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CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
Rtprinted/rom the " Frtemuion Chrittinat Number," December IBth, 1899. 
 
 TH E 
 
 -H WRIGHTS -K- 
 
 OF GLASGOW. 
 
 BY 
 
 Bro. Milliam James Bugban, 
 
 past senior erano ]>eacon or England, dc, dc. 
 
 Xoiidon : 
 
 Geoiiqs Kssmso, 
 IG AND 16a Gbeit Qubek Street, W.O. 
 
 -''^'^-"-- f 
 
The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924030290948 
 
^be Mrfgbts of Glasgow. 
 
 HE Scottish Masons and Wrights were often united 
 in Incorporations, and more or less — have worked 
 together for centuries. In time, however, these 
 Wrights (or Carpenters) developed independence 
 and went in for separate organisation in some 
 Cities, because neither Company or Society could 
 possibly be a fair judge of the workmanship of the other. In 
 1475) the Masons and Wrights of Edinburgh were Incorporated 
 by a Seal of Cause under the authority of the Magistrates and 
 Council of the City. Ratifications took place in 15 17 by the 
 Archbishop of St. Andrews, by Royal Charter in 1527, by the, 
 Common Council in 1633, by Royal Charter again in 1635, and 
 by Decree of the Court of Session in 1703. This the Grand 
 Secretary tells us in his invaluable " History of the Lodge of 
 Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel), No. i." 
 
 By the Act of 1475, two each of the Masons and Wrights 
 were chosen by these Crafts as a quartette of Overseers, who 
 were ernpowered to examine any Masons or Wrights who came 
 " to the guid towne and schapis to work, or to tak wirk apoun 
 hand,'" as to their operative qualifications, and if deemed worthy, 
 they were admitted and then 
 
 " lay downe to the reparatioun 
 of the altar a merk." 
 The same "fovr men " were also the Essay Masters, who 
 tested each Apprentice of either of the two Trades, such as we 
 speculatively do now as to " passing" and ." raising " 
 " Gif he be sufficient or nocht 
 to be a fallow of the craft." 
 On his " passing," he was admitted to the privileges of his Craft 
 by becoming in due time " freman and fallow." They also saw 
 to the two Companies or Crafts, taking their proper places " in 
 all generale processiouns lyk as thai haf in the towne of Bruges," 
 which at that period was one of the most prominent Commercial 
 Centres of Europe. 
 
 As my esteemed'friend, Bro. D. Murray Lyon has pointed 
 out, and which has long been my view 
 
 "The presence of Wrichts equally with Masons at the 
 passing of their apprentices to the rank of fellow, as 
 provided for by the Charter of 1475 favours the 
 opinion, which we have elsewhere expressed, viz., 
 that the Word, and other secrets peculiar to Masons 
 were communicated to apprentices on their admission 
 to the Lodge, and that the ceremony of passing was 
 simply a testing of the candidate's fitness for employ- 
 ment as a journeyman." 
 

 ^^"fei-iSf 
 
 
 
 
 — ^ — w 
 
 
 
 
 
Of the 22 Trades or Companies noted in the " Blue 
 Blanket," Edinburgh, of 1722 and other editions, of which the 
 Arms are given, the two concerned are inserted as follows : 
 "VI. — ^Wrights. 
 A2. A square and compass or 
 VII.— Masons. 
 
 Ar. On a chevron betwixt 3 towers embattled sad, a 
 compass or." 
 These and ten others are duly reproduced in these wee 
 Books, within artistic ovals. 
 
 '■The incorporation of Wrights in Glasgow'* dates from 
 3rd of May, 1600, on which day that Craft obtained a Charter, 
 or Seal of Cause, from the Provost and Magistrates of the City. 
 In their petition it was pointed out that they had been united 
 with the Masons and Coopers under one Letter of Deaconry, 
 but the latter had obtained separate Statutes and Rules for 
 themselves only, and for the reasons stated they desired to be 
 disunited from the Masons. 
 
 "The said Masons could not judge upon our work, nor 
 we upon theirs perfectly, and without the partiality that 
 they might have to their, and we to our Craftsmen." 
 
