Est. 1818 · Mid Calder, West Lothian

Make friends.
Do good.
Be the difference
in your community.

A Scottish Masonic lodge that has been part of life in Mid Calder for more than two centuries, built on friendship, charity and shared values.

A message from the RWM →Visit us
Bro. Gordon J.C. SharpRight Worshipful Master, 2026

A message from the Master

“It could be the best decision you will ever make.”

Welcome to the Lodge St John Mid Calder 272 website, we hope that you find it interesting and a valuable source of information.

I would like to thank the brethren of the Lodge for having the faith in me once again to represent them as Right Worshipful Master.

I would also like to thank my installing masters, Bro. Grant Dunbar PM, Bro. Andrew Cameron PM and Bro. Thomas Smith PM, for an incredible installation ceremony.

I congratulate all the office bearers of the Lodge who were also installed and I look forward to working with you all in 2026.

Lodge St John Mid Calder has been a pivotal part of the local community for over 200 years and we are proud to continue to support local charities, organisations and good causes within the area.

A very special thank you must go to the many visitors who have taken the time to come along and support us at our regular meetings, and we look forward to reciprocating that support throughout the year.

Any enquiries you may have regarding the Lodge, membership, hiring the hall or Freemasonry in general, please do not hesitate to get in touch. The Lodge Secretary, Bro. Tommy Walker, is the primary contact and his details are listed below.

It could be the best decision you will ever make…

Yours Fraternally,
Bro. Gordon J.C. Sharp
RWM

The Diary

Upcoming meetings

Visiting brethren welcome →
17Nov2026
Regular meeting

Tuesday 17th November

1st degree on one progressive candidate.

Time 6:30pmWhere Masonic Lodge, Bank Street
00Nov2026
Regular meeting

TBC

Business and ritual to be confirmed.

Time 6:30pmWhere Masonic Lodge, Bank Street

Meetings are held at the Masonic Lodge, Bank Street, Mid Calder, EH53 0AR. Visiting brethren are always welcome. Please get in touch in advance.

No.272

For Hire

Bar 272: a hidden gem in Mid Calder.

There’s something honest about Bar 272. The warm light, the considered fit-out, the bar that’s been pulling pints in this village for generations. It’s the kind of room where birthdays turn into stories, and stories turn into the reason you came back.

Hosted in the heart of the Lodge on Bank Street, Bar 272 is available for private hire. We host birthdays, anniversaries, wakes, social clubs, corporate gatherings, fundraisers, and any night that deserves to be a little better than the local pub.

  • Fully stocked bar

    Wines, spirits, beer and soft drinks. Served by friendly hosts who have been doing it a long time.

  • Characterful space

    A warm, atmospheric function room with proper history baked into the walls. Not a chain in sight.

  • Flexible setup

    Comfortable for small intimate gatherings or larger functions. Bring your own caterers, or chat to us.

  • Heart of the village

    Central Mid Calder location with parking on Bank Street and good links across West Lothian.

  • Honest pricing

    Fair rates, with proceeds going right back into the Lodge’s work for local charities and causes.

Enquire about Bar 272 Or call the Secretary or get their details in Get in touch

About the Lodge

Ordinary men, supporting one another, and the community around us.

Freemasonry is one of the oldest fraternal organisations in the world. We meet to learn, to support one another, and to do practical good in the places we call home. There is no grand secret. Just shared values, shared time, and shared purpose.

Friendship

We meet, we eat, we share stories. Some of the strongest friendships in Mid Calder began at this Lodge.

Charity

For over two hundred years we’ve quietly supported local charities, organisations and good causes in West Lothian.

Heritage

Chartered in 1818, our Lodge carries one of the longest continuous threads of community life in the village.

A Modern Fraternity

What is Freemasonry, really?

Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political fraternity. At its heart, it’s a society of men from every walk of life, who meet as equals to become better people, build better friendships, and quietly do good in their communities.

There is a saying among us: we are a society with secrets, not a secret society. Our values, our charity, our meetings, and our addresses are all in plain sight.

Our three guiding principles

Brotherly Love

We treat each other, and the people in our communities, with respect, tolerance and genuine care. We meet as equals, regardless of background, profession or wealth.

Relief

We practise charity. From the brother who needs a hand, to the local foodbank or air ambulance, supporting those in need is built into the fabric of what we do.

