Lodge History

Our History

The original Lodge was located here in the topfloor of The Old Town house from 1786 - 2004.


The Lodge of Old Aberdeen, Number One Hundred and Sixty-four on the Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland received its charter from Grand Lodge on the sixth day of November, 1786, but about a year before that date the first Minute Book was opened with the following entry:- "Upon the 18th and 26th December, Seventeen Hundred and Eighty-five, James Nicol, Currier; George Fiddes, Shoe-maker, Mason; William Miln, Merchant; John Irvine, Merchant; all in this City of Old Aberdeen, were entered Apprentices, passed Fellow-crafts, and raised Master Masons by the lodge of St. Nicholas in Aberdeen for the purpose of qualifying them to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in order to obtain a Patent for erecting them into a Lodge of Freemasons in Old Aberdeen."


  The above mentioned Brethren again met on the 20th December for the purpose of nominating Office-bearers to be deputed by the Right Worshipful Master and Office-bearers of St. Nicholas Lodge to enter Apprentices, pass Fellowcrafts and raise Master Masons. The nomimation was as follows:-James Nicol, Master; Thomas Wilken, Senior Warden; George Fiddes, Junior Warden; Alexr. Smith, Treasurer; John Irvine, Secretary; William Nicol, Senior Steward; and William Miln, Junior Steward.


 They likewise resolved that admittance into the forming Lodge should be as follows:-When entered Apprentice, Seven Shillings and sixpence, when passed Fellowcraft, Two Shillings and sixpence, and when raised Master Mason, Two Shillings and Sixpence,

 

  ". . .all sterling money, making in whole-twelve shillings and sixpence for the three degrees in Masonry of which there should be allowed two shillings and sixpence for entertainment and every member should pay sixpence per quarter. "

 

 On the 24th January, 1786, the Minute states that the Master and Office-bearers of Lodge St. Nicholas assembled in the Hall and granted authority to the Brethren as nominated to enter Apprentices, pass Fellowcrafts, and raise Master Masons.


  On the 26th of January, 1786, a petition was sent to Grand Lodge craving a Charter of Constitution, along with the recommendation from the Right Worshipful Master and Office-bearers of St. Nicholas, Lodge, and an Attestation from the Honourable the Magistrates and the Reverend the Ministers of the City, certifying the Petitioners to be men of good moral character.

In 2004 The Lodge of Old Aberdeen No. 164 moved premises a few metres away to The Old Coach house which was the original coach house for the Powis Estate. The building lies within the Aberdeen University grounds.


The university of Aberdeen obtained the Old Town House from the Council for a peppercorn lease of one hundred and fifty years in 2001. They then asked the Lodge if they would consider moving to other premises within the bounds of Old Aberdeen as they wished to use the whole premises as a Student intake building. After some three years terms were agreed upon and the Lodge moved to The Old Coach House in August 2004. The Lodge of Old Aberdeen has a perpetuity rite to the Old Town House as we gave the town Fathers of 1785 money to build (or extend) the building. (The Lodge still retains the perpetuity rite to the Old Town House and can move back in if the University want the Old Coach House back at any time) The University moved in to the Old Town House for the first time in 2005.