Additions to Grand Lodge web site

New pages of historical interest have been added to the Grand Lodge web site.

Moonta in Northern Yorke Peninsula has an old Masonic building which was renovated and restored in 2005-6. The new web page contains photos and a short history.

Colonel William Light laid out his plan for Adelaide in 1837, and in May 1837 a Street Naming Committee selected more than 60 names for streets and other places. Some names chosen have connections with Freemasons or Freemasonry, as explained on a new web page.

150 years ago - some events of 1858

Thursday, 13 May 1858 - Bro. J. Lazar, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, presided at a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of English Freemasons to lay the foundation stone of St Andrew's Church, Wakefiled Street, Adelaide. The ceremony was performed according to Masonic rites by His Excellency Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, Governor-in-Chief of the Province of South Australia, and John Lazar, Mayor of Adelaide and Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Freemasons, and members of the Provincial Grand Lodge. For a full report see The Register of 14 May 1858.

Wednesday, 25 August 1858 - the Provincial Grand Lodge of English Freemasons met at the Lodge room of the Lodge of Truth No.933 EC, the Queen's Head Hotel, Kermode Street, North Adelaide. Bro. John Lazar presided over a large attendance. The Lodge then proceeded, accompanied by His Excellency Bro. Sir R.G. MacDonnell, Governor-in-Chief of South Australia, to lay the foundation stone of the Masonic Hall in Brougham Place, North Adelaide, in the garden adjoining the residenceof Mr J.B. Neales, MP. The ceremony was performed in accordance with ancient Masonic rites.

For a detailed report see The Register of 26 August 1858. The report mentions that the building was designed by Mr Edmund W. Wright, Architect, in January 1856, in Roman Doric design, surmounted by a handsome cornice which rises over a pediment in the centre. The front portion of the structure to consist of an entrance 27 ft long by 8 ft wide, supper room 27 ft x 14 ft, two waiting rooms and stairs on the ground floor, and a lecture room over all 40 ft x 27 ft and 15 ft high; builders Messrs English and Brown. A hall was proposed to be erected at the rear at a later date, intended to be 80 ft x 40 ft, 24 ft high, lighted by windows considerably elevated above the ground and ornamented by pilasters and cornices in keeping with the exterior.

The hall was erected by a company of shareholders, called 'The North Adelaide Masonic and Public Hall Association'. The Trustees were John Bentham Neales MP, John Tuthill Bagot MP and Samuel Wright. The Directors were Frederic Wicksteed (Chairman), Ulysses North Bagot, William Thomas Sabben, John Richardson and Edward M Bagot, with William Alexander Hughes as Secretary.

20 August 1858 - first meeting of Percy Encampment of Knights Templar. Percy Encampment was founded by CS Poole, William Fiveash, Henry Stodart, FT Percy Wells and Francis Haire, with CS Poole as first Preceptor.

22 September 1858 - Bro. Percy Wells admitted a member of the Lodge of Friendship No.613 EC. Percy Wells was involved in the foundation of Percy Rose Croix Chapter, Percy Encampment of Knights Templar and the Adelaide Mark Lodge No.41 EC. Later in 1860 he advocated the use of the "Somerset Ritual" by the Lodge of Friendship. Percy Wells had previously been Master in 1854 of Royal Cumberland Lodge No.41 EC in Bath, England.

St John's Day, Monday 27 December 1858 - the Provincial Grand Lodge of English Freemasons met at the Lodge room of the Lodge of Truth No.933 EC, the Queen's Head Hotel, Kermode Street, North Adelaide. Bro. John Lazar presided together with the Grand Wardens, Brothers Haire and Fiveash. The brethren then proceeded in procession to Brougham Place where the new Masonic Hall was dedicated according to ancient Masonic usage, following a presentation by Bro. Edmund W Wright, the architect. The building, now known as Belmont House, was sold in 1863 when it became a private residence.

Later the following were installed as Masters: Bro. HE Downer, United Tradesmen Lodge; and Bro. H Duncan, Lodge of Unity. In the evening a number of Craftsmen celebrated St John's Day by a dinner in the new Masonic Hall, Bro. WA Hughes, Master of the Lodge of Truth presiding.

A detailed report is given in The Register of 28 December 1858.

President's report on first year

At the AGM held at end of August the President presented a rport on the first year of the Society.

The report may be downloaded via the ProBoards

Next meeting - Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting will be held at Adelaide Masonic Centre, 254 North Terrace, Adelaide, on Thursday 30 August, commencing at 6pm.

If you are interested in receiving emails regarding this and other activities of the SA & NT Freemasons Historical Society please send an email with your name to
masonichistory [@] gmail.com - remove brackets [ ] either side of @ symbol.

Agenda :
Open and Welcome
President’s report
Declare positions vacant.
Invite Patron (or his representative) to announce appointment and make further comment.
President conduct elections
Adoption of Constitution and By-Laws
Closure

.

Monday 25 June - 6pm : John McDouall Stuart

Next meeting - June Mon 25 at 6pm - at Adelaide Masonic Centre -

Guest Speaker from John McDouall Stuart Society ...

John McDouall Stuart (1815-1866)
Explorer and Freemason

Initiated in Lodge of Truth No.933 E.C. North Adelaide on 1 Aug 1859

~~~

"In April 1860, during the second of his heroic attempts to cross Australia from south to north, John McDouall Stuart reached the almost waterless center of the continent... A thousand miles from anywhere, the spot was the very 'climax of desolation,' as Stuart's fellow explorer Ernest Giles once nicely put it, and Stuart and his men went through hell to get there. They were sick and ragged and half starved, and it had taken months, but at least they had the satisfaction of knowing that they had become the first outsiders to penetrate to the brutal heart of the continent.

... So you may imagine Stuart's surprise when, in the middle of this baking nowhere, he and his party encountered three Aboriginal men who greeted them by making a secret sign of the Freemasons. Stuart didn't say in his journal what the sign was, but it was clear from his amazed description that it was unlikely to have been coincidental."

(from Bill Bryson's book 'In a sunburned country' p.240)

Also see entry from McDouall Stuart's journal for Sat 23 June 1860 ...

~~~

The Stuart Highway is the main south-north highway of Australia.

• McDouall Stuart's biography is included in ADB online ...
• "McDouall Stuart a Mason" - article in the Register newspaper, 21 May 1920, page 6i.
• McDouall Stuart Lodge No.219 in Alice Springs is named in his honour.
  

Freemasons & pubs - Sun May 27

Members and friends are invited to assemble on Sunday 27 May at 12 noon at the Queen's Head Hotel, 117 Kermode Street, North Adelaide. Erected 1838, this hotel is perhaps the oldest in SA using part of the original building. In its early years the Queen's Head had connections with Freemasonry.

There will be a presentation about Freemasons and pubs in the City of Adelaide.

Afterwards consider a meal at the bar or in the dining room, and perhaps take a short walk to Palmer Place and Brougham Place to see Belmont House, originally built for Masonic purposes, opened in 1858 and sold in 1863.

Links: Queen's Head menu etc

The Grand Library

On Monday 30 April members visited the J.R. Robertson Masonic Memorial Library in the Adelaide Masonic Centre for a talk by George Woolmer, OAM, Grand Librarian. The talk covered the history of the Grand Library and its activities. Afterwards we were able to view some of the treasures of the Library collection.

Links: Grand Library

Field trip - Port Adelaide Sunday 25 March

Ladies, friends and brethren are invited to attend on March Sun 25.

12noon - meet for lunch at Newmarket Hotel across the road from the Port Adelaide Masonic Centre - wide range of dishes including Sunday Roast - prices $15 - $19

1-2pm - Port Adelaide Masonic Centre (pictured, erected in late 1920's; architect Charles Walter Rutt) - "An Illustrated History of Port Adelaide with a Masonic bias" - presentation by T Molde. The building is listed on the Australian Heritage Register - the exterior is "a unique example of the Egyptian revival style of architecture in South Australia".

Other optional activities include:

• Port Princess Dolphin Cruise on the MV Port Princess. Departs at 3.15pm from Fisherman's Wharf. Duration 1 hour. Cost $2.50 per head

• visit the Maritime Museum, 12 Lipson Street, Open 10am - 5pm. Admission - concession $6.50

• visit the Port Markets - at Queens Wharf at end of Commercial Road.
  

Meeting Programme for 2007

The following programme is subject to alteration. Any changes will be notified on this site.

• February Mon 26 at 6pm - Adelaide Masonic Centre - Guest Speaker: Rob Casson
• March Sun 25 - Port Adelaide Masonic Centre - T Molde - An Illustrated History of Port Adelaide with a Masonic bias. Lunch at Newmarket Hotel and cruise the Port River
• April Mon 30 at 6pm - Adelaide Masonic Centre - Guest Speaker: G Woolmer
• May Sun 27 - Adelaide TBA - Masonic Pub Crawl
• June Mon 25 at 6pm - Adelaide Masonic Centre - Guest Speaker from John McDouall Stuart Society
• August 3-5 - State History Conference, Barossa Valley
• August Thur 30 at 6pm - Adelaide Masonic Centre - AGM

The past revisited - 1856 - 1906 - 1956

1856

14 January 1856 - The Warrant of the Lodge of Truth was delivered

4 March 1856 - first meeting of the Duke of Leinster Lodge No.363 IC

June 1856 - the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales was formed. Dr BA Kent of Kent Town, Adelaide participated in this meeting.

