Lodge Girvan St Johns’ was granted a charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland on the 11^th November 1810. It was at that time given the number 240, but at a later, during 1826 it was changed to number 237 as we now know it.

The lodge was in no way the start of masonry in Girvan, there is no record as to when it was first practised but at the end of the 1700’s there were two lodges under the Kilwinning charters, St Andrew no 129 and St Andrews no 171.

It appears that the brethren of both these lodges were not happy with there own lodges and broke away, thereafter applied to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a charter, and so the beginning of Girvan St John’s. But the brethren of Girvan were still not happy because another group broke away and a charter was granted to a St Johns’ Lodge No 312 in 1815. This new lodge never ever got started because the minute book which was inscribed with the Lodge name and number had never a minute entered, and it was passed on to Lodge 237 who used it from 1815 to 1875.

Lodge no 171 folded about the same time but it was interesting to that before winding up its business it brought a plot of ground in the Old Street Cemetery so that no mason would ever be buried in a paupers grave, records show that this plot has been used four times in the past.

Masonry in Girvan in the early part of the 1800’s, must have been very strong as a charter was granted to a Royal Arch Chapter in 1818, Girvan Union No 35, and there was also a Conclave assembly No 32.

It is also recorded in 1825 when the new Gaol (jail) and tower was being built on the ground adjacent to the Kings Arms, possible the clock tower at stumpy,this is at the corner of Knockcushan St and Dalrymple St . The foundation stones of the new buildings were laid with full Masonic honours by the RWM of St Johns’ Lodge Maybole No 10 which was the senior lodge present, also represented was St Andrews No 171, Maybole No 164 and Girvan St Johns’ No 240. This lodge was also represented at the laying of the foundation stone at the Maybole Gas Works in 1834 and no doubt at many other celebrations and public functions.

In the next two or three decades not only the lodges, but Girvan itself suffered, disaster struck in the 1840’s in the form of a cholera epidemic, there was also mass unemployment as the largest industry in Girvan was at that time hand loom weaving, Girvan was experiencing the results of the industrial revolution because local weavers could not compete with the modern equipment which the industrialist in Glasgow and Paisley had installed and many local people had moved away from Girvan to try and earn a living. This could in some way be part of the reason for the Royal Arch Chapter floundering in the 1860’s but the Lodge weathered the storm.

There was no records as to where the meetings were held, possibly the secretary thought it unimportant. But in the late 1800’s a room was rented above a public house in Old Street, which was later known as the Masonic Arms. This public house later changed hands and the new owners changed its use to a stationers, tobacconist and confectioners and required the room used as a temple for his own accommodation. The owner himself being a member of our order built a lodge above the stables adjoining his property and rented it to the lodge in 1913. In 1926 the premises were purchased to give Girvan St Johns’ their own premises. The Lodge prospered and went from strength to strength until re-development of the High Street, an episode in the history, which nobody wishes reminded of, sadly on April 1974 the lodge was demolished. This was an unhappy time for the members, the meetings were held in a variety of places. In 1978 the Lodge in Lagganwhilly Lane was purchased and in 1979 the new temple was dedicated.

The Lodge remains in the temple to this day and since 1999 the brethren of the Lodge have been working throughout the summer each year to replace the ceiling and floors, which have rotted over the years.

By Bro James H Gracie PM 433 and HM 237