an active interest in Masonry before and after the Schaw Statutes,
known to have heralded the advent of Masonry as is known today. Schaw
actually made a point of confirming the St. Clairs as the hereditary Grand
Master Mason of Scotland.
With the formation of the Grand Lodge, Masonry was combined into a cohesive
unit and a uniformity was applied to its workings: The higher Degrees
were at the same time brought under the auspices of Grand Lodge. Early
entries in various minute books detail the workings of the Higher degrees
by the Craft Lodges. In order to ensure that these degrees were kept secret
from all but the chosen few, the Lodge would be opened and closed in due
form for each Degree, the people to whom it was not relevant leaving appropriately.
In some recorded entries a Lodge could be opened and closed two or three
times in one evening. It was not until the late 1790's that Grand Lodge
forbade the bestowing of the higher Degrees due to a series of acts of
Parliament, pertaining to Secret Societies, which effectively made anything
above Master Mason illegal.
St. George Lodge
Many Masonic Lodges originally had a dual purpose, that of an Operative
Lodge and of a Friendly Society. Lodge St Nicholas of Aberdeen, No. 93,
contains in its original minute book, the rules and regulations for the
associated Friendly Society. The St. George Lodge from which the St George
Preceptory is descended,
was originally a Friendly Society which commenced in 1792, with it's Masonic
Charter being granted by Grand Lodge on the 3rd of November 1794. The
founding members were all drawn from the St James and St Luke Lodges already
Operative in the City of Aberdeen. Unfortunately neither of these Lodges
exist today: The only existing records of St George dating from its foundation
is the Accounts Book that contains many of the Memorials of the time.
Most aspiring candidates appear to have either been members of the Mariners
or Weavers Craft Guilds. The St George Lodge was in turn responsible for
Initiating sufficient candidates to enable the Aboyne Lodge to be raised
in 1808: This Lodge was subsequently disbanded in 1837 according to Grand
Lodge records. The current Charleston of Aboyne Loge was Chartered in
1819 and appears to be unconnected with the earlier Lodge.
The early records of the St George Lodge are very patchy, however retrospective
entries of the Royal Grand Conclave Roll Book, date from August 16th 1795.
The first recorded Royal Arch Degrees were worked earlier in that year:
It is safe to assume that members of the Lodge were qualified to work
the Templar Grades at the time of the Charter being granted. Certainly,
the Founder Members of the St. George Encampment in London, which was
founded in 1795, were advanced through the Templar Grades by the St. George
Lodge.
Lodge Structure
By 1806 the Lodge and the Arch were treated as two separate entities
with the Royal Arch being responsible for all degrees above that of Master
Mason. A separate Friendly Society was also formed. Minutes of 1810 then
proceed to show a further division of the Royal Arch, an Application being
made to the Early Grand Encampment of Ireland for a Charter. This appears
to have been Granted as the Minutes of 6th March 1810 advise of Officers
being appointed. When the Royal Grand Conclave was formed by Alexander
Deuchar in 1811, according to Minutes of 14th September 1813, the early
Encampment applied for membership.
This application was unsuccessful as there is no record of their admittance
in the Royal Grand Conclave books. The same Alexander Deuchar was instrumental
in setting up the Supreme Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in 1817.
Part of the criteria for admittance to the Royal Grand Conclave was that
associated bodies would not recognise any Lodge, Chapter or Encampment
working the Templar Grades, who were working them under a Master Mason
Charter. The Royal Grand Conclave refused to recognise the Early Grand
Encampment of Ireland, because it was trying to usurp its position - it
later succeeded. They regarded the St George Encampment as working the
Grades under their Lodge Charter of 1794, which did not specify that the
higher Degrees could be worked. The first mention in existing record books
of the St George Knights Templar Encampment, as an independent body, is
in 1817 when application is made to Grand Conclave for approval of the
Merger with the Aboyne Encampment.
