The Lodge is indebted to Bro WT Russell who has written “My Brothers Past” which is a complete history of Lodge St Duthus in two volumes click here for a link to publisher.

For this reasons we have only included a condensed version of the history on these web pages

 Lodge St Duthus, No 82, situated in the Royal Burgh of Tain is the Mother Lodge in the Province of Ross and Cromarty. The Lodge Charter is dated 2nd February 1761 and is signed by the Rt. Ho David, Earl of Leven.

David Ross of Invercassley who was later elevated to the Peerage Lord Ankerville and was, in 1809, to donate the ground for the new Tain Academy, was the first Master. The other Office-bearers were Depute Master - Hugh McFarquhar, Surgeon in Tain, Senior Warden Lt John Reid, Junior Warden - Baillie George Miller, Treasurer - Harry Munro of Foulis, Secretary - Lt David Ross and Clerk - John Barcley. The Lodge was formed only 16 years after Culloden and, as this was still a time of great depression, consideration as to the provision of work for a Brother was written into the Constitution, indeed the majority of early Lodge Minutes feature many letters seeking financial assistance. In future years the general wealth of the area was to improve dramatically and the influence of more than a few Lodge Office-bearers is duly noted in many history books and Minutes of local societies. David Ross of Invercassley and Donald MacLeod of Geanies (who was Master for 61 years and Sheriff of Ross for 2~ years) were two such Brethren. They were known to be friendly with Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, who was instrumental establishing human rights for many people in this country. Another Master, Hugh Ross of Calrossie, did more for farming than any other man of his time. Many more Brethren went on to represent Tain in such fields as politics, law, medicine, education, the Church and Armed Forces.

Past Master, Dr Colin MacKenzie is a perfect example. Four years after completing the Lodge building in 1895, he went on to found and build Lodge Trinity No 885 in Leith and was the first Master that Lodge.

© Lodge St. Duthus 2006-2007

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