The following presentation is resourced from – ‘A Reference Book For Freemasons’ – compiled by Frederick Smyth and published in 1998.
R.W. Bro. Robert South
COLLARS: These are an important feature of masonic clothing and are the lineal descendants of the of the “ribbon” about the necks” from which jewels of office were authorized by [the United] Grand Lodge [of England] to be worn in 1727. By 1731 we find that only the Grand Master, his Deputy and his Wardens were entitled to blue ribbons; those of the Stewards were red, while the Masters and Wardens of private lodges wore white ones.
The earliest development of a (usually) narrow ribbon into the tailored and embellished article of clothing of today may well be attributable to France, where an exposure of 1742 describes the ‘cordons’ as ‘taille en triangle’, thus implying some sort of cutting to shape.
Old masonic portraits illustrate the variety of collars in use before the Grand Lodge of England arrived at the standard four-inch width which applies equally to the Grand Lodge officer and the most junior officer of a lodge, with the singular exception of Provincial or District Grand Stewards whose collars are only two and a half inches wide.
Matching the relevant aprons, officers of Grand Lodge and Provincial and District Grand Lodges and holders of London and Overseas Grand Rank wear collars of garter-blue; those of Grand Stewards and their counterparts in Provinces and Districts are of crimson while officers and Past Masters of private lodges are adorned with the familiar light blue. The Constitutions detail the variations in the trimming of collars but one very special and highly-prized distinction is that the officers and Past Masters of the surviving three (No.2,4 and 12) of the ’Four Old Lodges’ may wear a garter-blue stripe on the centre of the light blue collar.
Chains in place of collars are worn by active officers of Grand Lodge and by Provincial and District Grand Masters and their Deputies and Assistants on prescribed occasions. The collars worn in the Royal Arch and in some other Orders and degrees vary in width, cut and colour.