Bro. Lord Inverclyde

Baron Inverclyde was a relatively short lived title, there being only 4 in total. The title was created in 1897, a few months before the birth of James Alan Burns. It ended with his death in 1957 as he had no children. passed to his younger brother, James.

Baron Inverclyde was a relatively short lived title, there being only 4 in total. The title was created in 1897, a few months before the birth of James Alan Burns. It ended with his death in 1957 as he had no children. Lord Inverclyde’s lineage was:

George Burns, 1st Baronet (1795-1890)

George Burns was born in Glasgow, the son of Rev John Burns (1744–1839), a Presbyterian minister. He was co-founder of the Cunard Steamship Co. and made a baronet at age 94 in 1889, the oldest ever recipient of the award.

John Burns, 2nd Baronet and

1st Baron Inverclyde (24 June 1829 – 12 February 1901) John Burns was a ship owner and Chairman of Cunard. He inherited his father's Baronetcy in 1890 and was created Baron Inverclyde, of Castle Wemyss in the county Renfrew, on 28 July 1897. He died on 12 February 1901; his wife Emily, dying the next day. They were interred together. He was succeeded by his elder son, George.

James Cleland Burns, 3rd Baron Inver-

clyde, (14 February 1864 –16 August 1919) So, James Cleland Burns was the second son of John Burns, the first Lord Inverclyde, and grandson of Sir George Burns, 1st Baronet, the cofounder of the Cunard Line. James Burns succeeded to the title of Baron Inverclyde on the death of his elder brother, George Burns, in 1905. He was the principal Director of the shipping business of Messrs. G. & J. Burns, Limited, and took a strong interest in everything connected with shipping. and was a Director of the Cunard Steamship Co., Ltd.

He married on 2 April 1891, Charlotte Mary Emily, youngest daughter of Mr. Nugent-Dunbar of Machermore Castle, Newton Stewart, and had two daughters, Emily and Muriel, and a son, John Alan Burns, who succeeded him.

John Alan Burns, 4th Baron

Inverclyde, (12 December 1897 –18th June 1957)

John Alan Burns is ‘No XII’s Lord Inverclyde’ and the title ended with him as he died childless. It would seem that he took no interest in the family businesses. He was born on 12th December 1897 at Castle Wemyss, the family estate in Wemyss Bay.

Lord Inverclyde joining No. XII in 1947 and being Installed as Depute Master on 23rd December 1947, the next Regular Meeting after the Annual Installation a fortnight before. While he served in that office for a year, he did not continue in December 1948. We could hypothesise that this was because he knew that in 1949-50, he was to become Lord Dean of Guild in Glasgow. This role made him the Second Citizen of Glasgow, after the Lord Provost, and would have been very onerous in terms of civic duties. In addition to those associated with the office, he would have to

George Arbuthnot Burns, 2nd Baron In-

verclyde (17 September 1861 – 8 October 1905) By the time George succeeded his father, the Burns's fleet of ships amounted to over 100 vessels, trading between the Clyde, Ireland, Liverpool, and the Scottish Highlands. His father had eventually handed him control of the Cunard Steamship Company, making him chairman.

On 6 April 1886, he married Mary Fergusson, younger daughter of Hickson Fergusson, of The Knowe, Ayrshire. However, he died childless in 1905, and the titles and business

deputise for the Lord Provost on numerous occasions. He was also an ex-officio member of the Council in Glasgow and much time would have to be spent at Council Meetings. The Lord Dean of Guild is an ancient office, elected by the Merchants House of Glasgow which was constituted in 1605. In the 17th and 18th Century, the Merchants formed a majority on the town council and every Lord Provost was drawn from their ranks.

The Merchants House is now a major charitable institution and over the past five years it has committed over £2.5m of grants and other charitable financial assistance, principally to third sector organisations operating predominantly in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. It generously supported Newlands Junior College when I was Principal there.

The Merchants building is situated at the corner of George Square and West George Street and as well as a Grand Hall has six floors of office space.

Lord Inverclyde’s involvement with the Merchants House possibly explains why he chose the Trades House of Glasgow Lodge No. 1241 as his first Scottish Lodge of Affiliation. The Trades House of Glasgow was created at the time of reform of Glasgow's local government in 1605. At that time the electorate was essentially divided into two groups: the Merchants and the Craftsmen. The Craftsmen were looked after by the Trades House. Today, like the Merchants House, it is a charitable organisation.

Although he chose not to continue as Depute Master (as noted in his obituary in the Greenock Telegraph of 18th June 1957), Lord Inverclyde did serve a full Commission as Provincial Grand Master Substitute of Renfrewshire West from 1948 till 1953. Bro Sir Walter Guy Shaw Stewart (No. XII) of

Ardgowan and Blackhall was RWPG

Master and Bro Robert A. Clapperton-Stewart (Greenock St John’ s

No.175) was RWPGM (Depute).

Lord Inverclyde was replaced in 1953 by Bro. J Reid Kerr and Bro RA

Clapperton Stewart by Bro. Peter R.

Jacobs MC, both of No. XII.

After a very full life, Lord Inverclyde passed suddenly in his sleep of a heart attack to the Grand Lodge Above in the early hours of 18th June 1957 at Castle Wemyss.

Thanks to Twelve Talk produced by Bro. Iain White PM Greenock Kilwinning No.XII

Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn

Henry (1745–1790), Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, one of two governing bodies of Freemasonry in England in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, from 1782 until his death in 1790. The Duke of Cumberland was also Grand Patron of Royal Arch Freemasonry, another branch of Freemasonry, from 1774 to 1790. In this portrait he is wearing the robes and regalia of that office. The office of Grand Patron no longer exists and so this regalia is no longer worn.