The Story

Irish Constitution Lodge Warrant No.669 first met in Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, from 1787 until 1856, then was re-issued on the 23rd April 1938.In 1880 George Smith Clark then aged 19, was a founding partner in the Belfast shipbuilders Workman, Clark & Co Ltd., known locally as “The Wee Yard” located next to the famous Harland and Wolff shipyard. “The Wee Yard” expanded rapidly in 1895 to employ 3,500 men , and 9,000 in 1909.In 1902, and 1909 its tonnage produced was the highest of all UK shipyards.

The new shipyard had already taken the repair and new construction contract for J.P. Corry & Company, a local company, and was the first shipbuilder to produce refrigerated ships for carrying beef and fruit.

After the First World War it enjoyed mixed fortunes, and closed in 1935.
Both partners had served their time as premium apprentices at Harland and Wolff the largest shipbuilder in Belfast, and graduated to junior management positions.

A detailed history of the Wee Yard “Forgotten Shipbuilders of Belfast” is published by Friar’s Bush Press ISBN 0-946872-66-x. The Clark family was very much involved in the Scottish and Ulster textile industries. Sir George Clark’s father was a senior partner in one of the largest thread spinning businesses in Scotland, based in Paisley.

Sir George Clark, also held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for North Belfast between 1907 and 1910. He was created 1st Baronet Clark, of Dunlambert, Belfast [U.K.] on 6 July 1917. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant(D.L.), held the office of Senator [Northern Ireland] in 1925, was chairman of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland) and he was a director of Henry Matier and Company, linen manufacturers of Belfast.He was also a director of the Bank of Ireland.

Bro. Albert Brand contemplated the forming of Sir George Clark Memorial   Lodge for the benefit of those brethren who were night workers, and   were unable to attend their Mother Lodges, many of whom worked in the newspaper printing industry.With the assistance of W. Bro.Thomas McClure, W.Bro.Joseph McAdam,   and Bros. Arthur Patterson, and Henry Harrison.

All enthusiastic members of the craft.  At the first meeting, which was held at No. 28 Gainsborough Drive, the   home of Bro. Henry Harrison, it was decided to approach Sir George Clark,   2nd Baronet for permission to name the Lodge after his father (of   renowned shipbuilding fame) who was a keen Freemason.

They received permission, and called a meeting in Alexandra Park Avenue   School, Belfast, which all 25 foundation members of Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge attended. The Lodge was dedicated on the 23rd of April, 1938 at 5 o’clock, by the R. W. Bro. John W.Gilmour, Deputy Grand Master of the Province of Antrim.

V.W. Bro. Richard (Ricky) Robinson

1987. Master of Lodge 669 I.C. in 1968, who went on to become Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, then: Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Antrim 1985 – 1987.

In recognition of the high esteem in which Bro. Robinson was held by the Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, the” Richard Robinson Memorial Lecture” was inaugurated. This Lecture was given each year at a stated communication of Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim.

 

 

“May those Brethren who follow, take as keen an interest in the Lodge as those who worked to create it, so that when the time comes to lay down their working tools, they will have earned the commendation: Well Done, Thou True and Faithful Brother “W. Bro. Albert C. Brand (Founder Member) 1938

 

Foundation Officers and Members

Worshipful Master 1938 Senior Warden Junior Warden Treasurer Secretary Senior Deacon Junior Deacon Inner Deacon Senior Steward Junior Steward Chaplin Deputy Chaplin Bro. Hector Stuart Bro. James Patterson Bro. Edwin Pitt Bro. Alexander Moutray Bro. Alfred Brown Bro. Thomas Shields Bro. James Brown (2)

W. Bro. Thomas Mcclure Bro. Arthur Patterson Bro. Henry Harrison Bro. Albert C. Brand W. Bro. Joseph McAdam Bro. James Carson Bro. John Stuart Bro. George Kissick Bro. Albert C. Brand Bro. Joseph Rea Bro. John Smyth Bro. James Brown Bro. Thomas Sands Bro. Samuel Allen Bro. Alfred Black Bro. John Torrens Bro. Henry Shannon Bro. John McKeown Bro. John Getty

Past Masters of Lodge 669

1938 – Thomas J. McClure 1939 – Arthur Patterson 1940 – Henry Harrison 1941 – James Carson 1942 – John Stuart 1943 – George Kissick 1944 – Albert Cecil Brand 1945 – John Smyth 1946 – Hector Stuart 1947 – James Patterson 1948 – Samuel Allen 1949 – Henry Shannon 1950 – Thomas Shields 1951 – Alfred Brown 1952 – Cecil Vance 1953 – James McGroary 1954 – James Menelly 1955 – William Nixon 1956 – William Hunter 1957 – David Sharpe 1958 – Albert Nelson 1959 – George Walsh 1960 – Henry Glenn 1961 – Robert McRoberts 1962 – Harold Sloan 1963 – Hugh Harkness 1964 – John McCormick

1965 – Neil Thompson 1966 – Alfred Hill 1967 – Thomas Bradley 1968 – Richard Robinson 1969 – William Johnston 1970 – Robert Galway 1971 – Robert Quail 1972 – Robert Henry 1973 – Edward Thompson 1974 – James Marshall 1975 – James Thompson 1976 – Thomas Caldwell 1977 – Thomas Cheddy 1978 – Alexander Coulter 1979 – Thomas Black 1980 – Fredrick Sloan 1981 – Martin Nesbitt 1982 – Robert McRoberts 1983 – James Gibb 1984 – William Beggs 1985 – Samuel Murphy 1986 – Robert Beggs 1987 – Robert Nesbitt 1988 – Brian Getty 1989 – Robert Paton 1990 – Alexander Gray 1991 – Norman Nelson

1992 – Malcolm Adams 1993 – Robert McKibben 1994 – Kenneth Beggs 1995 – Kirk Vokes 1996 – Alan Gibb 1997 – David Beggs 1998 – David Beggs 1999 – Norman Nelson 2000 – David Crothers 2001 – George MeGaw 2002 – Samuel Donaghy 2003 – Roger Beatty 2004 – Malcolm McDowell 2005 – William Cardwell  2006 – William Cardwell  2007 – Adrian Hales  2008 – Norman Lacey  2009 – Ronnie Craig  2010 – Raymond Heald 2011 – Michael Lewis 2012 – Ivor Lamont 2013 – Jonathan Tarr 2014 – Keith Johnston 2015 – Tom Lamont 2016 – Bal Madrid 2017 – Luis Fredric Presbitero 2018 – Romeo Godines

Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge No. 669 Members Jan. 1958

 

Past Masters of the Lodge 669