Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The South Metropolitan Masonic Hall, Company Limited.
mooting , behoving it to bo the most olig-iolo site that can bo obtained in tho district . CHAIRMAN : AVoli , gont-lomen . you have hoard tho report of tho directors , and it occurs to me , that before any gentleman movos that it bo adopted , it would bo desirable that tho mooting should rocoivo tho fullest information with respect to tho sito which has boon recommended , from thoso who have seen and experienced it . If those gentlemen "! who havo visited tho sito will stato all
thoy know on tho subject , and give us thoir opinion as to its suitability for tho purpose for which it is required , wo shall bo very much obliged to them . Bro . LEVANDER said , ho had soon the site , but ho was not . able io give so much information with respect to it as Bro . AA ' orthington . It had twenty foot of frontage , and ivas forty foot in depth , and though it was rather small , it was very centrally situated . It was on tho latter ground that it had been recommended
by tho directors rather than for its suitability for such a building as would bo required . CHAIRMAN : Perhaps . Bro . AA ' orthington will givo us somo further information on the subject . Bro . AA ' ORTHINGTON said , ho had --cry little to addto what had boon stated by Bro . Levander . Tho sito was a very good ono as regards its central position , and Bro . Thomas , " surveyor and architect , had examined it and reported that it was quite largo enough for tho purpose required , namely a Masonic Hall strictly . It was hold under a lease from tho Fishmonger ' s Company for an unexpired term of eighty years , and the rental was £ 50 per annum .
CHAIRMAN : It is desirable that before ivo eonio to any decision upon this question , that wo should havo every information with respect to the site that It is possible to obtain . I will therefore ask every gentleman who knows anything about to givo it us tho benefit of his opinions with respect to it . Replying to a question of one of the brethren , Brother AYORTHINGTON said that no doubt need be entertained as to the renewal of the lease ivhen it expired . Mr .
Allen ivas the lessor , and lie would let the company have it at the same ' rent ivhieh he paid himself . The CHAIRMAN : It is most important that this question should be fully discussed before we come to any conclusion upon it . It will beuseless for any gentleman bo stand up and move the adoptionof the report if our minds are not fully made up on the point . Let us not stultify ourselves by coming to a decision which ive might have to reverse at some future period
. I do not want to throw cold water on the report of the directors , but it appears to me that the site commanded is much too small for the purposes for which it is required I am sorry that as one of the directors I cannot support the recommendation which they made , for I really think that if we select this site the building erected on it will be altogether unworthy of the brethren in the South Metropolitan districts . A SHAREHOLDER said he understood that it was possible
they might get some ground at the back of the site selected , which could be made available . Bro . WORTIIING-TON said it was found on making inquiries that the houses were not parallel , and that not more than a few additional feet could he obtained .
JBro ., J . AA . AVARD said that in his opinion the sito recommended was not large enough for a building such as would be required . It was not to the frontage that he objected , so much as to the depth , which was altogether insufficient . It would not admit of a room being constructed in the building large enough for ordinary meetings . Bro . STEVENS said that before any conclusion was arrived at on the question of the site it would be necessary that they
should know to what extent the proposed building would be carried out . If it were built on a small site thoy should not lie able to anticipate very large results in the way of returns after it was erected ; but if a suitable site could be obtained there could be no doubt , the undertaking would prove a profit-Able investment . It was stated by some of the brethren at the last meeting that they did not want an extensive building ,
but he certainly thought that a larger one would be required than could bo erected on a site so small as that which had been selected . A building of twenty by forty ivould not be as large as they could desire ; yet it should bo borne in mind that the situation of the building ivas a question which demanded consideration as well as the accommodation it afforded . Ho thought that they would have been able to get a site without difficulty , but lie found that it was not so easy a matter as ho supposed . The Secretary had advertised nearly a dozen times ,
and he had only received t < vo replies up to the present , one of wliich was from the owner of the site iu the Camberwell JNewroad , to which the Directors referred to in their report , and the other was found to be altogether unsuited . Bro . SMITH said that if the site recommended by the directors were adopted the cost of erecting the building ivould bo altogether disproportionate to the income which would be derivable on its completion . He ivould suggest that the
directors should address themselves to house agents ,- and others connected with property , in the district , with the view of obtaining a better sito than either of those which had been brought before the meeting . He was of opinion that a site might be found at a comparatively small rental , at the back of the houses in some principal thoroughfare , from which access to the building ivould be attained through a gate-way or passage . So far as lie could learnthere would be very little difficulty in
, finding a place of that description , where a building could be erected large enough to suit all the purposes for which it may be required . He had known concert rooms and other public buildings erected on sites of this kind , which had proved very successful , and he threw out the suggestion in order that the directors might take the question into consideration . Bro . STEVENS said he could not approve of the suggestion to build a hall in a place where it ivould be hid from view
