Old Records Of The Lodge Of Peebles.

Deer . 27 th , 1793 . St . John ' s Day anniversary held . 39 members present . Thomas Brown elected Grand Master , and John Wallace Depute Grand Master . The following minute we give in full , as it is of importance in so far as it forms a sort of connecting link in the history of the society or Lodge of Masons in Galashiels , the minutes of which Lodge in connection with the Records of Haughfoot Lodge , were published up to the year 1763 . The following petition shews that the Lodge still existed , although we have not yet been able to find any other existing records of its meetings , etc . — -R . S .:

—Peebles , 10 th January , 1794 . The Right worshipfull master having called a meeting of the Lodge this evening , and have accordingly mett in a very full lodge . Laid before them a petition from a Society of Free and Accepted Masons at Galashiells , whereof the tener follows , viz . : —¦' Galashiells unto the Right worshipfull the Master , other officebearers and members of the Kilwinning Lodge of Free and Accepted Massons at Peebles .

The Petition of a society of Free ancl Accepted Massons at Galashiells humbly sheweth that your Petitioners , tho' belonging to the ancient ancl Honourable fraternity of Masons beyond all memory , have no charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , nor are they a regular branch of any Lodge having such a charter . They are most grateful to their Brethren of the Peebles Kilwinning for the favours already received through part of their

Members corresponding with them . And beg they would now in addition to all former obligation aclmitt them to the honour of being a branch of their very ancient Lodge . They are induced to ask this favour chiefl y from wanting funds to procure a Charter , and next from a Desire of being connected with the most respectable Lodge in their Neighbourhood . With this view they have deputed their

Worshipfull Brother James Frier cheif officebearer , Brother George Lister , and Brother William Sanderson , to make out this address , which will be laid before the Peebles Kilwinning by the foresaid Brother William Sanderson , who will be invested with full power to act in name of their Society at Galashiells in settling the conditions of their bestowing this priviledge for which your Petitioners shall endeavour to shew proper sencebbehaving on

, y all occasions in a manner becoming Massons , ancl in gratitude for the past , and in hopes of this entreated favour , they Drink their Brethren of the Peebles Kilwinning this clay three times three , and all the honours of Masinery . May it therefore please the Kilwinning Lodge at Peebles to consider and grant the Desire of this Petition . And your Petitioners shall ever pray . Signed b y the order and with the unanimous consent of the Brethren ,

WILLIAM SANDERSON . Thereafter the Lodge having taken said Petition into due and serious consideration , and for certain reasons ancl objections made by several members in the Lodge , they were unanimousl y of opinion that the said Society could not be admitted a Branch of this Lodge , and recomended to them to apply to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a proper charter in clue form , and recomended to the Right Worshipfull Master to write said Society to that effect , which

was accordingly done . THOMAS BROWN , Master . During this year 1794 the following entrants are recorded : —Robert Muir , Masson , Peebles ; William Wilson , Masson , Peebles ; Thos . Sanderson , Merchant , Edinburgh ; and A . Murray Bertram , writer , Edinburgh ; with which the second minute book closes . The third minute book , which brings the records down to 1804 , and contains various interesting incidents connected with the Craft , will be continued in next extracts .