Solomon Preceptory & Priory #23

On the night of 24^th. October, 1904 in Fraserburgh, a gathering of several Royal Arch Masons of Solomon Royal Arch Chapter #38 took place in the Royal Hotel, Fraserburgh. The purpose of the gathering was to discuss the prospects of submitting a Petition to the Keith Encampment at Peterhead, craving permission to be initiated into the mysteries of the Military & Religious Order of Knights Templar and the Military Order of the Knights of Malta.

On 31^st. October, 1904, eighteen Companions from the Royal Arch Chapter of Solomon were created Knights of the Temple and Knights of Malta in the Masonic Temple, Fraserburgh, by the Knights of Keith Preceptory, Peterhead.

Soon after that, a petition requesting a Charter was sent to the Great Priory of Scotland, and a "letter of authority" was received by William Rennie, giving permission for him and the other Knights to set up their own Encampment in Fraserburgh. The Installation took place on 2^nd. February, 1905, in the Masonic Temple, Frithside Street, Fraserburgh, and afterwards refreshments were served in the Royal Hotel.

Five days later in Perth, on 7^th. February a full Charter was granted to Solomon Encampment No:25 on the Roll of the Great Priory of Scotland, (later to become number 23 on the roll - no record exists of when the actual change took place) now Solomon Encampment was up and running.

In order to purchase the furniture and paraphernalia for the new Encampment the Fraters borrowed £5 from Solomon Royal Arch Chapter #38 and every Fraters gave a donation of 10 shillings (50 pence).

During the next two years the Encampment went from strength to strength. In February 1907, the fees for entry into the Malta Grade were £1.11 shillings.

The following year on 8^th. December, the name Solomon Encampment was dropped; this is the first mention of the new designation for Solomon Preceptory & Priory No:23 being used.

About that time there is an entry in the Minute Book stating that, the Preceptory & Priory of Solomon purchased furniture at a cost of £33, there is no record of what was purchased, but it has to be assumed that the furniture and paraphernalia used today is that which was purchased.

It isn't very clear why, but a month later the Preceptory took out a loan from the Union Bank in Fraserburgh for £30 at an interest rate of 4% per annum.

By November 1910, interest was being shown by the Preceptory in joining together with other Preceptories within the Aberdeen and Banff area to form a District Grand Priory which was to be designated "The District Grand Priory of Aberdeen & Banff", and on the 11^th. November, 1911, the new District Grand Priory was consecrated and dedicated.

The first Preceptor of Solomon Vn. Fr. William Rennie was made a Ex-officiis member of the District together with the other four Preceptors in the District. Two years later Vn. Fr. William Rennie resigned through ill health and the second Preceptor Vn. Fr. Alexander Cardno was installed.

The year 1914 saw the outbreak of World War 1 (1914 - 1918) and like all other Masonic Orders within the area at the time the Preceptory went into a downturn of membership.

On 12^th. September, 1918, the Preceptory moved from Frithside Street to the Masonic Temple in Cross Street, Fraserburgh where they remained until 1934.

On the 11^th. hour, of the 11^th. day, of the 11^th. month, 1918, the end of The Great War was announced, and things started to pick up as members once again began to take an active interest in the Preceptory.

An unnamed member presented the Preceptory with a copy of the Chaplains Portion, which, unfortunately can no longer be found. The Preceptory also purchased 17 Gowns and Caps at a cost of £16.18 shillings, and hymn sheets were presented by Fraters William Donald.

In 1925 the Preceptory gave a donation of £5 toward the cost of the Memorial Tablet erected in the graveyard at Maryculter to commemorate the presence of the Knight Templars.

Not long after that an unfortunate incident occurred, the Preceptory was financially struggling and found itself unable to pay their annual dues to the District Grand Priory, but in 1930 worse was to come, the Preceptory Treasurer absconded, and the Preceptory funds were found to be short the sum of £1 5sh. 8p, but this was only the tip of the iceberg as Lodge Solomon #197 had also lost the sum of £266 because of the same Treasurer. (The Treasurer was later expelled from the Order and Freemasonry in general).

On 26^th. November, 1934, the purpose built Masonic Temple in Commerce Street, Fraserburgh was opened Lodge Solomon #197 and the Preceptory of Solomon #23 moved to that location and has mustered there since.

The coming of the Second World War in 1939 saw another decline in membership and it wasn't until 1943 that candidates were once again being initiated into the Order.

Moving on now to the 1950's. The Lifeboat disaster of 1953 where 6 souls from the town perished, whilst none of the crew were members of Solomon Preceptory, prayers were offered in the Preceptory for their wives and families.

On 15^th. February, 1954, Preceptory Warder Fraters J. Noble was presented with a clock in recognition of his long and outstanding service of 25 years in that post

A severe winter storm in February 1962 saw the cancellation of District Grand Priory's annual visitation to the Preceptory, snow blocked all the roads and Fraserburgh was isolated for a few days until the snow ploughs eventually got through.

The Installation of Venerable Preceptor Alexander Campbell took place on 14^th. February, 1989, but sadly he passed away on 12^th. July, 1990, never having presided over a muster, and was a much felt loss to the Preceptory.

Another stalwart of the Preceptory was Fraters Bill Simpson who retired as Treasurer after 29 years of service.

The Preceptory & Priory celebrated in Centenary on 26^th. February, 2005, and the re-dedication and consecration of the Preceptory as well as a new banner was conducted by the Most Em & Rev. Grand Master Kenneth Kennedy GCT and the Officers of the Great Priory of Scotland. Afterward a splendid refectory was held in Jaspers, a local restaurant.

The Preceptory has grown in stature and has become one of the District's leading lights, and we hope it will continue to flourish for another hundred years.

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Compiled by Secretary James B. Henderson PP, in response to a request by the District Grand Secretary.

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A shilling was a coin used until decimalisation in 1971. Before decimalisation, there were twenty shillings to the pound and twelve pence to the shilling, and thus 240 pence to the pound.

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