| Administrative History | Lodge Craigellachie No.241 Bicentenary : A brief history by Geoff Smith
On 6th May 1811 the Grand Lodge of Scotland issued a charter founding Craigelachie (sic) Lodge No.317. Its inaugural meeting was held at Duncan Grant's farm Lettoch, Abernethy. All subsequent meetings took place in Grantown.
The Lodge was created under the Friendly Societies Act, 21 June 1793. As a credit union it existed for the benefit of its members, providing annuities and death benefits for members and their widows. The annual subscription, known as a Quarter Penny, was due on St. John's Day, 7th January.
Three of the fifteen founding members were exempted from paying joining fees. Twelve members each paid £1.18.0 to become properly accredited, a total of £22.16.0. The annual fee varied from time to time. In 1834, for example, it was two shillings (10p). The benefits of membership included an allowance of meal during periods of hardship. The initial membership swelled quickly to more than 150. By 1855, 664 members had been enrolled. However the churn was high so the core membership was never great.
Eventually financial indiscipline led to its collapse. The Lodge was liquidated in 1855 with a small distribution to the remaining members. Few received their share for the non-mason lawyer handling the liquidation absconded with the funds and accounts, a not uncommon occurrence in Scotland in the mid-19th century. Its last Clerk was James Findlay who died in 1864.
During 1882 Freemasons in the town met with a view to reviving the Lodge. The group met on 24th February 1883 at an unrecorded venue resolving to meet to re-start the Lodge on 6th March 1883 in the Ante Room of the Town Hall.
A preliminary meeting took place on 1st March. And another on 14th March 1883. James Findlay of Hotel Abernethy disclosed that he held the original charter. The proposed Lodge met at Hotel Abernethy on 23rd March 1883 under the chairmanship of James Grant of Birchfield.
On its presentation of the original charter, the Grand Lodge of Scotland issued an amended charter with the proviso that a debt of £8 from its former incarnation was discharged first. With its re-allocated number Craigellachie Lodge No.241. Grantown-on-Spey re-started life on 27th December 1883 having elected Peter Scotland its Right Worshipful Master.
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