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History
of
The Preceptory and Priory of Bute
No 179 on the Roll of The Great Priory of Scotland

On the Ist day of January 883 A.O. the Petition was sent to The Grand
Secretary of The Great Priory of Scotland.
This was at a very fortuitous time as the Grand Masters Committee met
shortly afterwards and agreed that our petition go forward with their
recommendation.
On Tuesday the 13th of March, the Tuesday nearest to the anniversary
of the untimely death of our Grand Master Jaques de Molay,
the Annual Muster of The Great Priory of Scotland was held.
This took place within Freemasons Hall Edinburgh at 1pm, the Most
Eminent and Reverend Grand Master Roy Scott PP, GCT presiding.
The petition for the Charter was then read out with the recommendation
of The Grand Masters Committee that it be accepted, the granting of this
Charter was passed unanimously. The new Preceptory would be known
as
The Preceptory and Priory of Bute and would be Numbered on the Roll
of The Great Priory of Scotland No 179.

A meeting of the Petitioners was held on 4th April 2001 in the Masonic
Temple Chapelhill Road Rothesay.
This being at the request of Fr. EwenMacKinnon Beaton and recorded
by Fr. Robert McGowan.
The following Office Bearers were duly elected:

Venerable Preceptor Fr. Ewen MacKinnon Beaton
Proposed Fr. Robert McGowan
Seconded Fr. Duncan Turner
Secretary Fr. Iain Morrison
Proposed Fr. Clifford Kay
Seconded Fr. Andrew Stewart
Chaplain Fr. Clifford Kay
Proposed Fr. Ewen M Beaton
Seconded Fr. Duncan Turner
Treasurer Fr. Robert McGowan
Proposed Fr. Ewen M Beaton
Seconded Fr. Clifford Kay
Mareschal Fr. Robert McGowan
Proposed Fr. Ewen M Beaton
Seconded Fr. Andrew Stewart
Ist Aide de camp Fr. Duncan Turner
Proposed Fr. Robert McGowan
Seconded Fr. Brian McGregor
2nd Aide de camp Fr. Brian McGregor
Proposed Fr. Robert McGowan
Seconded Fr. Iain Morrison
Seneschal Fr. Charles Brown
Proposed Fr. Ewen M Beaton
Seconded Fr. Clifford Kay
Constable Fr. Andrew Stewart
Proposed Fr. Clifford Kay
Seconded Fr. Robert McGowan
Almoner Fr. Donald C Durey
Proposed Fr. Iain Morrison
Seconded Fr. Andrew Stewart
Chamberlain Fr. William Donald
Proposed Fr. Clifford Kay
Seconded Fr. Robert McGowan

Venerable Preceptor Ewen M Beaton at a later date informed the
Committee that he had invited Ven Fr. Frank Neate PP Lochaber and
Lorne to be his Sub-Preceptor. Frater Frank had graciously agreed to
accept this Office.
Sadly this could not come to Fruition as Frater Frank passed away on
the morning of Sunday 14th October 2001. His funeral, held in
Campbeltown on Thursday 18th October was attended
by Fraters Beaton, Brown, Kay, McGowan and a very large number of
Fraters, Companions and Brothers of the Province of Argyll and the
Isles. Frater Frank will be sadly missed by us all.
Subsequently Ven Fr. William G Norquay PP Lochaber and Lorne
was invited to be the Sub-Preceptor, which he graciously accepted.

A meeting was called by R.E. Fr. James Main PP District Grand Prior of
the District of Strathclyde.The following Fraters attending:
Fr. Ewen M Beaton, Fr. Iain Morrison, Fr. Robert McGowan, Fr. Clifford
Kay and Fr. Charles Brown.
Several matters being discussed the most important being the proposed
Bye-laws of the Preceptory.Several small changes were recommended
and later implemented.
Another matter being the proposed design for the crest of the
Preceptory. The design of which had been a joint enterprise between Fr.
Clifford Kay and Fr. Ewen M Beaton. This had the approval of The Lord
Lyon King at Arms in writing and a copy of this letter was given to the
District Grand Prior. The design was then agreed upon forthwith with
the proviso that it still had to be ratified by Great Priory.
A date was agreed upon for the forthcoming Erection and Consecration
this to be Saturday 15th November 2001.
Subsequently it was discovered that this day had been booked for a
wedding a year previously.
It was suggested that our choice of day for holding our RegularMusters,
Thursday evening, might be better held on Saturday afternoon.
This was later accepted at our next Committee meeting since it would
give the opportunity for our Fraters in Strathclyde and Argyll to attend
our Musters without requiring the added expense of an overnight stay.
This final change to our Bye-laws was made and a copy sent to The
Grand Secretary for approval.
We finally received confirmation of the date for the Consecration as
Saturday 15th December 2001.
The Bye-laws and design for crest being accepted by The Grand
Masters
Council on September 15th 2001.
At the Muster of The Great Priory of The Great Priory of Scotland held
within Freemasons Hall Edinburgh 13th November 2001 the Bye-laws
and Crest of The Preceptory and Priory of Bute No 179 were ratified.
The District Grand Prior agreed to a suggestion put to The Grand
Secretary V.E. Fr. David C Niven OStJ, PP that it would be expeditious to
have the Chair Degree conferred at an earlier date. This would save
time on the day of the Consecration and would save the need of Fraters
below the rank of Preceptor being sent out of the Temple.
Thus Fr. Ewen M Beaton, accompanied by Fraters Robert McGowan and
William G Norquay PP, attended the Installation held in The Preceptory
of Paisley Abbey on Tuesday the 20th November at the Installation of
the Preceptor Paisley Abbey.
Where Fr. Ewen M Beaton was Installed in the Chair as Preceptor. This
occurring at the same time that the new Preceptor of Paisley Abbey was
installed.
The Installing Officer being R.E. Fr. James Main PP District
Grand Prior, assisted by the Officers of The District of Strathclyde.