History Of Tasmanian Freemasonry.

S . and J . W . s respectively . Its place or meeting was in what was then known as " Mezger ' s room , " attached to the Btrd-in-Hand Hotel , Argyle Street , kept by Jno .

Mezger . In 1835 wo find the throe W . M . 's in office wero —Tasmanian , Bro . J . L . Archer ; Union , Bro . R . L . Murray ; and Tasmanian Operative , Bro . Edington . In 1830 Bro . Wilkinson was elected W . M . of the Tasmanian

Lodge , and fcho Union Lodge changed quarters fco Mezgor ' s room . The removal of tbe 21 st Regiment occasioned the establishment of another Civilian Lodge , for the W . M . and S . W . having retired , and settled in the colony , applied to tho Grand Lodge of Ireland for a stationary warrant , which

was granted m 1842 , the old title and number being allowed to be retained . This Lodge took up quarters at the Macquarie Hotel , its first Master being Bro . McGregor . Union Lodge during this period appears to have given signs of waning , and no meetings were held for some time

—tho Lodge ultimately lapsing . On 26 th Oct . of this" year tho first step in the direction of establishing a Lodge in Launceston was taken . A meeting of M . M . ' s was held in tho Kangaroo Inn ,, and Bro . James Henry appointed Secretary , ifc being first decided to apply for dispensation

to work under charter No . 404 ( Military Lodge , the regiment having left Tasmania ) , but this being found to be contrary to the Constitutions , application was made for the warrant of 326 , Union Lodge , but it could not be granted by 345 I . C ., to whom ifc was made , as the direct sanction of

the G . L . was necessary in relation to any transference from ono town to another . The difficulty and delay were obviated by the obtaining of a dispensation from 345 I . C ., to work pending the arrival of the warrant . The Lodge was named the Sfc . John ' s , and received warrant Wo . 346 .

The first Officers included the following : —W . M ., Bro . Randin ( a P . M . of No . 281 E . C . ); S . W ., Bro . Neale ( a P . M . of No . 71 E . C . ) ; J . W ., Bro . Roberts , and Secretary and Treasurer Bro . Henry ( both members of 345 I . G . ) The Lodge was formally opened on 19 th January 1843 ,

the Lodge Room being afc the Caledonian Hotel , Launceston . During this year the Masonic Benevolent Fund was started , its first President being Bro . Lempriere , A . C . G ., with Bro . W . A . McKay Vice-president , and Bro . Toby Secretary . In 1844 a portion of the brethren of 345 I . C .,

considering there was room for the revivifying of the fourth Lodge in Hobart , applied for a warrant under the English Constitution , and called this the Tasmanian Union , working under dispensation from Bro . G . R . Nicols D . P . G . M . of Australasia , and receiving Charter No . 781 . The Lodge elected to meet in the Freemasons' Hotel . This formed

the introduction of English Freemasonry . During the years 1845 and ' 46 the Tasmanian Lodge gave evidence of weakening , and it finally passed out of existence in 1847 , during which year . it may be noted Chapter H . R . C . was added to No . 345 . In 1849 the Tasmanian Union changed

us location to tho Waterloo Hotel , and the following year occupied the upstairs rooms in the building which subsequentl y became the Oddfellows' Hall , in Collins-street . 1852 witnessed a secession from St . John ' s , Launceston , a portion of the brethren forming a Lodge , under the English

constitution , called Hope ; it was erected on the 7 th September , Brother G . S . Swan being the first elected to the Worshi pful Master ' s chair . This Lodge also had to act under dispensation from the P . G . M . of Australasia . 1854 brought with ifc the demise of the mother of Tasmanian

f reemasonry—Royal Fusilier Lodge , No . 33 . The last Princi pal officers inscribed on its roll were—W . M . Brother J - A . Thomson ; S . W . Bro . D . Oscroft ; J . W . Bro . W . Edwards . 1855 saw the establishment of a H . R . A . Chapter attached to the Hope Lodgo in Launceston , bufc in 1856

*« B ambition ot the Hope Lodge brought about the separation of its members into three Lodges , Faith , No . 992 « -0 ., erected in March , and whose first W . M . was Bro . J . ^ ohen , and Charity 989 E . C . In November of the same

•)«< " . _ onese tbree Lodges petitioned for and obtained a provincial Grand Lodge , Bro . Rev . R . K . Ewing being reefed its first and only P . G . M . Differences with the . asmamau Union arose , and were continued . In 1857 the iiHfltti ge ' 1021 , WaS csfcabHshecI afc Longford , and 1 « 59 tho Tasmanian Union Lodge at Hobart returned

wVl n o ° S lantl i btlf > was subsequently reinstated , wist I 860 saw the demise of fche Prov . Grand Lodge . In Hnh me year a SGCond English Lodge was formed in , ° oart-. Pacific , No . 1103 . The Peace Lodge was removed dki •?! Head in 1862 ' its first W M in fchc n ( W of th V r Br ° * ' Dauiam - 18 G 3 saw a rc-numbering 0 •uaglish Lodges , occasioned by tho removal from tho

History Of Tasmanian Freemasonry.

