Bro. James Purves 1925 - 1927, 1943 - 1944
Bro. James Purves
Master; 1925 - 27; (1943 - 44)
 Bro. Purves was installed for the second time as Master in
November, 1925, by Bro. W.L. Campbell, P.G. Senior Warden, and for the
third time in November, 1926, by Bro. John Brownlie, P.M., Lodge Scotia,
No. 178: the office bearers on these occasions being installed by Bro.
D. Belford Stephen, P.G. Treasurer, and Bro. Thomas Mason, P.M., Lodge
Scotia, No. 178.
 The first Regular Meeting was held on Wednesday, 23rd September,
1925, when general business was transacted. The collection was �2, and
was sent to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
The roll of Founder Members was now complete and numbered 143 Brethren.
James Purves was born on 6th August, 1878, at Jarrow-on-Tyne, and
was an electrician to trade, serving his time with Swinburne & Son,
Wallsend-on-Tyne. As a craftsman he was employed with the South Shields
Electricity Department and in 1902 transferred his services to the
Corporation of Glasgow Tramway Department.
In 1912 he joined Lodge Thistle, No. 87, but never held any office
in his Mother Lodge, so that the Office of Master of Riddrie was his
first Masonic Office.
Bro. Purves was an asset to the social side of the Lodge, having a
pleasing baritone voice and a repertoire of rousing ballads; he was also
interested in sport, being a member of Crow Wood Golf Club.
During Bro. Purves' term in office 64 initiates and 1 affiliate
were received in to the Lodge.
Three prominent members of the craft, Bros. Matthew Robin and
Matthew M. Findlay, Substitute P.G. Master and Bro. Thomas Trodden,
Depute Master, Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No. 0, received honorary
membership, and each were presented with an honorary member's jewel.
 Gold Founder Member's jewels were presented to Bros. James
Purves, Archd Russell, Jun, and John Young for the work they had done
during the founding of the Lodge.
Divine Service was held in Hogganfield Church on 16th May, 1926,
the officiating clergyman being Bro. Rev. W.M Wightman, M.A., Hon.
Chaplain of the Lodge. Divine Service thereafter (with the exception of
one period when Bro. Wightman had accepted an appointment in Edinburgh
and the Lodge was without a ministerial Chaplain) became an annual and
was usually well attended by the brethren of the Lodge. Bro. Wightman
was presented with an Apron and Case as a parting gift, being a
thanksoffering for all the services he had rendered to the Lodge and
also to the brethren during his term of office as Chaplain.
The first Mark Ceremony was held on 7th April, 1926, when a very
unusual incident took place. The young craftsman who carried the stone -
Bro. James D. Fraser - had, under his father's direction, actually cut
and engraved the stone which he carried and could truthfully say that it
was his own work. Bro. D. Belford Stephen, P.G. Treasurer, who was
acting as Mark Master, ordered Bro. J.D. Fraser to cut his "Mark" on the
stone after the Mark had been duly recorded in the Mark Register of the
Lodge.
The Lodge Bye-Laws were passed by Provincial Grand Lodge on 15th
March, 1926, and to these Bye-Laws were added seven recommendations, viz :
/ (1) That evening dress be worn by office-bearers at all
Regular Meetings.
(2) That no subscription sheets, concert tickets, or
anything of like nature,
be allowed in the Lodge Room, or adjacent, without
the sanction
of the Lodge
(3) That no property be removed from the Lodge without the
permission of
the Master and a receipt given therefore to the
senior Warden, and then only
for a specified time and purpose.
(4)That a social function be held each year to commemorate
the founding of
the Lodge.
(5)That the Lodge treasurer shall submit to the General
Committee quarterly
statements showing the financial position of the Lodge.
(6)That all orders for goods to be supplied to the Lodge
shall be made through
the Secretary, who shall keep an order book with
counterfoils for reference.
(7)That any motion for the suspension of any of the
foregoing Standing Orders
must be carried out by a two-thirds majority of the
qualified brethren present
when such suspension is moved. /
Deputations with brethren who took part in the Degree work of the
Lodge, were received from Lodges Mother Kilwinning, No. 0 ; Shettleston
St. John, No. 128 ; Scotia, No. 178 ; St. Andrew, No. 465 ; St. Andrew,
East Kilbride, No. 524 ; Tollcross, No. 1194 ; and Alexandria, No. 1282.
Bro. Alexander McCracken, a founder member of Lodge Riddrie, had
been installed as Master of Lodge Alexandra, and was able to lead the
deputation from that Lodge. These deputations were the beginning of
lasting friendships and at the same time were an instruction to the
members of the new Lodge as to the various manners of undertaking Degree
work.
Brethren of Lodge Riddrie, led by the Master, under took the
working of a Third Degree at Mother Kilwinning No. 0, and a deputation
to Lodge Scoon of Perth, No. 3, spent a very instructive afternoon and
evening.
During this period a fund was started to enable the Lodge at some
further date to build a temple. Various whist Drives, dances, theatre
suppers and draw schemes were held to raise the money required. A
production of "Are You A Mason?" was given in the Lyric Theatre by the
Singer Dramatic Society, arranged by Bro. Peter Taylor ; and a
production of "Rob Roy" by the Glasgow Choral and Dramatic Society was
given in the City Hall. In this production the following brethren of the
Lodge were cast as :
 Francis Osbaldistone - - - W.R. STARK
 Dugal Cratur - - - - - - - - D.L. GRANT
 Captain Thornton - - - - JAMES PURVES
The combined receipts from theses functions gave the building fund
a good start.
To end this initial period may we state that, although everyone was
doing the utmost possible for the new Lodge, it would be more than human
not to expect at times there would be little set-backs. The following
minute is an illustration :
/ "No meeting of Lodge Riddrie, No. 1340, was held on
28th
September, 1927, owing to the fact that the Charter could
not be produced as the key to the safe in which it was
lodged had been mislaid. The Lodge was not
constituted and
provincial Grand Lodge was notified."/
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