27 December 1856 - there was a combined Installation of the Masters of the Lodge of Harmony, United Tradesmen's Lodge and Lodge of Truth.

30 December 1856 - a Banquet was held at Bro. Baldwin's Prince of Wales Hotel to celebrate the Festival of St John the Evangelist, RW Bro. John Lazar presiding.
Tickets 7/6 (75 cents)

1906


March 1906 - Pirie Mark Lodge formed.

14 May 1906 - formation of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of South Australia

1956

February 1956 - Foundation Stone laid for Enfield Lodge No.145

3 May - the Governor of South Australia, Sir Robert George, was installed as Grand Master

The War Memorial Pipe Organ was installed in the Way Room at 254 North Terrace, Adelaide

Five hundred pounds was donated to the Lord Mayor's River Murray Flood Relief Appeal

Millicent Masonic building dedicated.

Lodge Thespian No.195 formed.

"Belmont", Brougham Place, North Adelaide

In 1856 the architect Edmund Wright won a competition to design a building for the North Adelaide Masonic and Public Hall Association, at 71-74 Brougham Place, North Adelaide. Belmont was designed by Edmund Wright in the Roman Doric style, which has symbolic significance for Freemasons. It is of historical significance as an early purpose-built masonic hall - the early lodges met in hotels - and is the earliest such structure that is a State Heritage Place. It is architecturally significant for being an early commission of Wright's and possibly the earliest of his designs to survive. Wright went on to become one of the Colony's leading architects. The building was opened 27 December 1858 (St John the Evangelist's day). In 1863 the building was sold and became a private residence.

The building still stands. It has been listed by the National Trust and included on the Australian Heritage Places Inventory and the Australian Heritage Database, each of which contains additional information about the heritage values of this former Masonic building.


CLICK HERE to see a photo and some additional information.


Land Titles Office: CT 2637/42
Heritage SA ref.no.10803

The Lodge that never was

Many will remember the story "We of the Never Never", a book about outback Australian life in 1902 by Mrs Aeneas (Jeannie Taylor) Gunn, published 1908. This was later made into a movie (1982)

Following are notes on a Lodge that never never was - Palmerston Lodge No. 698 S.C. of Port Darwin.

According to the online version of Draffen's "Scottish Masonic Records" a Warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on 7 August 1884, to meet at Port Darwin in North Australia. The new Palmerston Lodge was to be No. 698 in the Register of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Draffen noted that "it is doubtful is this Lodge was ever erected. If it was, it lapsed soon after."

George Draffen (1910-86) was Depute Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland (1974-6) and Grand Librarian of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Is there any record or knowledge of Palmerston Lodge in Darwin or in Adelaide?

Obviously the proposed new Lodge would have been overtaken by events with the creation of the Grand Lodge of South Australia in April 1884. HCE Muecke, who was RW Provincial Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution in SA until April 1884, resigned from that Office just before participating as Installing Grand Master at the foundation of the new Grand Lodge - he installed SJ Way as Grand Master in 1884 and again in 1909 on the 25th anniversary of the Grand Lodge.

The records of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Scotland in South Australia were apparently lost - perhaps during transfer back to Scotland? Could the Warrant of the proposed new Palmerston Lodge have been sent to Adelaide, and returned to Scotland by Muecke?

The Port Darwin Lodge No.41 first met on 6 May 1896, with 18 Freemasons present. At that time Darwin was known as Palmerston (the name changed to Darwin in 1911). The Lodge acquired a block of land in Mitchell Street in September 1896; Darwin's first Masonic building was erected by 1901.

Updated 5 May 2007: Bro. Len Greenwood has advised:

"the first lodge in Darwin - The Port Darwin Lodge - first officially met in May 1896 at the Victoria Hotel (the warrant was issued in February 1896 but then came by ship to Darwin). Port Darwin moved to Mitchell St (near where the Darwin Hotel used to be) in late 1900 or early 1901 where they stayed until the move to Stokes St in 1962."

Adelaide street names and Freemasons

The British settlement of South Australia commenced in 1836, and was to be according to the Wakefield scheme of systematic colonisation. The new colony had been some six years in the planning. Part of the planning included the establishment of Freemasonry. In 1834 the South Australian Lodge of Friendship was formed in London, meeting in the offices of the South Australian Association at the Adelphi. Membership was restricted to intending colonists.

