Barwon Lodge Masonic Meeting and Supper Room

 

Lodge formation meeting held on 23 September 1892 with 9 members.

 

The Masonic Lodge name was suggestged Barwon, and members approved the purchase of Regalia and proceeded to elect the Office Bearers.  The first person elected was Mr Issac Morrow, a policemen.

 

Approval for this new Lodge had to be applied for from the Grand Lodge and this was done at a meeting on 14 December 1892 when approval was granted to call the new Lodge Barwon 208 and was it was placed under the “parenting” of the Castlereagh Lodge at Coonamble.

 

Office Bearers were first installed on 7 December 1892.

 

Meetings were held in a room at a Imperial Hotel, but members decided that this may not be appropriate and the meeting place was moved to one of the  Brother’s stores on the corner of Fox and Euroka Streets, Walgett and later moved to Br Vaughan’s store which stood where the Walgett Medical Centre stands today.

 

In 1895 Brothers were starting to make enquiries about purchasing their own premises including the Pool Room.  This failed due to financial difficulties.

 

No finished the Bros decided to purchase a block of land in Euroka Street on which to build a meeting room.

Tenders were called and a Tender for £204.14.07 ($409.45) from Mason was accepted.  The Bros then set about to raise finance, members were asked to purchase debentures and paid interest @ 5%.  Building works were approved in 1896, but nothing happened until 1898 and by then the building cost has risen to £225.  ($500).  The Commonwealth Bank was approached for finance, but was unable to assist.  The finance to commenced was approved by the Bank of New South Wales.  There was no further progress until 1900, when a Building Committee was formed, who set a limit of £300 ($600) for the building.  The Castlereagh Lodge plans were altered to specifications already approved and work commenced in 1901 reaching its completion in September 1901.  The building was opened on 2 September 1901 and dedicated on 16 October 1901.  The full cost was £273.15.00  ($547.50).

The period 1897 – 1910 was a difficult time in Walgett with floods and drought which seem to have affected membership of the Barwon Lodge throughout its entire time of operation.

In 1909 the Grand Master Bro Admiral Harry Rawson, Governor of NSW visited the Lodge and there is a suggestion that the car in which he travelled was the first motor car to be seen in Walgett.

Also in 1909 arrangements were made for acetylene lighting to be used in the Temple.

War interfered with the usual procedures of the Lodge and members were involved with the War Effort overseas and at home and contributed funds to assist returning Servicemen who had been wounded and needed rehabilitation. An Honour Board inscribed with Bretheren is still in the Meeting Room,

Plans for extension of the Temple were considered but did not happen until 1919.  Adjacent land was purchased from Mrs Temple for £55.00.00  ($110.00).

Interior of Barwon Lodge