Official Website of the County Grand Lodge of Glasgow

Hi Folks

Bob Sawers, the County Secretary and I went down to George Square on Thursday 27th January to have a look at the situation with the Monte Carlo Rally. This was an event last held in 1973 and organised by a group calling themselves the RAC Motor Club. This group’s headquarters believe it or not was in Blythswood Square and is now a five star hotel. Yes Brothers and Sisters the same hotel that complains about us assembling outside their hotel.

At Georges Square there was an array of various automobiles, all 49 on display, prior to them setting of for Monte Carlo from guess where. Yep right outside the five star hotel in Blythswood Square.

I have video and pictures of the disruption to business and community life at George Square to complement the pictures/videos of road closures at Blythswood Square. It goes without saying that the civil servants within Glasgow City Council and your councillor should be made aware that the favours granted other groups give us cause for concern. We are being denied the right to utilise traditional assembly areas for a very short period of time whereas this motoring club has been given Blythswood Square and George Square the whole day to prepare.  It is continual disregard of their own policy and indeed could be assessed as being discriminatory against other groups. The preferential treatment given to organisations like this Motor Club who do not have a culture and history anywhere the like of ours should be raised with the elected members of City Council. Civil servants must be brought to task for their blatant disregard of our traditions.

Contact your local councillor, set up meetings with them and confront them. Don’t take no for an answer. Councillors have a public duty to address any issue presented in front of them

Edward Hyde

County Grand Master

To date I still await a response from my letter

Dear Mr Gray

Having visited George Square and Blythswood Square on the occasion of the Monte Carlo rally event 27th January 2011 I respectfully request answers to the following:

• when was the notification for the TTRO made,  who paid it and where was it advertised.?
• what was the organisational costs re barriers, stewards and road traffic management costs and who paid for them?
• what criteria was considered in allowing so many cars within the precinct of George Square ?
• what consideration was given to the disruption to the community, bearing in mind this was evening rush hour, in allowing participating individuals to motorcade from George Square to Blythswood Square?
• what consideration was given to the disruption to the community, again when traffic was at its peak, in allowing the east side of Blythswood Square to be closed from 8 am until one minute to midnight?
• what consideration was given to the disruption to the business community by enforcing a no parking zone for the whole of Blythswood Square  for the whole day?
• what was the cost to the local business for the disruption and how many complaints were submitted by the local businesses?
• reports say that 1 million pounds was generated by the event. How is this calculated?
• pictorial evidence from the scene at Blythswood Square shows considerable disruption to the area and in particular the five star hotel where a large metal car ramp was constructed outside their front door. There was also a large volume of noise during the construction process and indeed late on into the evening. Did they or their residents complain?
• how many complaints in total was received?
• Given that Glasgow City Council are  prohibiting other organisations, with a much longer standing tradition, from assembling at Blythswood Square, how can they justify an event like this for fear of being tagged as being an act of discrimination.?

Taking all the point I have laid out it appears that Glasgow City Council are in conflict with their own policies. The noise, congestion, disruption, localised pollution and sheer volume goes against everything contained within City Councils new policy. Glasgow City Council was obviously aware that this event would cause untold disruption or most of the day. Indeed they sanctioned a major road closure for a complete working day. All this to accommodate an organisation whose last appearance was some thirty odd years ago with one million pounds generated in that time.

In comparison with the revenue that the Orange Lodge in Glasgow generates throughout the year and has done for 200 years the million pounds is somewhat short of something to brag about. It appears that Glasgow City Council has their own agenda that no doubt will be questioned in other quarters.

With this in mind I look forward to receiving acceptable responses to my questions.

Yours faithfully

Edward Hyde

County Grand Master

County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow

To all District and Private Lodges, members ,families and friends

May I as your County Grand Master extend my personal thanks and appreciation for the magnificent support shown 22nd January. It was without doubt a show of support and  strength for the trustees of County Grand Lodge in their quest to defend our parading culture here in Glasgow.

Having given notice for the parade and the subsequent protests outside City Chambers, Glasgow City Council (GCC) finally met with us on 10th January.They did try to prevent us having a parade and wreath laying ceremony. They offered us an alternate parade from the Broomielaw up to Wishart Street, without laying a wreath. Not on they were told . We stuck to our guns and pursued our aims and objectives i.e  traditional routes and cultural stability. 

Our aims and objectives were on the whole achieved and also showed that the membership are up for the tough times ahead. There is no doubt that we will have to contest some issues with GCC policy as it will invariably filter down through the other County Grand Lodges. We complied yesterday with police instructions. However we await QC opinion on several matters.

Albeit from Wishart Street. 

From not getting a parade at all to achieving 90% of the objective I see it as a massive victory. We had around 700 parading with one band. We were  instructed to assemble four abreast and as we are required to obey police instruction ,this we did.  However, walking down the route, it looked like a small army ;it was brilliant. We marched to George Square and disbanded with the playing and singing of the Queen right outside City Chambers. The colour party then paraded across the square and  to Queen Victoria statue with 700 or so at the back to meet with many who had already assembled. During my  speech based on the religious  and moral  principles of Queen Victoria and short service and wreath laying ceremony there was not the slightest hint of disrespect or loutish behaviour.

However as a bonus the trustees of County Grand Lodge and The Grand Master Brother Henry Dunbar gained access to King Williams Statue and laid a wreath in his memory and commemorating 22nd January 1689 when William called an assembly in England and was presented with a"Declaration of Rights" prior to being offered the crown.

It was all so a memorable occassion as the New County Grand Master Brother Edward Hyde presented and clothed the immediate Past County Grand Master Brother George McNee with a past Master Collarette, having first being dedicated by County Grand Chaplain Brother R G C Sawers.

From not getting a parade at all to achieving 90% of the objective I see it as a massive victory. We had around 700 parading with one band, the  smart as a whip ,Pride of the North Flute Band. However the police implemented council policy and we were instructed to assemble four abreast and as we are required to obey police instruction ,this we did.  However, walking down the route, it looked like a small army ;it was brilliant. We marched to George Square and disbanded with the playing and singing of the Queen right outside City Chambers. The chorus was immense. The colour party then paraded across the square and  to Queen Victoria statue with 700 or so at the back to meet with many who had already assembled. During my  speech based on the religious  and moral  principles of Queen Victoria and short service and wreath laying ceremony there was not the slightest hint of disrespect or loutish behaviour.

Our aims and objectives were on the whole achieved and also showed that the membership are up for the tough times ahead. There is no doubt that we will have to contest some issues with GCC policy as it will invariably filter down through the other County Grand Lodges. We complied yesterday with police instructions. However we await QC opinion on several matters.

Thank you all who made this a memorable day In more ways than one

Edward Hyde

County Grand Master

County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow