Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Renfrewshire

M.E.C. JAMES GREGORY
16^th GRAND SUPERINTENDENT

M.E.C. James Gregory is a very experienced Freemason whose Masonic career spans almost half a century from September 1961, when he was initiated into Lodge Heatheryknowe Bargeddie No.1461.

Four years later the Gregory family moved to Johnstone and, being keen to maintain the Masonic connection,  Brother James affiliated to Lodge Houston St. Johnstone No.242, where he held several offices before becoming aware that it was possible for the keen Freemason to advance to other Degrees...

The obvious next move was to join the local Royal Arch Chapter and, in the late 1960s,  he became Companion James when he was exalted into Sir William Wallace Royal Arch Chapter No.109. He advanced steadily through the offices and, in 1976, was installed into the chair of First Principal.

In 1973, M.E.C. James joined Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Renfrewshire and progressed through various offices for sixteen years, attaining the highest elective office of Chancellor in 1989. He was the first Past Chancellor to be awarded two Past Chancellor's jewels - one by virtue of rank and the other for services to Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter. He is only the second Grand Superintendent of Renfrewshire to have held the office of Chancellor - the first being Past Grand Superintendent Robert B. Black.

M.E.C. James was commissioned to the office of Provincial Grand Scribe "N" in 1992 and, as was the custom then, the Chair Degrees of T.I.M. and W.C.N. were conferred on him, the degree ceremony being held at Greenock Chapter No.17. He took the Chair of his Mother Cryptic Council, Paisley Abbey No.76, in 1999, and the Chair of Paisley Abbey Royal Ark Mariners Lodge and Council in 2001.

An active member of Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter, he was elected to serve as Steward for two years, and is an affiliate member of  the Edinburgh Defensive Band No. 278 Special Purposes Chapter, Cryptic Council, and Lodge and Council, holding office in that Chapter. In addition to this, he holds the office of proxy "H" of Chapter St. Andrew Lewis in Tasmania.

Outside of Royal Arch Freemasonry, M.E.C. James has been a member of St. Mungo Preceptory since 1979 and, in 2005, accepted an invitation to join Stewart Lochrie Sovereign Chapter No. 197, 18^th Degree.

Further recognition of 46 years of Masonic service came in 2007, when he was recommended by the Province to become their 16^th Grand Superintendent, a recommendation that was ratified by Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland on December 21^st 2007...