Drumcree Masonic Lodge No. 979

In 1955 or even earlier a number of Freemasons in the Portadown and Portadown areas were having discussions about forming a new Masonic Lodge. By late 1955 they had reached the stage of holding a formal meeting, with minutes and the first of these minutes begins:-

“A meeting was held in the Old Rectory, Drumcree o Friday 9th December 1955 with the object of constituting a new Masonic Lodge. Present were Rev R E Dennis, John Carrick, C H McAlpine, J Brown, S Gardiner, H Brown, E Hickey, W Matchett, G Moore and W J Harrison. Apologies were received from C T McAlpine, T Carrick, (Drumena), J Lester and F Jones.
The meeting opened with a Masonic Prayer.
Rev R E Dennis was elected chairman.
Mr C H McAlpine proposed and Mr J Brown seconded that a Masonic Lodge be formed to be called Drumcree Lodge. Passed unanimously".

Two decisions were then made which still affect the Lodge – “the meetings should be on the third Friday of the month and the Lodge be a Temperance one, the word Temperance not to be incorporated in the name”

A list of officers was then agreed to act until the Lodge was fully constituted and the new Secretary was instructed to apply to the Grand Secretary for the memorial for Warrant.

The original idea was for the Lodge to have its own premises and a decision was made to inspect the Old Mill, Drumena, as a possible venue for Lodge meetings. This aim to have a hall continued for some two years, a committee being set up in 1958 to discuss it, but in 1957 some of the preliminary meetings began to be held in the Masonic Hall, Portadown.

Much work had to be done before the Lodge could be set up – the necessary approval of Grand Lodge had to be obtained, Bye-laws had to be compiled, relations with the Portadown Hall House Committee had to be worked out, Regalia had to be purchased, etc. The Foundation Members were all members of other local Lodges and the goodwill of these Lodes was forthcoming. The Provincial Grand Lodges of Armagh advised that Foundation Members be limited to 20 and meetings in 1956 considered who might be invited to be those Foundation Members and who might be on the list as members to be initiated as soon as the Lodge was formed.

The officers met regularly during 1956 and early 1957, the necessary approvals were obtained to constitute the new Lodge on 21st June 1957 at 5.00 pm.

On 21st June 1957, Drumcree Masonic Lodge No 979 was constituted and dedicated under Warrant from the Most Worshipful the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge of Ireland, dated 6th June 1957, at an Occasional meeting of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Lodge of Armagh, held in the Masonic Hall, Portadown. The Constitution and Dedication Ceremony was carried out by the R W Bro H C C Deane FRCS, Provincial Grand Master, assisted by the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge of Armagh.

The first Officers installed were:-

Other foundation members listed were:- V W Bro John H Walsh, V W Bro John Lester, W Bro John F Jones, V W Bro Thomas J Trueman (deceased), W Bro George Robinson and Bro John Gilpin

The following were proposed at this first meeting for affiliation:- Bro’s J F Irwin, J G McKinney, J W Hunniford, R D Wilson, W Watson and A H McCracken.

Proposed for Initiation:- Rev M L Kinsella, Mr A W McMahon, Mr H Todd, Mr J Todd and Mr J H McClung.

Distinguished Members

The most influential member of the Lodge in its earliest days was Rev R E Dennis, MA first Master of the Lodge in 1957. Rev Dennis was Rector of Drumcree and an image of Drumcree still appears on the ribbon to which Past Masters attach their jewel. Rev Dennis later moved to England, where he became the Rector of Bootle.

The most distinguished member of the Lodge has been R W Bro Charles McCollum, FBAA, JP, and Master of the Lodge in 1968, who was Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Armagh 1984 – 1989. He was also Grand Treasurer of the Most Worshipful the Grand Lodge of Ireland for almost thirteen years