 It was difficult sometimes to define the precise work of the 
 Masons and Wrights so as to avoid overlapping ; the disputes 
 under such trying circumstances involving open rupture and 
 appeal to the authorities, who decided wherein the Wrights had 
 violated their Charter by unfairly working. 
 
 " A part of Measonis Craft properlie 
 belonging thairto," 
 and, I presume the Masons were compelled to refrain from 
 infringing on the liberty and privileges of the Wrights in like 
 manner. 
 
 - I have received a mass of most interesting and curious 
 information as to the Incorporation of the Wrights, Glasgow, 
 from the courteous and learned Clerk, Mr. James A. Reid, who 
 (knowing my love for such studies) has been? very kind in 
 responding most promptly and fully to all my enquiries, as well 
 as requests for documents and published Transactions, Regula- 
 tions, &c., of the Company. 
 
 These papers have, in part, supplied the facts on which this 
 article is based, and I desire heartily to thank that gentleman for 
 his warmly appreciated attentions. 
 
 The octavo volumes on the " Incorporation of Wrights " 
 {Glasgow, 1889), and Register of Acts, 1650 — 1710, with' 
 appendix {Glasgow, 1887), as also the Bye-Laws (1892), &c., 
 have enabled me to form a general notion of the usages and 
 customs of that trade from the year 1600; and I firnily believe 
 
that for their own sakes, as well as for the Masons, they were wise 
 in securing a strong and independent position for themselves. 
 Naturally, in the ordinary needs of their Trade, the Craftsmen 
 had much in common with their former brethren, the Masons ; 
 and with the necessary changes differentiating the two Societies, 
 many of the Rules adopted by the one Body were used, or could 
 be used, by the other. The defined duties of Deacons, Officers, 
 Clerks, Masters, Journeymen, and Apprentices would, or could 
 be, in many respects the same for both Incorporations. 
 
 From the Seal of Cause, of A.D. 1600 — which is duly repro- 
 duced in the first volume, in two columns {original text and 
 modernized) — I quote a few items, which are worth aclosestudyl 
 Like unto the " Old Charges " of the Freemasons, the Charter] 
 was desired " for the causes above written," and for " the loving 
 of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/' &c. 
 
 "Item. That no person of the said craft, contained in 
 this present letter, set up Booth to work in this city, 
 [corresponding with a Mason's Lodge^ until he be first 
 made burgess and freeman of the same, and be ex- 
 amined by three or four masters of the said Crafts if he 
 be a sufficient workman, and able to work good and 
 sufficient work to serve our Sovereign Lord's lieges." 
 
 " Item. That every apprentice, at his entry, to the said 
 Craft, if he be a freeman's son of the said city, shall pay 
 the sum of twenty shillings money ; and if he be an 
 unfreeman's son, he shall pay the sum of forty shillings, 
 money to the said box, to be bestowed as said is.''' 
 
 "Item. That every out-townsman, not being apprentice 
 within the town, before he be admitted to serve any 
 master within the same, shall be first examined if he 
 be able thereto ; and shall bring with him a testimonial 
 from his master to whom he was apprentice before," 
 &c. 
 
 " Item. It is statute and ordained, that no freeman of 
 the said crafts shall take an apprentice for a shorter 
 time than seven years," &c. 
 
 "Item. It shall not be lawful to any persons to sell, 
 make, or work any kind of work of the said work and 
 crafts within this city,, except they be first free with the 
 town, and next with the said, craft," &c. 
 
 "Item. This clause provides that when, at any time,; 
 freemen of the Craft can not be had, it is lawful for 
 masters " to take any craftsman, free or un/ree, tha.t 
 they please to do and make their work." 
 
Thus, "cowan" Wrights were permitted to labour, as stated. 
 The Deacon was required to have these Regulations read " four 
 times in the year, in their Quarter Conventions, to the whole 
 brethren of the Craft." 
 
 The statutes, articles, rules, &c., having been " frequently 
 heard, read, understood and maturely advised with and con- 
 sidered ... to the Glory of God, the common weal of, our 
 Sovereign Lord's lieges, and also of the said burgh and city, and 
 for good order in time coming to be had among the said, crafts- 
 men, and to the profTt of them and their poor decayed brethren," 
 were duly ratified, approved, granted, and confirmed by the 
 Provost, Bailies, and Council accordingly. 
 
