Formation of “District Grand Lodge of Bombay & Northern India”

After the demise of His Highness the Raja of Faridkot, who was the District Grand Master for Northern India, in 1989, the mantle for the responsibility of this District was added on the shoulders of Rt. WBro. Gilbert. The District of Bombay was re-formed on 13th December 1989 as the District of Bombay and Northern India.

He readily accepted this responsibility, but, taking into consideration the vastness of the geographical area involved, an additional officer of the rank of Assistant DGM was sanctioned. The first such ADGM was WBro. J.R. Bhalla.

The additional geographical region brought into our fold, 5 Lodges as under:
⦁ Lodge Light of the North No. 1308 consecrated in 1870 – meeting at Dalhousie (hill station in summer) and at Amritsar in winter months. This Lodge was in abeyance, but, was revived with cooperation and support from Brethren and leadership of Rt. WBro. Gilbert.

⦁ Lodge Sutlej No. 1442 consecrated on 6th June 1873 – meeting at Amritsar

⦁ Lodge Devon No. 1999 consecrated in 1883 – meeting at Jalandar

⦁ The Kitchener Lodge No. 2998 consecrated in November 1903 – meeting at new Delhi

⦁ Lodge Hydaspes No. 4842 consecrated on 5th June 1926 – meeting at Shimla

During his tenure, even though he had an Assistant DGM to look after these Lodges, Rt. WBro. Gilbert kept a close tab on their activities. For this, he was ably assisted by the ADGM and his District Grand Secretaries, late WBro. S.U. Sitaram and P.S. Mankikar.

Dues to Grand Lodge

Ever since the commencement of the District, dues payable to the Grand Lodge (in Pound Sterling) were being paid at the pegged rate of Rs. 15 per Pound. During one of his visits to the Grand Lodge, the then Grand Secretary VWBro. John Daniel threw a bombshell when he informed Rt. WBro. Gilbert that all future dues payable by Districts in India will have to be paid at the actual exchange rate as on 1st January each year. This meant a steep increase to members in India of about 550%. Rt. WBro. Gilbert strongly protested this as he anticipated several hardship to the members of his District, while the monetary gain to Grand Lodge coffers would be a mere pittance. Unfortunately, he was unable to get this decision revoked. He was, after much persuasion able to arrange for staggering the increase by 20% each year so that the full impact would become applicable in the fifth year. The effect of this decision has created a drop in our membership.

Other Matters

Another rare event took place in 1988. Rt. WBro. Gilbert was given the honour by the Grand Lodge of Scotland to install Rt. WBro. Shavak P. Dadachanji as their Grand Master for All Scottish Freemasonry in India. A rare privilege after around 100 years.

In February 1994, the District had the unique privilege of receiving the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master, MWBro. Lord Farnham. He was accompanies by the then Curator & Librarian of the Grand Lodge, VWBro. John Hamill. At the Special Communication, Rt. WBro. Gilbert was unable to attend, therefore the Grand deputation was received by the Deputy DGM WBro. K Venkatachalam. It was very kind of the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master to make a special mention of appreciation of the excellent working of our active District Grand Director of Ceremonies, who was none other than WBro. Percy JF Driver, our present District Grand Master. The visitors were also entertained at a boat cruise to Elephanta island arranged by the Late Rt. WBro. Captain Sam B. Aga, the Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland in India, who was also an English Mason.

In 1996, the District Grand Chapter of Bombay, of which Rt. WBro. Gilbert was Grand Superintendent celebrated its Centenary. On this occasion, a well-researched history of the Institution compiled by WBro. Shums Merchant (now PGStB) was published.

Rt. WBro. Gilbert also made it a practice of holding Half-Yearly Communications at towns and cities where Lodges under his District were functioning.

His personal qualities enabled him to revive two dormant Lodges within his enlarged District, viz. Lodge Light of the North No. 1308 in Dalhousie and to transfer Lodge Penchvale No. 7643 from Parasia to Nagpur. He also revived Chapter Shimla No. 2998 in Delhi and consecrated Chapter Burnett No. 3284 at Kirkee Pune.

Rt. WBro. Gilbert retired as the District Grand Master and as Grand Superintendent on 12th April 2002.

Upon his retirement, he continue his close association with Lodge St. George where he held the position of Secretary for several years till his health started to fail him. He was again elected as Worshipful Master in the 150th year of that Lodge.

He passed away in Mumbai in July 2009.