The Aboyne Lodge
The Aboyne Encampment was originally part of the Lodge of the 6th North
British Militia, which was chartered in 1799 and dissolved in 1839. This
Lodge was sometimes (confusingly) known as the Aboyne Lodge as Lord Aboyne
was the Commander in Chief of the Regiment and had been Grand Master Mason
of Scotland 1802 - 1804. The Regiment was later known as the 55th Aberdeenshire
Regiment of the North British Militia, and subsequently the 3rd Battalion
of the Gordon Highlanders which was eventually dissolved in 1885.
As a regular Militia unit, it was stationed in varying parts of the country,
including Liverpool, Dover and the Tower of London. [Editors note: After
this Booklet was published, it was confirmed that the Templar Grades were
actually worked in the Tower of London by the early St. George Aboyne
Preceptory - a unique event] In 1812 they were stationed at Dalkeith which
was then a separate town on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Under the sponsorship
of Lord Aboyne, application was made to be admitted to the Royal Grand
Conclave of Scotland. This was accepted and "The Aboyne Encampment"
as it was then styled, was formally admitted as Number 21 on the roll
on the 6th July 1812. A much reduced, computer enhanced copy of the Charter
is included in the centre pages. The roll of Grand Conclave contains another
entry, at No 7 for the Aberdeen Military Encampment. This was also designated
as being the 55th B. Militia. Unlike the Aboyne encampment this was a
local Militia and could not be moved around the country, as its principle
purpose was the protection of the City of Aberdeen. The register of Grand
Conclave gives the founding date for this Encampment as 1807 when it carried
the name St. James. It must be stated that the two Encampments designated
as arising from the 55th B Militia were never in any way connected. Both
Encampments had the same designation 55th B as this was the naming convention
of the time and denoted the home of both to be Aberdeen.
Early Encampment Ritual
Eventually the Aboyne Encampment returned to Aberdeen. The first meeting
there was held on the 27th of January 1815 in the house of a Mrs Ingram,
location unknown, where there are no further details given. By October
the Encampment was better organised and at a meeting on 23rd October 1815
the Initiation fees were set as follows -
Excellent & Super Excellent
Royal Arch £ - 7/- 6d
Master Past the Chair
Ark
Black Mark £ - 2/- 1d
Link & Chain
Knight Templar
Knight of St John Of Jerusalem £ - 10/- 6d
Mediterranean Pass
Knight of Malta
Jordan Pass £ - 2/-
Babylonian Pass
Knight of the Red Cross £ - 3/-
High Priest £ - 5/-
Prussian Blue £ -
Whist knowledge of the existence of the Craft Degrees was relatively
widespread, there is very little known on the highest Degree, designated
the 25th or Prussian Blue. This was originally bestowed by Frederic the
Great, and had probably come to Scotland through the Jacobites and the
Earl Marischal who was a confidante of Frederic. It is likely that there
was no cost attached to this superlative Degree as it was bestowed by
a candidate's Peers and was truly regarded as an Honour: Making a charge
would have been deemed to be demeaning. The instances of it being bestowed
on anyone not of the Aristocracy was probably unheard of: The modern equivalent
would be the highest Conclave Degrees. The Templar Grades were more common
in the Military Lodges: It is documented that the three Military Lodges
stationed at Boston, Massachusetts in 1769, conferred the higher Degrees,
in particular the Templar Grades, on members of the local Lodge. With
regard to the Past the Chair Degree, a candidate did not actually have
to be a Past Master of a Lodge to receive it: Instead it was the way in
which a candidate was raised beyond the status of a Master Mason. Even
in those early days Degrees were worked in tranches, several traditional
degrees being conferred as a single Grade.
