History of Lodge Unity No 1236 SC
and Unity Lodge No 300 UGLQ
On the 19th April, 1920 a number of Brethren of St. Andrews Lodge, No. 819, S.C., held a meeting for the purpose of forming a new Lodge in Townsville. Those present were R.W. Brother W.H. Green, Wor. Bro. T.E. Robertson, Wor. Bro. F.F. Parker, Wor. Bro. R.P. Kirke & Bro. G.D. Waite, Bro. E.H. Bryan, Bro. W. Ross, Bro. W. Richardson, Bro. W.H. Ackland, Bro. C. Norris, Bro. G.A. Gregory, Bro. D. Menzies, Bro. I.M. Baxter & Bro. C.J. Mindham. The meeting was presided over by Rt. Wor. Bro. W.H. Green who subsequently became the Foundation Master of the Lodge, later to become the first District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of North Queensland & eventually became the Most Wor. Master of Queensland. Bro. C.J. Mindham acted as Secretary for the meeting. When deciding a name for the Lodge a motion was put forward that the new Lodge be known as William Green Lodge, but Rt. Wor. Bro. Green declined the honour. Several other names were suggested but it was eventually agreed to leave this matter stand over till the next meeting.
The second meeting of members of the proposed new Lodge was held on the 28th April 1920, in a room above the premises of Rees and Tice (who were Motor Car importers and Engineers situated on the right hand side of Sturt Street in the Block walking from Denham Street to Stokes Street 35/39 Sturt Street). At this meeting a suitable name for the Lodge was again discussed. Several names were suggested, such as Cootheringa, Pallarenda, Herbert, Livingstone St Andrew, Robert Bruce & Unity. It was unanimously resolved to name the Lodge – Unity. The Fee for Foundation members be two Guineas and the Fee for affiliation be one Guinea.
Two further meetings of members of the proposed new Lodge Unity were held on the 2nd May 1920 and the 10th June 1920. At the latter meeting it was decided to hold the Consecration Meeting on the 16th July 1920 to be followed by the combined Installation Meeting of Lodges St Andrew, Balmoral and Unity. On the afternoon of Friday the 16th July, 1920, Lodge Unity was consecrated (in the Masonic Hall, Sturt Street West). At this meeting there were 18 members in attendance. In the address of the District Grand Master, Rt. Wor. Bro. D. Guthrie, he mentioned the fact that Lodge Unity would be the last Lodge in Queensland founded under the Scottish Constitution.
In the evening of the same date the Combined Installation Ceremony of Lodges St. Andrews 819 S.C., Balmoral 907 S.C. & Unity were carried out. Even though the attendance book recorded 193 signatures it is said that there must have been at least 250 Brethren present at this meeting. It was confidently asserted that there had never been such a gathering in the Masonic Hall before. Rt. Wor. Bro. Green closed the first meeting of the Lodge Unity in Peace, Love & Harmony at 11:10pm. All afterwards adjourned to the Odd Fellows Hall for the Festive Board (above where Woolworth’s now stands in Sturt Street).
At this meeting the Foundation Master was Installed and his Officers Invested.
The 23 Foundation Members Were:
Worshipful Master ---------------------------------- Rt. Wor. Bro. W.H. Green
Depute Master ------------------------------- Wor. Bro. R.M. Nickkle
Substitute Master ----------------------------- Wor. Bro. F.F. Parker
Senior Warden ------------------------------- Wor. Bro. R.J. Henderson
Junior Warden ------------------------------- Wor. Bro. T.E. Robertson
Chaplain ---------------------------------------- Bro. G.D. Waite
Treasurer -------------------------------------- Bro. J.S. Popham
Secretary -------------------------------------- Bro. C.J. Mindham
Senior Deacon ------------------------------- Bro. C. Norris
Junior Deacon -------------------------------- Bro. D. Menzies
Inner Guard ----------------------------------- Bro. E.H. Bryan
Outer Guard ----------------------------------- Bro. W.H. Ackland
Senior Steward ------------------------------- Bro. W. Ross
Junior Steward ------------------------------- Bro. I.M. Baxter
Assistant Junior Steward -------------------- Bro. W. Richardson
Organist ---------------------------------------- Bro. W. Morran
Bible Bearer ----------------------------------- Bro. A.M. Baxter
Wor. Bro. R.P. Kirke, Bro. G.A. Gregory, Bro. A.W. Fadden, Bro. H.J. Phillips,
Bro. W. Munroe and Bro. H.R. Parker.
The first regular meeting of Lodge Unity No. 1236, was held on the 20th August, 1920. Ballots for Initiation were taken for William John Norris and Raymond William Ogden. Bro. Norris was initiated at this meeting and became the first initiate of the Lodge. Bro. Ogden was initiated on the 17th September, 1920. Bro. Norris was granted his demit on the 20th August, 1938 and later affiliated with Townsville A.I.F. Memorial Lodge No. 3777.
At the meeting of Lodge Unity No. 1236 held on the 18th March, 1921, the design of the Past Masters Jewel for all Past Masters was presented and accepted.
The second Installation of Lodge Unity No. 1236 was held on the 9th July, 1921 at 3:00pm, when Rt. Wor. Bro. R.J.T. Henderson, P.S.G.W. was installed. The meeting concluded at 5:40pm. The commencing time of this meeting was so arranged following advice from the then District Grand Secretary informing Unity Lodge that they could not hold their Installation with St. Andrew and Balmoral Lodges. At the request of these two Lodges the Members of Lodge Unity joined them at their Festive Board after the Installation night. Installation meetings were held in July till 1930 when the month was changed to June due to the large number of Installations held in July.
