Royal Order of Scotland
Provincial Grand Lodge of Transvaal
R W Bro D G Penrose
Provincial Grand Master
Provincial Grand Lodge of Pretoria
R W Bro R Gibson
Provincial Grand Master
Provincial Grand Lodge of East Rand
R W Bro A A Thomson
Provincial Grand Master
Provincial Grand Secretary of Transvaal:
Bro. David Kirkness
Cell Phone: 084 567 8910
Email: dsk@housesgp.com
Provincial Grand Secretary of Pretoria:
Bro. Brian Bingham
Cell Phone: 083 228 3156
Email: brianb@stonestamcor.co.za
Provincial Grand Secretary of East Rand:
Bro. Ted Thompson
Cell Phone: 082 451 5041
Email: tedsjoy@ifrica.com
History and Origin
Authentic documentary proof in the archives of the Grand Lodge gives rise to an assertion that the Royal Order of Scotland is senior to every other Masonic system, with the exception of the Craft, for there is written and printed evidence that implies a number of Lodges of the Order were active in London as early as 1741. A zealous mason by the name of William Mitchell, then living in the Low Countries (Holland), applied to the authorities in London in 1750 for a charter to hold a Lodge of the Order at The Hague, and while this charter was granted, it is doubtful if the Lodge ever worked. Around 1752/53 Brother Mitchell moved to Edinburgh taking with him the Charter issued to him as Provincial Grand Master at The Hague, and by virtue of this document he set up a Lodge of the Royal Order in Edinburgh; in due course this body was to elevate itself to the level of a Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland in July 1767. A period transpired in the early 1800's when the Order almost became extinct with few meetings being held, but in 1839 efforts at resuscitation were successful and by 1843 the Grand Lodge was granting warrants for the erection of Provincial Grand Lodges.
From the earliest written records of meetings, the Order claimed that the King of Scots was the Hereditary Grand Master and a (vacant) seat is reserved for him in the East at every meeting of each Provincial Grand Lodge, and all meetings of Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge at Edinburgh today controls over 85 Provincial Grand Lodges situated in many different parts of the world.
The Royal Order of Scotland administers two degrees, namely:
The Heredom of Kilwinning
Knighthood of the Rosy Cross
Reference: 'Beyond the Craft' by Keith B Jackson. Published by: Ian Allan Publishing
| Lodge | Meeting Place |
|---|---|
| Provincial Grand Lodge of Transvaal | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| Provincial Grand Lodge of Pretoria | Pretoria, The Willows |
| Provincial Grand Lodge of East Rand | Germiston, SMC |