Truth

We aim for the highest standards of integrity, honesty and fairness in everything we do: in the Lodge, in our work, and in our lives.

Why do men join?

Friendship that lasts

You’ll meet men from every corner of West Lothian and beyond: tradesmen, teachers, fathers, grandfathers, students. Many of our brethren have known each other for decades.

Personal growth

Confidence, public speaking, leadership, ritual, history, philosophy. Brothers grow in ways they didn’t expect, often quietly, over years.

Doing real good

Your subscription, your time and your effort go a long way. Lodge St John Mid Calder has supported local charities and good causes for over two centuries.

A sense of belonging

Modern life is busier and lonelier than it’s ever been. Freemasonry offers something rarer: a regular evening with friends who genuinely have your back.

Who can join?

In the Scottish Constitution, you can be initiated as a Mason if you are: a man, aged 18 or over, of good moral character, and a believer in a Supreme Being (of any faith). You don’t need to be invited. You just need to ask.

Ask us about joining

Heritage

Over two hundred years of fraternity in Mid Calder.

Freemasonry first stirred in Mid Calder around the turn of the eighteenth century, under the patronage of Lord Torphichen. Lodge St John Mid Calder No. 272 in its present form was chartered in 1818, and we have met here ever since.

  1. c.1700

    The first meetings

    Free Masonry begins in Mid Calder under the patronage of Lord Torphichen, meeting at the old house standing at the north end of Bridgend.

  2. 1734

    Moved to Livingston Kirk

    As brethren from the west grew in number, the Lodge moved to Livingston Kirk, and from 1744 alternated between there and Bathgate.

  3. 1818

    Lodge St John Mid Calder chartered

    On 18th February, ten founding brethren met at Kippens Inn (today the Torphichen Arms Hotel) and petitioned the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The charter was granted on 5th May. Thomas Fraser was elected our first Master.

  4. 1819

    A growing fraternity

    In the Lodge’s second year, brethren from Kirknewton and Ratho were admitted as honorary members, and the Lodge held its first procession on St John’s Day with music and a shared meal.

  5. Today

    Still here. Still doing good.

    A jewel from the original Lodge, The Mallet of the Senior Deacon, remains in use to this day. Two centuries on, we continue to meet on Bank Street, support local charities, and welcome new members.

2025 to 2026

Current Office Bearers

The brethren elected and installed to serve Lodge St John Mid Calder for the current Masonic year.

Right Worshipful Master

Bro. Gordon J.C. Sharp P.M.

“Lodge St John Mid Calder has been a pivotal part of the local community for over 200 years, and we are proud to continue to support local charities, organisations and good causes within the area.”

Read the full message →

Principal Office Bearers

Immediate Past MasterBro. Grant DunbarI.P.M.
Depute MasterBro. Samuel Craig
Substitute MasterBro. Luke J. Vince
Senior WardenBro. Ryan Henderson
Junior WardenBro. Cameron Woolard

Officers of the Lodge

SecretaryBro. Thomas S. WalkerP.M.
TreasurerBro. Grant DunbarP.M.
AlmonerVacant
Director of CeremoniesBro. Andrew L. CameronP.M.
ChaplainBro. Thomas D. SmithP.M.

Deacons, Ritual & Office

Senior DeaconBro. Nicholas Henderson
Junior DeaconBro. David Anderson
ArchitectBro. Stuart Blair
JewellerBro. William J.A.D. Baird
Bible-bearerBro. James Samson
Sword-bearerBro. Paul K. Vincenti
MarshalBro. Gordon Dickie
1st Standard-bearerBro. Kenneth M. Arfield

Stewards & Guard

Inner GuardBro. Lindsay Macbeth
President of StewardsBro. Andrew Craig
2nd StewardVacant
3rd StewardVacant
TylerVacant

1818 to 2026

Past Masters

From Thomas Fraser, our first Master in 1818, to the brethren who have served in living memory. The long roll of brethren who have led this Lodge.