During the first year the Lodge met on sixteen occasions. In that period seven Brethren were initiated and eight affiliated. In the early years it was the practice of Scottish Lodges to confer the Mark Degree on their Brethren. Lodge Unity No. 1236 conferred the Mark Degree on thirty-nine members.
A special meeting was called on the 2nd May 1921, for the purpose of deciding whether Lodge Unity No. 1236 join the Grand Lodge of Queensland. The Wor. Master Rt. Wor. Bro. W.H. Green moved a motion that this Lodge apply for permission to join that body. During the course of his remarks in support he stated that Lodge Unity No. 1236 was the only Lodge in Queensland working under the Scottish Constitution. However, on putting it to the Lodge by secret Ballot the motion was lost.
An example of how far Masons travel was given at the Lodge Unity No. 1236 meeting held on the 20th April, 1923 when in the outwards correspondence a letter to the Secretary of Caledonian Lodge No. 1300 S.C. Tientsin, China asking him to present Bro. J.D. Clark with his affiliate Diploma.
With the subsequent formation of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland a motion was moved on the 16th April, 1924 that dispensation be obtained from the Grand Lodge of Scotland to deal with the question of Lodge Unity No. 1236 applying for permission to go over to the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. Following the granting of such permission a motion was moved by Wor. Bro. C.J. Mindham that Lodge Unity desires to tender its allegiance to the United Grand Lodge of Queensland and surrender its Charter to the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Seconded by Rt. Wor. Bro. W.H. Green, several members spoke for the motion and several against it. On being put the motion was carried by thirty votes to one.
All Masons in Townsville were not happy to come under the control of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, and on the 9th February 1924. On 9th February 1924 a petition was sent to the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a new Charter of Constitution and Erection to meet as a regular Lodge in Townsville. This Lodge to be named Loyal Scottish, it was signed by twenty-eight members of different Scottish Lodges living in the Townsville District. The petition was rejected by the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
On the 16th March 1925 an Emergent meeting for the Mark Degree was held at the Masonic Hall, Sturt Street West. This was the last Mark Degree meeting of the Lodge Unity No. 1236; it was presided over by Rt. Wor. Mark Master Wor. Bro. D. Menzies and Bro. G.C. Cecil was obligated and advanced to the Mark Degree.
On the 20th March 1925 the last meeting of Lodge Unity No. 1236 was held under the Scottish Charter. It was proposed that the Scottish Charter No. 1236 be returned to the Grand Secretary, Scotland mentioning our appreciation of having being under the Constitution for four years, requesting that it be cancelled and returned to the Lodge. At this meeting the Lodge accepted Charter No. 300 from the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.
The first meeting of Lodge Unity No. 300 was held on 17th April 1925. The first Installation meeting of Lodge Unity No. 300 was held on the 10th July 1925, present were 31 Past Masters, 14 members of the Choir, and 65 others.
The Officers for 1925/1926 were:
Worshipful Master .................... Bro. J.S. Popham
Worshipful Senior Warden ............ Bro. Waite
Worshipful Junior Warden ............ Bro. Ackland
Secretary ...................... Wor. Bro. Mindham
Treasurer ...................... Wor. Bro. Robertson
Director Of Ceremonies ................... Wor. Bro. Riddle
Senior Deacon ................. Bro. Stichnoth
Junior Deacon ................. Bro. Hogan
Chaplain ....................... Bro. Allison
Inner Guard ................... Bro. Henderson
Outer Guard ................... Bro. Brackson
Senior Steward ................ Bro. Walker
Junior Steward ................ Bro. Benetto
1st Assistant Steward ......... Bro. Barton
2nd Assistant Steward ......... Bro. Fraser
Tyler .......................... Bro. Ferguson
Auditors: Brothers Peters and Peterson
The Lodge opened at 7:55 P.M and closed at 10:55 P.M
The Installation Master was Rt. Wor. Bro. G.A. Francis, District Grand Master. At meeting held at Masonic Hall Sturt Street 19th November 1926 a delegate of the new Building Committee enlarged on schemes to improve the present Hall or build a new Temple in the City, Lodge Unity was in Favour of a new Temple. At the meeting of Lodge Unity No. 300 on the 21st January 1927 the Secretary read at length a Grand Lodge December Communication giving the discussion in Grand Lodge on giving the Mac Duff and Jolly Good Fellow, the Lodge noted the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes has been negatived.
On an appeal from the Temple Committee at the meeting held 18th February 1927 Lodge Unity gave loan of Fifty pounds and a further Fifty pounds in instalments.
The Dues for Town members on the 17th October 1930 was set at Three Pounds ten shillings and Country members Two Pounds twelve shillings per Annum. The meeting held on the 16th March 1934 was the last meeting of Lodge Unity No. 300 held in the Masonic Hall Sturt Street West and Lodge Unity made a donation of Five Guineas towards furniture for the new Temple. You may notice that all meetings held in the Masonic Hall, when transferring to the new building in Walker Street the new Masonic Temple came into use. The first meeting of Lodge Unity No. 300 at the Masonic Temple Walker Street was held on the 20th April 1934.