"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.



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 the Lodge that never never was - Palmerston Lodge No. 698 S.C. of Port Darwin.

George Draffen's "Scottish Masonic Records: 1736-1950" states that 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?

Proposals for the new Lodge would have been overtaken by the creation of the Grand Lodge of South Australia in April 1884.  At that time the Northern Territory was part of South Australia.

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://www.historysouthaustralia.net/SThome.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.