Working the Grades
As with the Lodges, in order to create an Encampment the founder members
had to be existing members of a legal Encampment, and on the 27th of May
1816 the minutes read -
"The Aboyne Encampment having had previous communication with a
Body of Irregular Sir Knights Templar in Peterhead and its vicinity, holding
under an illegal charter or paper from the Early Grand of Ireland, and
having received a petition from them to take them under our protection
and make them regular under the Royal Grand Conclave of Scotland. The
Sir Knights having taken into their serious consideration that it would
be for the particular good of the Order came to the resolution of sending
Sir Frances Donald Commander and Sir Alexander Walker, Secretary to Peterhead
to swear them in to the Royal Grand Conclave and Aboyne Encampment...to
grant them a letter of separation to enable them to meet as such time
as they could receive one from the Grand Conclave"
The Commander and Secretary were evidently successful in their mission,
for entries 38 to 53 of members on the roll Books of the Royal Grand Conclave
are shown as "residing in or near Peterhead."
The early finances of the Aboyne Encampment are unknown as the associated
Account Books are lost. However in the Minutes of 16th April 1817 mention
is made of a letter received concerning the sum of £20 due to the
Aboyne Lodge by the Encampment. This money was loaned to the Encampment
in order that they could pay for their Charter and other expenses relating
to the creation of the Encampment. After much discussion the Encampment
replied that they were unable to repay the capital amount but would remit
the interest due on an annual basis to the Lodge. The Aboyne Lodge accepted
this arrangement. Only £1 of the capital is ever documented as being
repaid with the interest paid only sporadically and eventually forgotten
altogether. The Aboyne Lodge ceased in 1837 and the monies due never fully
repaid. To have been forced to repay the £20 in full would have
probably caused the Encampment to cease.
The Foundation of St. George Aboyne
Very few new members appear to have been recruited between 1815 and 1818
when they merged with the St. George Encampment. There is little documented
regarding the Merger. The issue was first raised on 28th November 1818
by mention of a letter received and a few days later, on 3rd December
1818 the Merger was agreed to between both parties and the designation
of St George Aboyne formally agreed to - recognition by the Royal Grand
Conclave was somewhat slow in coming as the Merger was not initially approved.
The Charter was updated to reflect the new name.
As with many Masonic Minute books very little detail of the actual workings
of Encampment Ritual is detailed. However a hand written volume of Ritual
that was written by the person responsible for the earliest minutes of
1812 exists. Perhaps the most interesting thing was that candidates could
only be admitted after their first campaign. As the Aboyne Lodge was never
on active duty abroad this must relate either to some aspect of military
training, or more likely to a ritualistic journey related to the early
Templars. There would appear to have been no need for an Enquiry Committee,
or Ballot, in those days.
Meetings were not held on a regular basis and appeared to be whenever
there were candidates available. Also all Degrees from Past the Chair
to Babylonian Pass were bestowed in a single evening. There are gaps in
the Minute Books at several points, some covering five or more years.
When the Minutes recommence they are written as though there was no break
in proceedings: It must be assumed that there were no candidates during
these periods as earlier minutes appear to be concerned only with either
Elections or the admittance of Candidates. Elections were supposed to
be carried out on Holy Cross Day (15th September), annually but this was
not always the case.
By 1836 the Royal Grand Conclave was in serious difficulties. Part of
the problem was financial as many Encampments did not pay their annual
dues: Whether or not this applied to the St George Aboyne Preceptory is
unknown. Sir Alexander Deuchar's style of leadership was very unpopular:
He was a seal maker to trade and originally set up the Royal Grand Conclave
as a means to promote himself, his background likely to have precluded
him from becoming Grand Master Mason of Scotland. In order to compensate
for their financial difficulties it was proposed that non-Masons be admitted
to the Order, at the same time the ritual was adapted in order to allow
this to happen. Previously only Royal Arch Masons in Good Standing were
allowed to join. Only the Royal Grand Conclave was allowed to admit non-Masons
and these men were never members of any Encampments, only of Grand Conclave.
The Encampments never admitted non-Masons to their ranks.