altogether . Ho thought it should be on the front of a street , ivhere it would have sufficient publicity . It was quite possible , however , that they could get one or two houses with a -frontage in the street which could be converted into a hall such as they required . Bro . Wilis said so far as bis knowledge went , and he inew the district very well , there was no piece of ground in the parish of Newington which ivould form a suitable site for the
proposed building . After some conversation with reference to another site near the Elephant and Castle , The CHAIRMAN said it appeared to him no one present was extremely favourable to the site which had been suggested . It did not offer any advantages , save its central position , and it occurred to him that it ivould be as well if tbe question was referred hack to the directors for further consideration . It
would be far better that there should be another delay of a month or two than that any hasty step should he taken which they might afterwards repent . It might appear ungrateful in him , as one of the directors , to oppose the recommendation which they had made , inasmuch as he had not attended the meetings at which the question was discussed , but he was strongly of opinion that a site which was only twenty feet wide , by forty in depth , would be altogether unsuited , and lie
saw no special reasons why they should adopt it until they were satisfied that a better one could not be found . Bro . STEVENS said he was not going to press the adoption of the report , but bethought it right to explain the reasons which induced tho directors to recommend it to the shareholders . Having been authorised at the last meeting to make inquiries for a site , the directors proceeded to carry out the instructions which they had received , but as was stated in their report ,
only two sites offered themselves , and they had recommended that on Newington Butts as the most eligible . It was only because no better site could be found by the directors that they had selected that which they had recommended to the meeting . They had a report from Bro . Thomas on the subject , and he stated that a building could be erected which would contain a good reading room , a lodge room , a refreshment room , with some suitable apartments . No doubt the l'ooms were not very
largo , but as the directors had nothing better to fall back upon they bad recommended that this site be adapted . It was most important that no further delay should take place in carrying out the project contemplated . It was only by immediate action being taken upon it that the undertaking could be made a success . Any further postponement would be fatal to its progress . The interest now felt in the undertaking would gradually wear out , aud the result would be that it would have
to be abandoned for want of that support which it would at present receive if it were inaugurated . He attended a lodge at the other side of the water a few days previous to tho meeting , and took it upon himsolf to communicato to thoso proson t all tho information of wliich ho was possessed with rospoct to tho project contemplated by tho brethren of tho south districts , and it had boon a source of groat gratification to him to find that thoy all approved of tho undertaking , and pledged thomsolvos to do what thoy could to support it . Ho
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The South Metropolitan Masonic Hall, Company Limited.
mooting , behoving it to bo the most olig-iolo site that can bo obtained in tho district . CHAIRMAN : AVoli , gont-lomen . you have hoard tho report of tho directors , and it occurs to me , that before any gentleman movos that it bo adopted , it would bo desirable that tho mooting should rocoivo tho fullest information with respect to tho sito which has boon recommended , from thoso who have seen and experienced it . If those gentlemen "! who havo visited tho sito will stato all
thoy know on tho subject , and give us thoir opinion as to its suitability for tho purpose for which it is required , wo shall bo very much obliged to them . Bro . LEVANDER said , ho had soon the site , but ho was not . able io give so much information with respect to it as Bro . AA ' orthington . It had twenty foot of frontage , and ivas forty foot in depth , and though it was rather small , it was very centrally situated . It was on tho latter ground that it had been recommended
by tho directors rather than for its suitability for such a building as would bo required . CHAIRMAN : Perhaps . Bro . AA ' orthington will givo us somo further information on the subject . Bro . AA ' ORTHINGTON said , ho had --cry little to addto what had boon stated by Bro . Levander . Tho sito was a very good ono as regards its central position , and Bro . Thomas , " surveyor and architect , had examined it and reported that it was quite largo enough for tho purpose required , namely a Masonic Hall strictly . It was hold under a lease from tho Fishmonger ' s Company for an unexpired term of eighty years , and the rental was £ 50 per annum .
CHAIRMAN : It is desirable that before ivo eonio to any decision upon this question , that wo should havo every information with respect to the site that It is possible to obtain . I will therefore ask every gentleman who knows anything about to givo it us tho benefit of his opinions with respect to it . Replying to a question of one of the brethren , Brother AYORTHINGTON said that no doubt need be entertained as to the renewal of the lease ivhen it expired . Mr .
Allen ivas the lessor , and lie would let the company have it at the same ' rent ivhieh he paid himself . The CHAIRMAN : It is most important that this question should be fully discussed before we come to any conclusion upon it . It will beuseless for any gentleman bo stand up and move the adoptionof the report if our minds are not fully made up on the point . Let us not stultify ourselves by coming to a decision which ive might have to reverse at some future period
. I do not want to throw cold water on the report of the directors , but it appears to me that the site commanded is much too small for the purposes for which it is required I am sorry that as one of the directors I cannot support the recommendation which they made , for I really think that if we select this site the building erected on it will be altogether unworthy of the brethren in the South Metropolitan districts . A SHAREHOLDER said he understood that it was possible
they might get some ground at the back of the site selected , which could be made available . Bro . WORTIIING-TON said it was found on making inquiries that the houses were not parallel , and that not more than a few additional feet could he obtained .
