Scottish freemasonry in Jamaica began in May 1771. As freemasonry blossomed and diversified in Scotland, freemasonry also grew and blossomed in Jamaica, with the meeting places concentrated wherever the gentry and commercial activity was concentrated. The oldest Royal Arch Chapter in Jamaica and indeed  the Americas is Glenlyon No. 62. It was consecrated in February 1846, and sponsored by The Glenlyon Lodge N0. 346. This Chapter was named after Lord Glenlyon 6th of Athole, whose family were major merchants of that era, and was the grand Master Mason in 1843.  The Glenlyon Royal Arch Chapter has worked continuously since its consecration, making it the oldest Scottish Royal Arch Chapter in existence outside of Scotland.

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The Glenlyon Royal Arch Chapter was the only Chapter working the Royal Arch degrees until 1970, when three more Chapters were formed:- St. John No. 821, Excelsior No. 822 and Seville No. 823. St. John and Excelsior were headquartered in Kingston, and Seville was headquartered in St. Ann’s Bay on the North Coast. The Glenlyon Royal Arch Chapter was instrumental in sending four Campanions to Guyana to receive the Royal Ark Mariner Lodge and Red Cross Council and Council of Royal and Select Masters degrees. 

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Freemasonry continued to grow exponentially in the 1970’s with the formation of more craft lodges and Royal Arch Chapters, Lodges and Councils. In 1972, the Glenlyon Lodge and Council No. 62 and the Excelsior Lodge and Council No. 822 were chartered and consecrated. They would meet in Kingston at the Freemasons Building. In 1975, the Elgin Royal Arch Chapter No. 835 was warranted and would meet in Montego Bay. In 1976, lodges Middlesex No. 1628 and Lodge Clarendon Kilwinning No. 1427 petitioned Supreme Grand Chapter to form Middlesex Kilwinning Chapter No. 839 and this Chapter was headquartered in Four Paths Clarendon. There were now several Chapters, Lodges and Councils practicing all the degrees in the Royal Arch Series within Jamaica.

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At a Regular Meeting of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland, held at Freemasons’ Building on Saturday April 23, 1977 commencing 8:00pm, the District Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Jamaica and the Bahamas was Constituted and Erected and the following Companions were obligated and invested as Office-Bearers:

 

Jackson McLaren Wint - Grand Superintendent

Allan R Marsh Depute - Grand Superintendent

Cecil T Wint 2nd District - Grand Principal

Arthur H McKenzie - 3rd District Grand Principal

Lloyd E. Johnson - District Grand Scribe E

Rupert J. Anderson - District Grand Scribe N

Rudolph V. Irvine - Treasurer

Stanley N. Bryan - Chancellor

Keith A. Scott First - Sojourner

Frank C. Mitchell - Second Sojourner

Henry C. Martin - Third Sojourner

Joslyn A. Phillips - Director of Ceremonies

Donald W. Bowen - Superintendent of Works

Vidal R. Smith - Steward

Cleveland F. McLeod - Steward

Kelly L. Wong - Steward

Carcel G. Grant - Steward

Kenneth M. Lloyd - Janitor

 

Elected Member

H V Smith.

 

Marshals 

Wesley A. Wainwright

Alvin Bennett

John A. C. Sinclair

 

The influence of the District Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Jamaica became regional and teams from Jamaica consecrated Chapters and Councils in the Bahamas. In 1978, St. Michael’s Royal Arch Chapter N0. 850 was warranted and commissioned under the supervision of MEC Keith Scott, Grand Superintendent. MEC Keith Scott also presided over the consecration of St. Andrew Royal Arch Chapter No. 877 in 1996, and this Chapter meets in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The Ivan A Hanna royal Arch Chapter No. 885, was consecrated by MEC Frank Mitchell, Grand Superintendent of Jamaica and the Bahamas in 2003. This was the third Chapter to be formed and consecrated in the Bahamas. The Companions then made a petition to the Supreme Chapter of Scotland, to form their own District and was awarded a Supervisorate under the supervision of MEC Arthur Chase. With that formation, the Grand Superintendent of District Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Jamaica only had to supervise the Jamaican Chapters, Lodges and Councils.

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There was a steady expansion of Chapters over the next decade with the formation of Chapters, Lodges and Councils. 

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• The Seville Lodge and Council No. 823 was commissioned in 1978 and would meet in St. Ann’s Bay.

• St. Andrew Royal Arch Chapter No. 851 was consecrated in 1979, and it meets in Kingston at the Freemasons Building. 

• Surrey Royal Arch Chapter No. 865 was commissioned in 1986 and it meets in Kingston at Freemasons Building. 

• Wolmers Royal Arch Chapter No. 876 was commissioned in 1996, and it meets at Freemasons Building, 11-15 McGregor Square. 

• Allan Marsh No. Royal Arch Chapter No. 889 was commissioned in 2006 and it meets in Vanity Fair, Linstead, St. Catherine

• Mount Santa Cruz Royal Arch Chapter No. 897 was commissioned in 2015 and it meets in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth

• Middlesex Kilwinning Lodge and Council No. 839 was commissioned in 2019 under the supervision of MEC Dr. Marcel Anderson, Grand Superintendent. This Lodge and Council would meet in Four Paths , Clarendon.

 

The Holy Royal Arch Series is now practiced in all regions of the island, and remains the gateway for most of the orders beyond the Craft.