Edinburgh Deputation
Notification of these changes did not appear to reach Aberdeen, as candidates
were still Royal Arch Masons and no mention of the new ritual being adopted
is made. Therefore on July 19th 1850, a letter was received from a number
of Royal Arch Masons in Edinburgh who requested that the St George Aboyne
Fratres admit them to the Order and then aid them in setting up their
own Encampment, in accordance with the original ritual. This was agreed
to, a Committee appointed, who were authorised "if necessary ...
to take the Charter, Minute Book and whatever part of Regalia they consider
proper and requisite for the purpose of Initiation." At a further
meeting on July 22nd it was further agreed that an advertisement was to
be placed in the Edinburgh Evening Courant, it read -
Templar Masonry
"To Royal Arch Masons; a number of Royal Arch Masons having requested
the St George Aboyne Knight Templar Encampment Aberdeen to send a deputation
to Edinburgh for the purpose of being initiated into this Religious and
Military Order. All Royal Arch Masons who are desirous of being admitted
into this ancient and honourable Order will obtain every information respecting
admission from Companion Main, 25 North Bridge. The Deputation will be
in Edinburgh on Monday 5th August and following days."
The response to the notice appears to have been satisfactory, for on
5th August at Noon the first candidates were Initiated. A second working
of the Degrees was held on the 6th August at 6pm and again at 8pm on the
same day. A private meeting of the Deputation was held on the 7th at their
hotel where it was recorded that they could have inducted more candidates
if they had so wished, and that they were well pleased with the events
as they had occurred.
Further Candidate Problems
Between 1859 and 1865 there were no regular meetings held. An entry dated
18th March 1859 gives a clue as to why. It states: "The meeting was
called for the purpose of considering Royal Arch Masonry in Aberdeen.
The Sir Knights present reviewed the matter and after a lengthy conversation
on the subject Sir Knight Beveridge gave notice of the following motion:
'That the Encampment resume its old practice of accepting as candidates,
Brethren who had received the degree of Master Mason'." The practice
of only admitting Royal Arch Masons was adopted after the foundation of
the Supreme Grand Chapter by Alexander Deuchar. However, within Aberdeen
the higher Degrees of Freemasonry were suffering from a dearth of Candidates,
and at one point the St George Chapter No. 21 was the only Arch initiating
Candidates with any regularity. From 1866 onwards the Meetings become
more regular with at least four musters a year being recorded: The meetings
were still called on the basis of the candidates being available.
Notabale Fratres
Many of the members join, pass through the Minute Books and are never
heard of again. However, there were two Fratres in particular who appear
to have played an important part in the general Masonic History of Aberdeen.
One was a Sir Knight Dr Beveridge who was Preceptor from 1852 to 1854.
Dr Beveridge was also, according to details in the Aberdeen Masonic Reporter,
though at differing times, in the Chair of Conclave and of that of the
Rosé Croix. Dr. Beveridge was also a historian of the St George
Aboyne Encampment and published articles on their history. When he died,
an Encampment of Sorrow was held at the Masonic Hall in Queen Street to
which all Master Masons were invited. There was an extensive résumé
of both the event itself and of Dr Beveridge's Masonic career printed
in the Aberdeen Free Press at the time. From the descriptions given it
was a very solemn and impressive affair, deserved by a gentleman who had
been both Provincial Grand Superintendent and Grand Master of Aberdeen
(for 21 years) in his time.
The other gentleman of interest is a John Crombie Esq. who was a distinguished
member of the Preceptory until the 1890's. Although less impressive than
the energetic Dr. Beveridge, he is notable for the following: John Crombie
resigned from the Encampment in the 1890's. There is an (undated) letter
of resignation still held in the Preceptory archive. What is so peculiar
is that a few months later, on an Encampment of Sorrow Order of Service,
John Crombie, District Grand Prior is shown as Presiding. One and the
same person it is safe to assume. It would appear that the reason he resigned
from the Preceptory of St George Aboyne was that it was regarded as being
an irregular body by the Chapter General in Edinburgh. In order to legitimise
his position as District Grand Prior, he resigned from St George Aboyne
but remained a member of Aberdeen Military thus ensuring his continued
Masonic position.
Aberdeen Military was re-chartered in 1871 as they had previously not
been regularly formed, and were designated by the new title of Aberdeen
Military Encampment Number 5½ on the roll of the Chapter General
of Scotland. Part of the reason they were not regarded as being regularly
formed was that they had not paid their dues for a number of years, although
they were conferring Grades.
[PICTURE] St. George Aboyne was Re-Chartered in 1812...
[PICTURE] ...and again in 1902
Recognition by England
The Royal Grand Conclave eventually fizzled out in the 1840's, and was
succeeded by The Chapter General, leaving a void in the Templar organisational
framework, which its rival claimant for the governance of Templar Masonry
in Scotland, the Grand Encampment of Scotland, was eager fill. The Grand
Encampment had been formed in 1826 when the Early Grand Encampment of
Ireland had Chartered it. All of the Encampments originally chartered
by Ireland were supposedly under it's jurisdiction, but by 1826, the majority
had been re-chartered by the Royal Grand Conclave, making the Early Grand
Encampment a somewhat minority governing body.
In the resulting confusion over Governing Bodies, Aberdeen appears to
have been forgotten by its peers in Edinburgh: In order to ensure its
continued existence, the St George Aboyne Encampment took the unusual
step of petitioning the Grand Conclave of England for recognition, which
was duly granted. It thus ensured its continued recognition and existence,
without having to pay either Edinburgh Grand Body money to bring its dues
and status up to date. It should be noted that the Royal Conclave of England
did not re-charter the St George Aboyne Preceptory under the English Constitution,
but simply acknowledged its continued existence so that it would never
be considered to have folded.
The 2nd Re-Charter
The fact that St George Aboyne was regarded as an irregular Encampment
by the Governing Bodies of Scotland appears not to have bothered the Fratres
in the slightest; until 1901 when letters were received from Sir Knights
Brand and Metier complaining that they were unable to join their local
(English) Encampments, as the St George Aboyne Preceptory did not belong
to either of the Grand Bodies in Scotland. At the subsequent meeting of
14th November 1901, it was agreed to instruct the Secretary to "communicate
with the Chapter General of Scotland and enquire on what terms we would
be received". The Chapter General was very prompt in replying, as
at the next meeting on 12th December 1901, the Laws and Statutes of the
Chapter General were received, discussed and agreed to. A further letter
was then sent to the Chapter General confirming agreement to the Laws
and Statutes, and asking if there were any further terms of Admission
to be fulfilled before admittance could be granted. Again, the Chapter
General was quick to respond and at a meeting on the 26th of December
1901" The Secretary then read three letters he had received from
Edinburgh suggesting Terms of Admission. After some discussion by the
Sir Knights, Sir Knight Smith moved that we agree to join the Chapter
General of Scotland." This motion was accepted and a Deputation sent
to Edinburgh on 4th January 1902 to further discuss the matter.
The Application by the Encampment of St. George Aboyne to join the Chapter
General was evidently successful, as the Minutes of the meeting of 24th
January record "The Deputation sent to Edinburgh then gave in a report...and
reported that they had signed the proposed arrangements that was to be
laid before the Chapter General." The various details are then given
which include "credit for the time we have been in existence."
A further meeting was then fixed for the 21st of February 1902, at which
a Deputation from the Chapter General was to be received and where it
would officially enrol the St George Aboyne Encampment under it's Banner
and form it into a Preceptory and Priory. The Deputation duly attended
the meeting of 21st February, and the Oath of Allegiance was made by the
Fratres to the Chapter General: The presiding Officers were duly installed
under the Governance of the Chapter General, and the Charter again amended.
