History

William Ramsay McGhee was initiated into Lodge St. Barchan on 18th February 1969, passed on 18th March 1969, raised on 22nd April 1969 and took out life membership of the Lodge later that year.

Ramsay was born in Uddingston but his family moved to Johnstone in the late 1950s and at the time of his initiation he was working in the Fairfield Shipyard in Govan.

Ramsay left the shipyard and joined the Ross and Dingwall Constabulary which later became part of the Northren Constabulary. His work in the police force took Ramsay all over the UK including spells in Lancashire and the Home Office in London. He retired from his position as Chief Superintendent in Inverness in 2003.

Ramsay had the honour of being appointed as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh in May 2014.

Throughout his working life, Ramsay still remained active in freemasonry. He affiliated to Lodge Seaforth 854 in Fortrose and served as RWM in 1992. He was installed as Provincial Grand Master of Ross and Cromarty by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason Bro. Archibald Orr-Ewing in 2006.

In addition to his Provincial duties, Ramsay was appointed as Director of Ceremonies of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, a post he held for nine years before serving as Depute Master to also served of Depute Master to Bro. Charles Iain Robert Woolridge Gordon of Esselmont.