Grand Masters of Scotland - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic ...

Archibald Campbell, 4th Baron Blythswood (1870-1929). [left]
HRH Prince of Wales, later Duke of Windsor (1894-1972). [center]
Evelyn, Baroness Blythswood, née Fletcher. [right]
Luncheon party for the Prince of Wales, guest at Blythswood House, Renfrewshire,
Scotland, during the Royal visit to Glasgow, 8-10 March 1921.
http://www.thepeerage.com/p3479.htm#i34783
Brig.-Maj. Sir Archibald Campbell, 4th Baron Blythswood was born on 25 April 1870,
son of Maj.-Gen. Sir Barrington Bulkeley Campbell, 3rd Baron Blythswood and Mildred
Catherine Hawley. He married Evelyn Fletcher, daughter of John Fletcher, on 25 July
1895. He died on 14 November 1929 at age 59 in Blythswood House, Renfrewshire,
Scotland, without male issue and was buried on 18 November 1929 in Inchinnan,
Scotland.
He was baptised with the name of Archibald Campbell and was educated in Eton
College, Eton, Berkshire, England. He gained the rank of Major in the service of the
Scots Guards (Special Reserve), was invested as a Knight Commander, Royal
Victorian Order (K.C.V.O.). and gained the rank of Major in the service of the 4th
Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. On 1916 his name was legally changed
to Archibald Douglas-Campbell. He gained the rank of Brigadier-Major in 1916. On 1918 his name was legally changed to Archibald
Campbell. He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Blythswood, co. Renfrew [U.K., 1892] on 13 March 1918.
Blythswood House – ca 1921
http://www.pressinfo.co.uk/renfrew/town.htm
Blythswood house is finely situated upon the point of land where the united streams of the Carts and Gryfe mingle their waters with
those of the Clyde . The prospect here was pronounced by Pennant - “the most elegant and the softest of any in North Britain .” The
house is constructed of the finest white freestone, - the east front presenting a portico of four columns in the Ionic order. It was built,
in 1821, by Archibald Campbell, Esq., who died in 1838, and was succeeded by his relative, Archibald Douglas, Esq. of Mains, who
held the name and title of ‘Campbell of Blythswood.’ The original name of this property was Renfield, - and it had an old house upon
it so called. When the present mansion was built, it received the name of Blythswood, in honour of a small but now very valuable
estate belonging to the family, on which a great part of the north-western portion of Glasgow is built.
87. A. A. [Alexander Archibald] Hagart Speirs of Elderslie, 1869-1958 – GM Scotland 1929-31
http://www27.brinkster.com/lodgepow/hist1.htm
SOUVENIR of Lodge "Prince of Wales" Renfrew No.426 - To commemorate the laying of the Memorial Stone of the New Masonic
Temple, in Queen Street, Renfrew on 16th of May, 1931, by Bro. A. A. Hagart Spiers Grand Master Mason Of Scotland.
As far back as 1872, when he was only a small boy, with the throne of Scottish Masonry far away from his dreams, he had
presented the Working Tools used in the Lodge and at the laying of Foundation and Memorial Stones - tools greatly enhanced both
in interest and value by the fact that they had been made from the wood of the Wallace oak at Elderslie. In 1911, when a new
Temple was first mooted, he had offered a valuable site on the east side of the Mill Vennel at the nominal feu duty of a shilling a
year. Succeeding events, however, in particular, the construction of the new boulevard from Glasgow, appeared to render the site
less suitable than it had been. At length, and at a cost of £600, the Lodge purchased three houses, with considerable gardens
attached to them, in that quaint old thoroughfare, Queen Street, the "Coo Loan" of days gone by. For many years the largest of the
houses had been the office-home of the Registrar of Renfrew Parish. With great kindness Bro. Speirs substituted for his site - offer a
gift of £300. So splendid a contribution gave the brethren good heart to proceed. The three houses were taken down, and room was
made for the new Temple, towards the end of 1930.
http://www.renfrewgolfclub.co.uk/club.html
Renfrew Golf Club's founders were a group of businessmen from Renfrew and Govan. They discussed the feasibility of establishing
a golf club in the Royal Burgh and decided to approach a Mr A A Hagart Speirs of Elderslie Estates, one of the local landowners.
Enough land for laying out a nine hole course was granted.
A meeting for all those interested in joining the new club was advertised and on Friday 28 September 1894 a constitution and rules
were laid down and approved. This is regarded as the official founding date of Renfrew Golf Club. The initial enrolment consisted of
about 40 gents. Unlike many Scottish golf clubs, ladies were accepted at Renfrew within its inaugural year.
138