The Marcus Humphrey House
In 1986 Grand Lodge purchased the Elise Hospital building, located in Quarrier’s Village, a beautiful conservation area, offering picturesque and peaceful surroundings. Following a programme of extensive refurbishment, the Home was officially opened in 1990 as a care home for older people and renamed The Marcus Humphrey House. The home is named after James Malcolm Marcus Humphrey of Dinnet, a Past Grand Master, Honorary President of the Scottish Masonic Homes and the current Chairman of the Benevolence and Care Committee.
The Surroundings
The Marcus Humphrey House stands in the beautiful and tranquil setting of Quarrier’s Village in Bridge of Weir. Quarrier’s Village was developed to create a safe environment for poverty stricken, homeless children in the late nineteenth century and is a conservation area with a rich history. The Home was opened in 1990 by Lady Fanny MacGregor, wife of the then Grand Master Mason, Brigadier Sir Gregor MacGregor of MacGregor, Bart. and now has a listing from Historic Scotland, having been designated as Grade ‘C’ several years ago. The building is more than 100 years old, having reached its centenary in 2012. The Marcus Humphrey House is the former Elise Hospital, which was opened in 1912 and named in memory of Elise Glen Coates by her husband Thomas, a local textile merchant and philanthropist who had already contributed to the facilities in Quarrier’s Village via the provision of a shop, laundry and craft workshops. Shortly after the opening of the Home, a stone carving depicting the name was commissioned by Grand Lodge and this was handmade by apprentice stone masons; it is sited above the entrance to the Home and is a much admired feature of the Home.
The Manager
Wilma McDonald is the registered Manager of the Marcus Humphrey House with a team of 31 full and part time Staff dedicated to supporting its Residents. Wilma joined Grand Lodge in 1990 as a care assistant. As mentioned above, the Organisation supports internal promotion where possible and, after gaining various workplace qualifications, Wilma was appointed to the post of Day Care Co-ordinator in 2009, before becoming Manager in 2011.