•oil of the Grand Lodge of all Lodges Avhich had ceased vorking , and from this date the Tasmanian Lodgea bore ; be following numbers : —Tasmanian Unicorn , 536 ; Hope , 518 ; Forth , 691 . The Benevolent Fund Avaned during i . 865 . Three years later St . John ' s Lodge , Launcestoi ) ,

ceased Avorking , its then W . M . bfeing Bro . H . Conway . Faith also lapsed , Bro . W . Ling being the last W . M . From this date to 1873 there is nothing to record , but in that year was erected a third Irish Lodge , tho Midland Pastoral , No . 347 I . C ., afc Oatlands , its first W . M ., Bro .

S . Smith , being installed on 9 th December , and having as his immediate supporters in government Brop . A . Burbury as S . W ., aud E . Cnrrie as J . W . In 1875 Bro . H . Conway successfully revived Lodge St . John in Launceston , which had been dormant for a number of years . The two

Southern Lodges under the E . O . petitioned for and obtained D . G . Lodge . The Northern Lodge under tho constition having entered a formal protest against not having been consulted , cordially gave its adherence . Bro . Hammond was installed first Grand Master . 1877 brought with it the

establishment of representation of the third Constitution , a portion of Sfc . John's Lodge , numbering fourteen members , obtaining a warrant from tho Grand Lodge of Scotland ,

and opening St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 59-12 , in November . In 1878 Pembroke Lodge , No . 1517 , was opened at George Town , meeting in the Parsonage-house , under W . M . Bro . L . Johnson . The warrant of Peace Lodere was also revived

at Hamilton-on-Forth . In 1880 the death of the W . D . G . M . took place , and Bro . G . W . Bro . J . H . Daymond . W . G . D . Rev . Poulett-Harris , a prominent member of the Pacific Lodge , was appointed to fill the vacancy . 1881 saw the Warrant of Faith Lodge utilised at Campbell Town , Bro . H .

Conway being the W . M . appointed . The S . C . followed suit by establishing a second Lodge iu Launceston . In 1882 the Tasmanian Freemasons' Hall was erected and opened , and another Scotch Lodge created—Concord , No . 687 S . G ., Latrobe . During 1884 the South Esk Lodge ,

800 E . G ., Avas erected at Evandale , with Bro . H . B . Davies as its first W . M . A petition for a Provincial Grand Lodge by the Irish Lodges resulted in its being granted , and on 14 th October Bro . Harry Conway was installed first Provincial Grand Master , whilst towards the ond of the

year the St . George ' s Lodge , 353 , was established afc Beaconsfield . Next year Avas a busy , one for Irish Masonry , aud three new Lodges sprang into existence , the Meander , No . 354 , at Deloraine ; the Lord Wolseley ( Temperance ) , No . 358 , at Launceston ; and the Mersey , No .

360 , at Formby . Scotch Masons made a move in tho direction of a District Grand Lodge iu 1885 , and this being successful , in August Bro . P . Barrett was installed first R . W . D . G . M . This year also saAv the erection of tho Dorset Lodge , No . 736 S . C ., at Scottsdale ; and the Lake ,

No . 361 I . C ., at Longford ; 1886 witnessed the erection of fche Robert Burns S . C . and Eastern Star ( at Ringarooma ) , and Rechab ( at Hobarfc ) I . C . In 1887 the Powlefcfc Lodge was erected at Circular Head , and in 1888 the last Lodge

to be erected was tho United Service Lodgo in Launceston , fche members of which must belong to the Defence Force . This may be said to be a brief resume of past history of Masonry in Tasmania .

Tasmanian Freemasons' Hall Company.

TASMANIAN FREEMASONS' HALL COMPANY .

AT the annual meeting , held in August last , M . W . P . D . G . M . Bro . Susman in tho chair , the directors presented fche following reporfc : — " Complying with the rules of the company , your directors

Lodges and the Chapter ( 50 each ) , leaving 81 still for disposal , a larger number than your directors anticipated , owing to some of the brethren failing fco fulfil their promise to take np shares . It is now hoped the few remaining shares will be readily taken up , and your directors enabled , with a little assistance from the general lwvonue , to pay off the balance of tho mortgage now reduced

nave convened this annual meeting or shareholders , notice of which has been given as usual by advertisement and circular . The balancesheet your directors have fche pleasure to submit shows 184 shares still unallotted ; of theso , however , 100 aro bespoken by one of the

to . 6300 . As tbe Hall is in excellent order , and the furniture also , little or no expense is expected dariug the ensuing year ,- therefore , in view of this fact , coupled with having less interest to pay , your directors feel themselves justified iu believing tho debt can be liquidated before the date of next annual meeting . Referring to the matter of revenue , your directors

would remark thafc although this year's income has slightly exceeded the last , the amount is by no means adequate to requirements , there , fore it becomes the interest of brethren holding shares , and of the Order generally , to assist the company as much as possible , by using the rooms of the building for meetings and other purposes in which thoy may havo an individual influence , thus assisting to make tbg