 In the very interesting Historical Memoranda, it is stated 
 that the monopoly thus created in 1600 and subsequently 
 confirmed, was " rigidly upheld and defended." In 1744 it was 
 reported to the Court of Session that it had been the constant 
 practice of the Incorporation, " past memory of man," to present 
 such rights and to forbid or hinder non-Burgesses from working, 
 and even if needs be to seize the " unfreemen's toolls and some- 
 times confiscating the piece of work," or proceed to fines and 
 incarceration ! 
 
 The report was made in consequence of an action by the 
 Wrights Masons and Artisans of the Incorporation of Mary's 
 Chapel of Edinburgh, " against an unfree Wright who was found, 
 not only repairing, but making new work within Burgh." 
 
 The Act of 1846 (g Vict. Cap. 17) put an end to all such 
 .Trade monopolies, and it became lawful, as well as possible, "for 
 any person to carry on or deal in merchandise, and to carry on 
 and exercise any Trade or handicraft in any burgh, and else- 
 where, in Scotland, without being a Burgess in such Burgh, 
 or a Guild-brother, or a member of any Guild, Craft, or Incor- 
 poration." 
 
 Otherwise, however, the rights of the Incorporation remain 
 intact, and By Laws were adopted, in accordance with the new 
 state of things in 1849 (latest edition being of 1892) and are 
 duly printed after the' Seal of Causfi of 1600. 
 
 An Essay House is still maintained by the Incorporation, 
 and every precaution is taken that the Essayist shall not pro- 
 cure assistance in his work. In 1781 there were /o«r Essay 
 Masters noted, and to prevent " fraudulent Essays, the door of 
 said Essay House shall be sufficiently secured with a new lock of 
 four throws, with a key to each throw." The windows and vent- 
 heads were also grated* to prevent access through such openings. 
 The same number of Essay Masters continue, but means are now 
 provided, .under certain conditions, for the Essay to be commuted 
 for a Fine, unless operatives desire the benefit of " Passing." 
 
6 
 
 The Coat of Arms is thus described in Anderson's " Armorial 
 of Scottish Trade Incorporations" (Aberdeen). "Argent a 
 chevron engrailed sable, between two Wright's compasses ex- 
 panded in chief, and a square and compasses conjoined in base, 
 prbper, on a chief or, on a pale of the second between two 
 roses gules an escallop of the first." 
 
 Motto " Join all in one." 
 
 " They have never been matriculated in the Herald's College, 
 ' and heraldically, they are in some respects, incorrect." 
 
 The earliest Roll of members extant, dates from 1687 and 
 then numbered 58, in 1889 they mustered so many as 596. The 
 meetings took place in various buildings, until of late years, 
 when they have been, and still are held in the Trades' Hall. 
 
 The Stock Account, in 1896, shows Lands, and other Pro- 
 perties, to the extent of fully ;^33,ooo, including g£i02 for the 
 Gold Medal and Chain, worn from the year 185 1 by the Deacon 
 (an earlier Badge having long been missed). Over ;£iooo 
 
 appears to have been spent in providing Pensions and Educa- 
 tional Charges, &c., during that year, much to the credit of the 
 Incorporation, and for many years the members have been laud- 
 ably ready to respond to claims for Public objects in a most 
 generous manner. 
 
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 A Collection Box is still preserved which has the year 1678 
 painted upon the top, with 1736 on one of the sidesl It is con- 
 sidered to be at least 200 years old. The Deacon's Box is of 
 much later construction. They are both reproduced from a photo- 
 gravure, which forms the frontispiece to the phief volume referred 
 to. The "Seal of Cause " A.D. 1600, is a handsome looking 
 document and in fine condition. There is a complete Register 
 of the names of Members from 1839, and an alphabetical List of 
 the members of the Incorporation from 1800 to 1889. Mr. 
 James A. Reid has been the courteous Clerk from 1885. 
 
 W. J. HUGHAN. 
 
Cornell University Library 
 HS596 .H89 
 
 The Wrights of Glasgow. 
 
 3 1924 030 290 948 
 olln.anx