The only change that appears to have been required having joined the Chapter
General, was that separate books were to be maintained for the Temple
and the Priory. The Fees were amended to reflect the levy now due to Chapter
General. At a later meeting on 3rd April the Chapter General advised St
George Aboyne that they were 4th on their Roll Books.
The Early 20th Century
With admission to the Chapter General, St George Aboyne settled down
to a peaceable existence: Meetings and Elections were carried out on a
regular basis, and one phase of St George Aboyne's eventful history is
closed. The Minutes after the Merger show that the Preceptory was settled,
and no further notable events relating to the Preceptory are recorded.
In 1907, a unitary governing body, The Great Priory in Scotland, was created
by merging the Chapter General and Royal Grand Conclave: This goes by
with no comment being recorded in the Minute Books of the Preceptory.
With the removal from the Exchange Street Hall to the newly completed
Temple at Crown Street, the Preceptory finally becomes settled in its
current meeting place.
While there is nothing of note in the contents of the Minutes to record
the advent of the First World War, the fact that Aberdeen was an important
Port is reflected by the number of Candidates being advanced, many of
whom were not local to Aberdeenshire. In order to aid the War effort Great
Priory purchased an Ambulance for use on the Lines in Palestine: All Preceptories
were asked for a donation towards this cost. On the 17th of May 1918,
this was subsequently approved of at a meeting of the Preceptory, but
no note of the actual amount donated can be traced as this was a separate
collection carried out during the meeting, with the full amount collected
being directly remitted to Great Priory.
The Modern Preceptory
The later 20th Century Preceptory Record Books are very unrevealing as
the Minutes only record normal Preceptory business. On the odd occasion
when a Sir Knight resigns the reason is not given, the resignation simply
recorded as accepted: If anyone attempted to resign and was unsuccessful,
nothing is shown. World events passed by the Preceptory, with the only
indication of the Second World War again being an increase in Candidates
who were not from Aberdeen, and an increase in the number of deaths reported
by the Order. After 1945 business as usual is resumed, and no further
cataclysmic events are recorded: That is until October 1992 when the Minutes
note that "not only had the District Grand Prior brought Peppermints
to a Muster but that he had also shared them out, twice."
Onwards Christian Soldiers!
There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the continued success
and prosperity of the Preceptory from 1794 to the present day is due to
the hard work and dedication of succeeding generations of Fratres and
Officers:
Those efforts are herein noted and applauded.
DESIGNATION OF THE OFFICE BEARERS of A Regular Encampment
as established by the Royal Grand Conclave of Scotland;
with their respective duties
1. The Commander *
2. Past Commander
3. Depute Commander*
4. Senior Captain *
5. Junior Captain *
6. Central Captain *
7. Treasurer *
8. Senior Standard Bearer *
9. Junior Standard Bearer *
10. Chaplain
11. Secretary *
12. Senior Expert
13. Junior Expert
14. Usher of the Black
15. Usher of the White
16. Provost
17. Hospitaller.
18. Captain of the Black *
19. Captain of the Red *
20. Captain of the Blue *
21. Master of the Stewards
22. Captain of the Outposts *
23. Protector *
24. Steward *
25. Guard *
Where the Encampment is not so numerous as to admit the full election
of the above, then those marked by an (*) may be selected.
The picture opposite, together with the description of Offices, is reproduced
verbatim from the 1812 Minute Book of the St. George Aboyne Encampment
of Knights Templar.
1. The Commander presides over the Knights and his duty is somewhat similar
to that of the Master of an Ordinary Masonic lodge, having analogous powers.
2. The Past Commander takes no chair and presides during the absence
of the Commander. All Past Commanders take the Chair (in absence of the
Commander) in preference to any other officer; and in the event of several
being present then the past Commander more Pastly in Office is preference.
