Bermuda's 211-year-old Lodge St. George holds a stellar position for two significant reasons in the world-wide spectrum of Scottish Freemasonry. Firstly, and most significantly, it is the oldest Scottish Lodge outside of Scotland, and coincidentally in a country where lodges and friendly societies have proliferated over the centuries, it is the oldest chartered Lodge in Bermuda.

Secondly, Lodge 200 has as its home the old State House in St. George's, being the oldest stone building in Bermuda, built in 1612. From 1620 it was the seat of the Bermuda Government until 1815 when the capital was moved from the Old Town to Hamilton.

By special dispensation of the Government of Bermuda in 1815 it gave the Freemasons the right to use and maintain the State House in perpetuity in exchange of the nominal annual rental of one peppercorn per year.

The Grand Superintendent of Scottish Lodges in Bermuda, VW Bro. Les Center, tracing the history of Lodge St. George, stated Brethren in the town of St. George's were all English Masons, and attended a Lodge in the Dockyard in the mid- to late-1700s.

When that Lodge ceased working, the Brethren in May 1796 petitioned The Grand Lodge of England for a charter for a Lodge in the old town. Howeve,r by April 1797, no charter had yet arrived.

At that time a Brother Barr was travelling to England, and offered to carry a petition to be forwarded to The Grand Lodge of Scotland in Edinburgh. The St. George's Brethren quickly got together a petition to The Grand Lodge of Scotland and gave it to Bro. Barr. Later that same year, a charter was received from The Grand Lodge of Scotland dated August 7, 1797. Several months later, a charter was also received from The Grand Lodge of England, dated a few days after the Scottish charter. Ultimately, a number of the Brethren of Lodge St. George took the English charter and started a Lodge in Flatts Village. This Lodge is now Atlantic Phoenix Lodge. Lodge St. George, No. 200 on the roll of The Grand Lodge of Scotland has been continually operating under that original charter, and is now in its 211th year. This makes Lodge St. George the oldest chartered Lodge in Bermuda, and coincidentally, the oldest Scottish Lodge outside of Scotland.

The Lodge meets on the first Tuesday following the full moon from October through June, and its Annual Installation is the first Tuesday in December

Our photos by Glenn Tucker show the following officers installed earlier this month : RW Master, Ronald W. Baptiste; IP Master, E. Michael Smith HAGDC; Depute M, Norman J. Wilson PM; Substitute M, Richard A. Moulder PM; WJW Colin V. Palmer; Secretary, Christian A. Blais; Treasurer, L. St. George Moulder HGT; Almoner, Raymond J. C. O'Leary HGM; Chaplain, Eric Laing PM; DoC, Timothy J. Taylor HGM; SD, Hezekiah Fox; JD, Christopher Bramwell, IG, Jarion Richardson; PoStewards, Mikkel Harris; Tyler, Brian MacNab. Above right: RW Master, Ronald Baptiste.