Lodge Ailsa No. 1172 under the Grand Lodge of Scotland was formally consecrated in Singapore on 30 March 1918, marking the official beginning of Scottish Freemasonry on the island. This milestone came in 1916, when Brother A.A. Simpson, then Senior Warden of Lodge Tullibardine-in-the-East 1118 S.C., was posted to Singapore and took up the task of forming a new Scottish lodge. His efforts were highly effective—he quickly gathered 116 Brethren to sign a petition that was subsequently approved.

A founding meeting was convened under the guidance of Brother D.D. Ince, Senior District Grand Warden of the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East, to determine the lodge’s name and its first office-bearers. While various Scottish names were considered, the Brethren ultimately chose “Ailsa,” with the permission of Lady Evelyn Young, wife of the then-Governor of the Straits Settlements. Her brother, Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa, granted the use of the Kennedy tartan for the Lodge colors and agreed to serve as its first Proxy Master. Lodge Ailsa thus became the first lodge consecrated under the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East, itself newly formed in 1916.

In the pre-war years, Lodge Ailsa thrived as a charitable and socially active organization, holding regular meetings at the Coleman Street Temple. Its last meeting before the Japanese Occupation took place in January 1942, just days before the fall of Singapore. The Lodge’s charter and furnishings were lost during the war, but it resumed activities in July 1946, with a duplicate charter issued by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. In 1947, a new altar was dedicated in memory of seven members who lost their lives during the conflict.

Lodge Ailsa co-sponsored the formation of Lodge St Andrew 1437 S.C. in 1948 and later supported the establishment of Lion of Erin Lodge No. 934 I.C. (an Irish lodge) in 2007. More recently, it sponsored Lodge Malacca No. 1851 S.C. in 2022 and Lodge Nakornping No. 1859 S.C. in 2024—demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the wider Masonic community.

Among its many milestones, the Lodge saw Brother Maurice Lee Ah Choon become its first Asian initiate, who later went on to serve as Master in 1955. In 1988, Brother Reverend Harry Hopkins became the first ordained minister to hold the office of Master.

With over a century of history, the Lodge remains deeply committed to preserving its Scottish heritage, ritual excellence, and the core Masonic values of brotherly love, relief, and truth.