When no Past master is present, then the office bearers take the chair
according to their Rank in the roll; but no office bearer under the Secretary
can preside over an Encampment. An Encampment which has no Past Commanders,
the Depute is held to be the same in point of Rank and duty.
3. In Absence of the Past Commander the Depute takes his seat and in
case of the death of the Past Commander or his leaving the place, or when
the encampment has had none, then the Depute fills his situation altogether
and a substitute Commander is elected to Supply the place of the Depute.
No encampment can be opened without the express leave of the Commander
or in the case of his absence, of the past or Depute Commander; and before
it can be opened there must be at least two office-bearers present of
superior rank to the Master of Stewards.
4. 5, & 6. The duty of the three captains is the same as that of
Wardens of a common Lodge; they keep order; enforce the edicts of the
Commander.
7. the Treasurer manages the funds, keeps a faithful account of every
expenditure and pays all joint and sanctioned debts of the Encampment.
8, & 9. The Standard Bearers take charge of the Ensigns of the Encampment.
10. The Chaplain administers the Obligations to Candidates, officiates
at Consecrations and craves the blessings at every Repast.
11. The Secretary draws and extends the minutes, keeps the books, clears
documents and other useful papers; issues the necessary circulars; and
brings all private business in order before the Encampment.
12, & 13. The duty of the Experts is similar to that of the Deacons
in a mason meeting; they examine visitors and wait upon the senior and
Junior Captains.
14, & 15 The duty of the Ushers is to attend to the orders of the
Commander.
16. The Provost prepares and brings in Candidates.
17. The Hospitaller provides the ammunition, for the Knights; he checks
and settles the Stewards accounts and is accountable to the Treasurer.
18, 19, & 20. The Captains of the Black, Red and Blue, stands sentinel
at the veils.
21 The Master of the Stewards attends in the Encampment to see the stewards
fulfil their duty, and to see that they faithfully settle with the Hospitaller.
22. The Captain of the Outposts Stands at the inside Door.
23. The Protector stands at the Outside of the door.
24. The stewards prepare the ammunition and give it out to the Knights;
they keep a note of the outlay of the evening and settle it with the Hospitaller.
25. The guard keeps everything right without doors; he attends to the
outer door of the Encampment, which he keeps carefully locked.
All candidates are to be admitted by ballot; three black balls are sufficient
to exclude the person, at the same time he may be allowed the privilege
of a second ballot at next monthly meetings.
Some of these rules, particularly the one pertaining to the Ballot of
Candidates, have since been modifed.
Biblography
The following publications were used in part to prepare this document.
A History of the Crusades, (3 Volume Set) S Runciman
Pour la Foy, GS Draffen
Territorial Soldiering in the NE of Scotland, JM Bulloch MA
The Trial of the Templars, M Barber
Ars Quator Coronatorum, various volumes
The History of Freemasonry and the GLS, WA Laurie
The Origins of Freemasonry, Dr. D Stevenson
The History of the Aberdeen Volunteers, D Sinclair
Aberdeen Masonic Reporter, periodicals 1875-1881
The Freemason's Chronicle, periodical 1887
The Spalding Club Collection, various volumes
Scottish Historical Review 1907, article by J Edwards
The Knights Templar in Aberdeen, 1887 lecture by A Walker
English Historical Review 1909, article by C Perkins
The Preceptory of St. George [London] CF Matier
The Gordon Highlanders, Their Origin, JM Bulloch
The Piebald Standard, E Simon
The Sword and the Grail, A Sinclair
Manual of Freemasonry, R Carlile
The Aberdeenshire Militia, Col. T Innes
Letters on Freemasonry, JQ Adams
The Genesis of Speculative Masonry, private work D Knoop MA
Year Book of the GL of A F & A Masons of Scotland
Jacobite Peerage, De Ruvigny
Burke's Peerage, 1935 Edition
The Macmillan Concise Encyclopedia, 1993 Edition
Ordnance Survey Pathfinder Series
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