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


Home | Officers | Lodge History | News | Guestbook | Links | "Ulster Fry"| Join Us|

Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge No 669 I.C.

"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 (Founder Member) 1938

Past Masters of Lodge 669

1938 - Thomas J. McClure
1939 - Arthur Patterson
1940 - Henry Harrison
1941 - James Carson
1942 - John Stuart
1943 - George Kissick
1944 - Albert Cecil Brand
1945 - John Smyth
1946 - Hector Stuart
1947 - James Patterson
1948 - Samuel Allen
1949 - Henry Shannon
1950 - Thomas Shields
1951 - Alfred Brown
1952 - Cecil Vance
1953 - James McGroary
1954 - James Menelly
1955 - William Nixon
1956 - William Hunter
1957 - David Sharpe
1958 - Albert Nelson
1959 - George Walsh
1960 - Henry Glenn
1961 - Robert McRoberts
1962 - Harold Sloan
1963 - Hugh Harkness
1964 - John McCormick
1965 - Neil Thompson
1966 - Alfred Hill
1967 - Thomas Bradley
1968 - Richard Robinson
1969 - William Johnston
1970 - Robert Galway
1971 - Robert Quail
1972 - Robert Henry
1973 - Edward Thompson
1974 - James Marshall
1975 - James Thompson
1976 - Thomas Caldwell
1977 - Thomas Cheddy
1978 - Alexander Coulter
1979 - Thomas Black
1980 - Fredrick Sloan
1981 - Martin Nesbitt
1982 - Robert McRoberts
1983 - James Gibb
1984 - William Beggs
1985 - Samuel Murphy
1986 - Robert Beggs
1987 - Robert Nesbitt
1988 - Brian Getty
1989 - Robert Paton
1990 - Alexander Gray
1991 - Norman Nelson
1992 - Malcolm Adams
1993 - Robert McKibben
1994 - Kenneth Beggs
1995 - Kirk Vokes
1996 - Alan Gibb
1997 - David Beggs
1998 - David Beggs
1999 - Norman Nelson
2000 - David Crothers
2001 - George MeGaw
2002 - Samuel Donaghy
2003 - Roger Beatty
2004 - Malcolm McDowell
2005 - William Cardwell
2006 - William Cardwell
2007 - Adrian Hales
2008 - Norman Lacey
2009 - Ronnie Craig

2010 - Raymond Heald
2011 - Michael Lewis
2012 -
2013 -
2014 -
2015 -
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -

Irish Constitution Lodge Warrant No.669 first met in Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, from 1787 until 1856, then was re-issued 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" located next to the famous Harland and Wolff shipyard. "The Wee Yard" expanded rapidly in 1895 to employ 3,500 men , and 9,000 in 1909.
In 1902, and 1909 its tonnage produced was the highest of all UK shipyards.
The new shipyard had already taken the repair and new construction contract for J.P. Corry & Company, a local 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 enthusiastic members of the craft.

  At the first meeting, which was held at No. 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. in 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 of 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 of ships - click here


Star of New Zealand 1895

                         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