The "Polly Woodside"
A three-masted iron barque, built in 1885 by Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd, Belfast, is the Melbourne Maritime Museum’s main attraction.
This restored sailing ship, a floating exhibit, made 16 voyages around Cape Horn before sailing for 20 years in Australasian waters.

Corn Market (Arthur Square)

Belfast 1897

Click on photos below to enlarge


Lodge Members 1958

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Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge No 669 I.C.

Irish Constitution Lodge Warrant No. 669 first met in Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, from 1787 until 1856, then reissued on the 23rd April 1938.

In 1880 George Smith Clark then aged 19, was a founding partner in the Belfast shipbuilders Workman, Clark & Co Ltd., known locally as "The Wee Yard". It expanded rapidly to employ 3,500 men in 1895, and 9,000 in 1909. In 1902, and 1909 its tonnage produced was the highest of all UK yards.
The new shipyard had already taken the repair and new construction contract for J.P. Corry & Company, and was the first shipbuilder to produce refrigerated ships for carrying beef and fruit. After the First World War it enjoyed mixed fortunes, and closed in 1935.
Both partners had served their time as premium apprentices at Harland and Wolff the largest shipbuilder in Belfast, and graduated to junior management positions.
A detailed history of the Wee Yard "Forgotten Shipbuilders of Belfast" is published by Friar's Bush Press ISBN 0-946872-66-x
The Clark family was very much involved in the Scottish and Ulster textile industries. Sir George Clark's father was a senior partner in one of the largest thread spinning businesses in Scotland, based in Paisley.
Sir George Clark, also held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for North Belfast between 1907 and 1910. He was created 1st Baronet Clark, of Dunlambert, Belfast [U.K.] on 6 July 1917. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.), held the office of Senator [Northern Ireland] in 1925, was chairman of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland) and he was a director of Henry Matier and Company, linen manufacturers of Belfast.
He was also a director of the Bank of Ireland.

Hot Metal Linotype Typesetter
Bro. Albert Brand contemplated the forming of Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge for the benefit of those brethren who were night workers, and were unable to attend their Mother Lodges, many of whom worked in the newspaper printing industry. With the assistance of W. Bro.Thomas McClure, W. Bro. Joseph McAdam, and Bros. Arthur Patterson, and Henry Harrison, all of whom were enthusiastic members of the craft, at the first meeting, which was held at 28 Gainsborough Drive, the home of Bro. Henry Harrison, it was decided to approach Sir George Clark, 2nd Baronet for permission to name the Lodge after his father (of renowned shipbuilding fame) who was a keen Freemason.
They received permission, and called a meeting in Alexandra Park Avenue School, Belfast, which all 25 foundation members of Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge attended.
The Lodge was dedicated on the 23rd of April, 1938 at 5 o'clock, by the R. W. Bro. John W.Gilmour, Deputy Grand Master of the Province of Antrim

V.W. Bro. Richard Robinson,
W. Master of Lodge 669 I.C. 1968, who went on to become
Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, then

Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Antrim.
1985 - 1987

In recognition of the high esteem in which Bro. Robinson was held by the Brethren of the
Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, the" Richard Robinson Memorial Lecture" was inaugurated.
This Lecture was given each year at a stated communication of Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim

One of the most famous ships built
in the "Wee Yard" was
Winston Churchill's Monitor 33
built in 1915, she served at Gallipoli, and in the Aegean
click here for details.


The KEEMUN was built in 1902.
During the First World War she had the minor distinction of carrying much needed fuel oil in her ballast tanks from Shell installations in the Far East to Europe. On 13th June 1918 she survived a gunfire attack by a surfaced U-boat in the Atlantic by driving her off with an accurate return of fire

Workman Clark ships built for:

Blue Funnel Line
In a simply worded circular published on 16th January, 1866, Alfred Holt stated his intent to set up a shipping company. 'I beg to inform you that I am about to establish a line of Screw Steamers from Liverpool to China...
For a list os ships- Click here


TEENKAI 1895

Workman Clark ships built for:

Joseph. P. Corry and Co. Belfast, with whom a close relationship evolved as they were both interested in the development of refrigerated cargo spaces.
For a list os ships - click here


Star of New Zealand 1895

Past Masters of theLodge

1938 - Thomas J. McClure 1962 - Harold Sloan 1986 - Robert Beggs
1939 - Arthur Patterson 1963 - Hugh Harkness 1987 - Robert Nesbitt
1940 - Henry Harrison 1964 - John McCormick 1988 - Brian Getty
1941 - James Carson 1965 - Neil Thompson 1989 - Robert Paton
1942 - John Stuart 1966 - Alfred Hill 1990 - Alexander Gray
1943 - George Kissick 1967 - Thomas Bradley 1991 - Norman Nelson
1944 - Albert Cecil Brand 1968 - Richard Robinson 1992 - Malcolm Adams
1945 - John Smyth 1969 - William Johnston 1993 - Robert McKibben
1946 - Hector Stuart 1970 - Robert Galway 1994 - Kenneth Beggs
1947 - James Patterson 1971 - Robert Quail 1995 - Kirk Vokes
1948 - Samuel Allen 1972 - Robert Henry 1996 - Alan Gibb
1949 - Henry Shannon 1973 - Edward Thompson 1997 - David Beggs
1950 - Thomas Shields 1974 - James Marshall 1998 - David Beggs
1951 - Alfred Brown 1975 - James Thompson 1999 - Norman Nelson
1952 - Cecil Vance 1976 - Thomas Caldwell 2000 - David Crothers
1953 - James McGroary 1977 - Thomas Cheddy 2001 - George MeGaw
1954 - James Menelly 1978 - Alexander Coulter 2002 - Samuel Donaghy
1955 - William Nixon 1979 - Thomas Black 2003 - Roger Beatty
1956 - William Hunter 1980 - Fredrick Sloan 2004 - Malcolm McDowell
1957 - David Sharpe 1981 - Martin Nesbitt 2005 - William Cardwell
1958 - Albert Nelson 1982 - Robert McRoberts 2006 - William Cardwell
1959 - George Walsh 1983 - James Gibb 2007 - Adrian Hales
1960 - Henry Glenn 1984 - William Beggs  
1961 - Robert McRoberts 1985 - Samuel Murphy  

Foundation Officers and Members

Worshipful Master 1938
W. Bro. Thomas McClure
Senior Warden
Bro. Arthur Patterson
Junior Warden
Bro. Henry Harrison
Treasurer
Bro. Albert C. Brand
Secretary
W.Bro. Joseph McAdam
Senior Deacon
Bro. James Carson
Junior Deacon
Bro. John Stuart
Inner Guard
Bro. George Kissick
Senior Steward
Bro. Albert C. Brand
Junior Steward
Bro. Joseph Rea
Chaplain
Bro. John Smyth
Deputy Chaplin
Bro. James Brown
Bro. Hector Stuart
Bro. Thomas Sands
Bro. James Patterson
Bro.Samuel Allen
Bro. Edwin Pitt
Bro. Alfred Black
Bro. Alexander Moutray
Bro. John Torrens
Bro. Alfred Brown
Bro. Henry Shannon
Bro. Thomas Shields
Bro. John McKeown
Bro. James Brown (2)
Bro. John Getty

"May those Brethren who follow, take as keen an interest in the Lodge as those who worked to create it - so that when the time comes to lay down their working tools, they will have earned the commendation - Well Done, Thou True and Faithful Brother"
W. Bro. Albert C. Brand