JBro ., J . AA . AVARD said that in his opinion the sito recommended was not large enough for a building such as would be required . It was not to the frontage that he objected , so much as to the depth , which was altogether insufficient . It would not admit of a room being constructed in the building large enough for ordinary meetings . Bro . STEVENS said that before any conclusion was arrived at on the question of the site it would be necessary that they
should know to what extent the proposed building would be carried out . If it were built on a small site thoy should not lie able to anticipate very large results in the way of returns after it was erected ; but if a suitable site could be obtained there could be no doubt , the undertaking would prove a profit-Able investment . It was stated by some of the brethren at the last meeting that they did not want an extensive building ,
but he certainly thought that a larger one would be required than could bo erected on a site so small as that which had been selected . A building of twenty by forty ivould not be as large as they could desire ; yet it should bo borne in mind that the situation of the building ivas a question which demanded consideration as well as the accommodation it afforded . Ho thought that they would have been able to get a site without difficulty , but lie found that it was not so easy a matter as ho supposed . The Secretary had advertised nearly a dozen times ,
and he had only received t < vo replies up to the present , one of wliich was from the owner of the site iu the Camberwell JNewroad , to which the Directors referred to in their report , and the other was found to be altogether unsuited . Bro . SMITH said that if the site recommended by the directors were adopted the cost of erecting the building ivould bo altogether disproportionate to the income which would be derivable on its completion . He ivould suggest that the
directors should address themselves to house agents ,- and others connected with property , in the district , with the view of obtaining a better sito than either of those which had been brought before the meeting . He was of opinion that a site might be found at a comparatively small rental , at the back of the houses in some principal thoroughfare , from which access to the building ivould be attained through a gate-way or passage . So far as lie could learnthere would be very little difficulty in
, finding a place of that description , where a building could be erected large enough to suit all the purposes for which it may be required . He had known concert rooms and other public buildings erected on sites of this kind , which had proved very successful , and he threw out the suggestion in order that the directors might take the question into consideration . Bro . STEVENS said he could not approve of the suggestion to build a hall in a place where it ivould be hid from view
altogether . Ho thought it should be on the front of a street , ivhere it would have sufficient publicity . It was quite possible , however , that they could get one or two houses with a -frontage in the street which could be converted into a hall such as they required . Bro . Wilis said so far as bis knowledge went , and he inew the district very well , there was no piece of ground in the parish of Newington which ivould form a suitable site for the
proposed building . After some conversation with reference to another site near the Elephant and Castle , The CHAIRMAN said it appeared to him no one present was extremely favourable to the site which had been suggested . It did not offer any advantages , save its central position , and it occurred to him that it ivould be as well if tbe question was referred hack to the directors for further consideration . It
would be far better that there should be another delay of a month or two than that any hasty step should he taken which they might afterwards repent . It might appear ungrateful in him , as one of the directors , to oppose the recommendation which they had made , inasmuch as he had not attended the meetings at which the question was discussed , but he was strongly of opinion that a site which was only twenty feet wide , by forty in depth , would be altogether unsuited , and lie
saw no special reasons why they should adopt it until they were satisfied that a better one could not be found . Bro . STEVENS said he was not going to press the adoption of the report , but bethought it right to explain the reasons which induced tho directors to recommend it to the shareholders . Having been authorised at the last meeting to make inquiries for a site , the directors proceeded to carry out the instructions which they had received , but as was stated in their report ,
only two sites offered themselves , and they had recommended that on Newington Butts as the most eligible . It was only because no better site could be found by the directors that they had selected that which they had recommended to the meeting . They had a report from Bro . Thomas on the subject , and he stated that a building could be erected which would contain a good reading room , a lodge room , a refreshment room , with some suitable apartments . No doubt the l'ooms were not very
largo , but as the directors had nothing better to fall back upon they bad recommended that this site be adapted . It was most important that no further delay should take place in carrying out the project contemplated . It was only by immediate action being taken upon it that the undertaking could be made a success . Any further postponement would be fatal to its progress . The interest now felt in the undertaking would gradually wear out , aud the result would be that it would have
to be abandoned for want of that support which it would at present receive if it were inaugurated . He attended a lodge at the other side of the water a few days previous to tho meeting , and took it upon himsolf to communicato to thoso proson t all tho information of wliich ho was possessed with rospoct to tho project contemplated by tho brethren of tho south districts , and it had boon a source of groat gratification to him to find that thoy all approved of tho undertaking , and pledged thomsolvos to do what thoy could to support it . Ho