Welcome to the web site of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow.  My name is Bill Gilmour and I am the Provincial Grand Master.  I am in my fourth year of a five year Commission having started my term on 28th October 2004.  It has been a very exciting time and one that I have enjoyed very much and would still hope to do so for the next 18 months.

Glasgow is the largest Province in the Scottish Constitution and at present I have 80 Lodges under my control.  Most meet from September to May although some meet through the summer months.  If you are in any doubt or need more info then please get in touch with the Office.

I am particularly proud of this site as it gives a very clear insight into the working life of the Province.  It is designed to educate and inform both Masonic and non-Masonic visitors alike and offers links to other Masonic sites of interest.

Commissioned and Elected Office Bearers    

Having such a large Province I cannot do all that is required on my own and to this end I have Commissioned and Elected Office Bearers to help me in the task.  I have a Depute Provincial Grand Master and Eight Substitute Provincial Grand Master's ( you can read all about them in the section entitled  The Commission) I also have a Provincial Grand Secretary and two Provincial Grand Chaplains who are both ordained ministers.

In addition to the Commission, we also have a total of 28 elected Office Bearers and 25 Stewards  who all work very hard.  They assist and accompany both me and the Commission during our statutory and goodwill visits to the Lodges and we are very grateful to them.

Charity

Charity is something very close to a Freemasons heart and we not only take care of our Masonic charitable duties but also give substantially to outside charities, not only through Provincial Grand Lodge but many of the Lodges give directly to support their local and also national charities.

The Tsunami Disaster struck on 26th December 2004 and after a meeting with my Commissioned Office Bearers donated, on behalf of the Freemasons of Glasgow, the sum of £10,000.  The Grand Lodge of Scotland also substantially donated to the Appeal and in a month sent £100,000.

In Glasgow we have donated over the last few years a total of some £65,000 to the Schiehallion Unit at Yorkhill Hospital.  The Unit deals with children's cancers in both stem cell research and of course treatment and care of their patients and we are delighted to have been of help to them.

This year I have nominated Bobath as the preferred charity.  Bobath is a system used in respect to children with cerebral palsy and not only assists with their physical care but also educates the parents so that care can continue when the children return to the home.  Last month, in the company of Past Provincial Grand Master Brother William Fleming, we presented Bobath with a cheque for £2,555 being the proceeds of a charitable account set up by him.  Our appeal continues and I will advise at the end of the year as to how much we have raised.

The Future

We will continue the long history of providing support and assistance to Glasgow's Freemasons to improve both the general education of the Brethren and promote the public image of Freemasonry.  To this end I hope to be able to make two very substantial announcements in the very near future so as they say - watch this space.

I am also aware that many of our overseas Brethren 'surf' into this site and I would thank them for doing so and to our ex-pat's I hope that you find it interesting.

May I wish all who visit this site a very peaceful year ahead, thank you for visiting us and please sign the Visitors Book.