The founding century 1818 to 1900

  1. 1818–1820William Fraser
  2. 1820–1822John Lawrie
  3. 1822–1825John Trotter
  4. 1825–1826William Kippen
  5. 1826–1827John Trotter P.M.
  6. 1827–1830William Law
  7. 1830–1831The Hon. Captain Sandilands
  8. 1831–1832William Law P.M.
  9. 1832–1835William Kippen P.M.
  10. 1835–1837John Lawrie P.M.
  11. 1837–1838William Kippen P.M.
  12. 1838–1844The Hon. Capt. Sandilands
  13. 1844–1863The Master of Torphichen P.M.
  14. 1864–1866The Rt. Hon. Lord Torphichen P.M.
  15. 1866–1868Thomas Sutton
  16. 1868–1871William M. Wylie
  17. 1871–1872Francis Lawrie
  18. 1872–1873Thomas Hutton P.M.
  19. 1873–1875William M. Wylie P.M.
  20. 1875–1876James Hyslop
  21. 1876–1879Alexander Mackey
  22. 1879–1883James Hyslop Jnr.
  23. 1883–1886William Gray
  24. 1886–1887James Robertson
  25. 1887–1890Thomas Hutton P.M.
  26. 1890–1893Robert R. Miller
  27. 1893–1898James Miller
  28. 1898–1901Adam Miller

The early twentieth century 1901 to 1950

  1. 1901–1904David Findlayson
  2. 1904–1910Robert Cairns Harwell
  3. 1910–1912Robert Craig
  4. 1912–1919David Finlayson P.M.
  5. 1919–1920Robert Cairns Harwell P.M.
  6. 1920–1923David Blain Philip
  7. 1923–1924Robert Cairns Harwell P.M.
  8. 1924–1926Arthur McDowall
  9. 1926–1928David Drysdale
  10. 1928–1930William Stark
  11. 1930–1932Harry Rudd Detchon
  12. 1932–1934William Russell
  13. 1934–1935John Crichton
  14. 1935–1938George G. Crichton
  15. 1938–1940James T.D. Waddell
  16. 1940–1942John Mackie
  17. 1942–1944Peter Whitelaw
  18. 1944–1946John H. Whitelaw
  19. 1946–1948John Preston
  20. 1948–1950Robert Brown

Post-war and modern era 1950 to 2000

  1. 1950–1952James D. Campbell
  2. 1952–1954John Harper
  3. 1954–1956William Marshall
  4. 1956–1958James B. Turnbull
  5. 1958–1960Peter Whitelaw P.M.
  6. 1960–1962John L. Armit
  7. 1962–1964George S. Scott
  8. 1964–1966James R. Utterson
  9. 1966–1968William Kirk
  10. 1968–1970William S.C. Renwick
  11. 1970–1972David Marshall
  12. 1972–1974Adam Gordon Hay
  13. 1974–1976Morris Cowan
  14. 1976–1978George M. Preston
  15. 1978–1980Ian W. Speirs
  16. 1980–1982Charles Smith
  17. 1982–1984John Begbie
  18. 1984–1986Robert Allan
  19. 1986–1988William Renwick
  20. 1988–1990James M.B. Thomson
  21. 1990–1992John Ballantyne
  22. 1992–1993Andrew Bennett
  23. 1993–1995Mark A. Horsburgh
  24. 1995–1997Eric McL. Horsburgh
  25. 1997–1999Alexander R. Horsburgh
  26. 1999–2000Lawrence S. Young

Recent Masters 2000 to 2026

  1. 2000–2002Leonard W.J. Findlay
  2. 2002–2004Adam Gordon Hay P.M.
  3. 2004–2006Donald S.D. Nicolson
  4. 2006–2008Thomas S. Walker
  5. 2008–2010John A. Collins
  6. 2010–2012John H. Storrier
  7. 2012–2014Thomas D. Smith
  8. 2014–2016Andrew L. Cameron
  9. 2016–2018Grant Dunbar
  10. 2018–2022Gordon J.C. Sharp
  11. 2022–2023Andrew L. Cameron
  12. 2023–2024Thomas D. Smith
  13. 2024–2025Grant Dunbar
  14. 2025 to presentGordon J.C. Sharp Current RWM

Get in Touch

Get in touch.

Whether you’re thinking about joining, planning to visit, hiring the hall, or just have a question, drop us a line. Bro. Tommy Walker, our Secretary, will reply within a few days.

We reply within a few days. Your details stay with the Lodge Secretary, and we do not share them with anyone.

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