Welcome

Brother Anthony U. Bostwick, Jr.,
BSc., MSc.
DISTRICT GRAND MASTER

I wish to welcome you to our website. It is designed to be a source of information, history and updates on developments and activities in the District and in its Lodges.  

As an introduction, I am delighted to share an abridged version of our history in what was then called ‘the Bahama islands’ and which is now identified as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, or The Bahamas.

The Grand Lodge of Scotland records that a Charter was granted to Turks Island Lodge No. 275 on May 5, 1806. It was located in Grand Turk, which was a part of the Bahama Islands at that time. However, it was declared dormant in 1848.

A Charter was granted to Union Lodge No. 298 on November 6, 1809 by the Grand Lodge of Scotland and was situated at the City of Nassau. This Lodge was declared dormant in 1892, reopened in 1917 and declared dormant once again in 1923.

Lodge St. John (No known number was given for this Lodge) received its Charter on March 3, 1856 and was located in Matthew Town on the island of Inagua, which was a major trading post at the time. It became dormant around 1881.

There are records which indicate the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Bahamas was officially founded in 1842 and that Brother John Cooke was appointed Provincial Grand Master of the Lodges in the Bahama Islands. There are earlier records which show that the then Royal Governor of the Bahama Islands, John Tinker, was appointed Provincial Grand Master of the Bahamas and places adjacent in 1752 and that in 1759, Worshipful Brother James Bradford was appointed to the same Office, although there were no recorded Lodges in the islands until 1806. This was a common practice in the British territories back then.

Scottish Freemasonry laid dormant with the closing of Union Lodge in 1923 until 1967. With the assistance of the District Grand Lodge of Jamaica, a new Lodge, termed Lodge St. Michael No. 1634 was consecrated in 1967 with Brother Dr. Claudius R. Walker as its Right Worshipful Master. Today, there are eleven (11) Scottish Lodges in The Bahamas and Freemasonry is practiced on the islands of New Providence (Nassau); Grand Bahama (Freeport); Eleuthera (Governor’s Harbour); Andros (Nicholl’s Town); and Abaco (Marsh Harbour) and is vibrant.

After a period of twenty-four (24) years, between 1967 and 1991, under the District Grand Lodge of Jamaica and The Bahamas, the District Grand Lodge of The Bahamas was consecrated and erected in 1991 with Brother Roderick E. Inniss as the District Grand Master. (An updated “History of Scottish Freemasonry in The Bahamas” is to be commissioned).

I am humbled to be the Seventh(7th) District Grand Master and to serve the District at this time. I stand on the shoulders of great Freemasons who have likewise served with distinction. There is much work ongoing and to be achieved.

Visit our website and learn more about Scottish Freemasonry in The Bahamas. We also invite you to learn more about our charitable work by clicking the following link. Charities

Thanks.