Two months after the first land sales, a committee met in Adelaide on 23 May 1837, and gave names to 63 streets and squares laid out on the surveyor's map. Many of the names were those of founders, friends or promoters of the new colony. Some were Freemasons.

A list of the streets named in May 1837 is given at http://users.chariot.net.au/~hitek/holdfastdatabase/STlist.htm

George Strickland Kingston was a founding member of the SA Lodge of Friendship in 1834, and served as acting Provincial Grand Master 1852-4. Kingston Terrace in North Adelaide is named for him.

The first initiates of the SA Lodge of Friendship in October 1834 were John Morphett, Richard D Hanson, Thomas Gilbert, Robert Gouger, and Daniel Wakefield. Each had a city street named in his honour. Hanson Street disappeared when Pulteney Street was extended to South Terrace.

Charles Mann arrived in 1837 and was first Advocate-General and Crown Solicitor of SA. Mann Terrace in North Adelaide was named for him. He was initiated in SA Lodge of Friendship in Adelaide, in 1838, along with BT Finnis for whom Finnis Street was named. Finnis became first Premier of SA in 1857.

King William Street was named for King William IV, who became a Freemason in 1786. During his reign he was Grand Patron of Freemasonry, and his wife Queen Adelaide was Patroness.

Wellington Square was named for the Duke of Wellington, victorious at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and later British Prime Minister, who secured the passage of the Act establishing SA. He was initiated in Ireland in 1790; his membership lapsed in 1795.

Tynte Street was named for Col. Charles John Kemeys-Tynte MP, who never came to South Australia. He was a leading Freemason in Wales, serving as Provincial Grand Master of Monmouthshire 1831-1863. His father was Grand Master of the English Masonic Knight Templars from 1846. The Kemeys-Tynte family had connections with Philip, Duke of Wharton, Grand Master of England 1722-3 and of France 1729-31.

O'Connell Street was named for the famous Irish lawyer and politician Daniel O'Connell who became a Freemason in Ireland about 1797, resigning in the 1820's.

Inaugural Meeting

The Inaugural General Meeting will be held on Thursday 31st August 2006 in the basement of the Adelaide Masonic Centre commencing at 5.30pm.

Proposed CONSTITUTION and BY LAWS

CONSTITUTION

NAME - The name of the Society shall be THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AND NORTHERN TERRITORY FREEMASONS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, hereinafter called the Society.

OBJECTS - The objects of the Society shall be:

1. To assist the Grand Lodge of South Australia and Northern Territory in fulfilling its responsibilities to preserve archival and historic records;
2. To promote the collection, preservation and exhibition of historical
   documents and records;
3. To preserve and store adequately the artefacts and documents which
   are not required by the Grand Lodge of South Australia and Northern Territory to be lodged at the State Library of South Australia;
4. To arouse interest in and to promote the study and discussion of the
   history of Freemasonry in South Australia and the Northern Territory;
5. To publish historical articles, lectures, and other such material conducive to preserving the historical record of the Grand Lodge of SA & NT;
6. To promote the interchange of historical information by lectures, forums, workshops, readings and discussion;
7. To co-operate with other societies interested in South Australian
   history;
8. To do all such things as are conducive and incidental to the attainment of all or any of the above objects.

BY LAWS

1. Formal Title - South Australian and Northern Territory Freemasons Historical Society.

2. General Meetings - To be held monthly, unless otherwise determined.

3. Time of Meeting - At a date and time to be advised, with consideration to be given to a set day in the month and at a set time.

4. Types of Meeting – There shall be three types of meetings:
- Annual General Meeting
- General Meeting
- Special Meeting (as required)

5. Purpose The purpose of the Society shall be to preserve, promote, encourage, stimulate, facilitate, record and conduct research into the history of Freemasonry in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

6. Membership
- Ordinary a member of a GLSA&NT Craft Lodge
- Corresponding a member of a Craft Lodge recognised by GLSA&NT
- Honorary a person nominated as such by the Executive
- Associate non voting members who are not Freemasons but have an interest in the Objects of the Society
- Patron Grand Master

7. Executive Committee – there shall be an Executive Committee which shall be elected by members at the Annual General Meeting.

The following are to comprise the Executive Committee:

- Chairman
- Deputy Chairman
- Secretary/Treasurer
- Librarian/Archivist
- Museum Curator
- Two Corresponding Members
- Four General Members

A member of the Executive Committee should be a financial member of a constituent Lodge within the jurisdiction of the GLSA&NT.

The Executive Committee is to have the power to co-opt members to serve on the Executive as required.