No.. 268 U.G.L.Q.

W.M.: Wor. Bro. Ken Corley, 25 Cupania Street, Mudjimba 4564 Ph: 5448 7233
Secretary: Wor. Bro. Stig Hokanson, 2/17 Rising Street, Shailer Park. 4128 Ph: 3209 9172
Almoner: Bro. Terry Omiros, 2/136 Fernberg Road, Paddington. 4064 Ph. 3876 4676
Dir of Cer.: Wor. Bro. Bob Cook, 19 Gloucester St., Acacia Ridge. 4110 Ph: 3277 3625

Volume 1 Issue 5 - February 2009

Back Row: L to R:

Gus Brown, Allan Alexander, Alf Lowther, Ned Kenyon, Wally Goddard, Ken Corley, John Eva, Barry Triffett,
Stig Hokanson, Alec Hoare, Len Riddle, Bill Bebbington, Jack Parks.
Front Row: L to R. Merv Tucker (J.D.), Cam Pryde, Cyril Franks (S.D), Dave Cochran, Gordon Casey, Phil LeBrocq (Treas), Ray Powell (W.M),
Stan Booth (Sect.), Dave Portley (I.P.M), Jim Nicolls, Jim Robinson, Tom Sellers, Harold Jobst (Chap.), Lock Adam (D.C),
Tom Sheldrake (Organist), Lou ODonnell.

The way we were

Beginning, sometime in the 1960s,
Thespian Lodge held its annual
August meeting at the Freemasons
Homes, Sandgate. Being the only
Daylight Lodge of the United Grand
Lodge of Queensland it provided an
excellent opportunity for the Homes
aged and infirm residents to enjoy
degree work in the middle of the
day.
Up to 150 Brethren from the Homes
had made the journey either by foot
or wheel chair to be in attendance.
This number was further augmented
by 30-40 regular visitors from other
lodges.
Spacious Eustice E. Jones Hall
looked positively crammed by the
time Wor. Bro. Powell called on
Brethren to assist him to open the
Lodge. We had to co-ordinate our
meeting time with the Homes
kitchen staff so that every resident
had the opportunity to consume his
lunch prior to the meeting.

As to degree work? No trouble

there. This was during the
halcyon days of Thespian Lodge.
There was an abundance of
candidates waiting to be initiated,
passed and raised.
After discussions with the Homes
at Sandgate it was decided that
only 2nd Degrees would be
conferred by Thespian Lodge in
Eustice E. Jones Hall.
Third Degrees were naturally
unsuitable on account of daylight
hours, while First Degrees or
Installations were considered too
long for many of the aged
Brethren. Occasionally we were
joined by members of Grand
Lodge who saw our annual
August meetings at the Homes a
novel and popular initiative.
Apart from holding one meeting a
year at the Homes, Thespian
Officers and Brethren also
attended twice yearly to the
grounds during well-attended
working bees, and at Christmas

time assisting with decorations of

the Homes in time for the Festive
Season.
The picture above was taken
immediately
after
Thespians
August meeting in 1972.
Twenty-nine Brethren are in the
picture. Thirty-seven years later
Im sad to report that 20 out of the
29 have gone to the Grand Lodge
above. Living today and easily
identifiable, although younger
looking and with darker hair, are
Brothers Lowther, Corley, Eva,
Triffett, Hokanson, Tucker, Casey,
LeBrocq and Powell.
As a historical footnote, the
brother wearing Scottish regalia to
the right in front row, was our
Lodge Organist at the time,
Right Wor. Bro. Tom Sheldrake,
a survivor of the RMS Titanic in
1912.

..Stig R. Hokanson, Secretary

PRESENTATION OF 50 YEAR JEWEL TO

V.WOR. BRO. RUSS GOEBEL
On Friday, 20th February 2009, a large contingent of
Brethren from Bayside Daylight, Thespian and
Tullibardine Lodges, together with friends arrived at
the home of Russ & Wensley Goebel for the
presentation of a 50 Year Jewel.
Wensley provided a wonderful afternoon tea (ably
assisted by her daughters Pamela and Jan) and this
was one of the most delightful afternoons I have
spent for many years.
Russ was presented with his 50 year Service Jewell
by W.B. Morrie Topham, Secretary of Bayside
Daylight Lodge who did an excellent presentation of
the Jewel.
Russ expressed his pleasure to receive this
important Masonic Honour at the hands of his
Masonic friends. Those attending from Thespian
included Mel Keene, Bert Crawshaw and myself.
Russell Close (a life long friend of Russ in the
Motor Trade) and myself stayed a little longer. It
was a wonderful experience to sit and listen to
two old friends reminisce about the Motor
Industry.
Rus, on behalf of Thespian Lodge, please accept
the congratulations of all your Brethren, and be
assured of the hearty goodwill and support of all
your friends.
Russell, daughter Pamela Hodgetts and Wensley

Lodge Visit to Myora Lodge:

On Tuesday, 10th February,
W.B. Arthur Reid, W.B. Bill
Mortimer and myself journeyed to
Cleveland to board the Island
Water Taxi
to Dunwich,
Stradbroke Island, to be met by
the bus for the trip to Point
Lookout.
Myora Lodge very
generously subsidise the costs for
the Water Taxi and Bus both
ways.
We were accompanied by
approximately 26 Brethren. The
Lodge performed aspects of the
1st Degree and the afternoon was
a most enjoyable experience by
W.B Arthur, W.B Bill and myself.
The fellowship at the festive board
was excellent with W.B Arthur

delivering great entertainment

regaling all with very amusing
stories and jokes.
I would strongly urge Thespian
Brethren to make the effort and
visit our Brother Day Lodges
and experience the great
fellowship extended to us. If we
like to receive visitors, then we
must visit. Brethren it is up to
each and everyone of us.

Logan Beenleigh Daylight

Lodge:
Tuesday, 17th February, 2009:
What a day it was - like being
at Thespian with Wor. Bro. Bill
Mortimer taking the Chair of
Worshipful Master for the day,
Wor. Bro. Bob Cook as Junior

Deacon, Rt. Wor. Bro Roy

Dowling as Chaplain, Wor. Bro.
Gordon Mallett as Organist and
our old friend Wor. Bro. Bob
Falconbridge delivering the N.E.
Charge. All Brethren presented
a very creditable afternoon of
Masonry.
Also present were Wor. Bro Mel
Keene, and myself, making a
total of 6 members.
Myora
Lodge were very wel l
represented by 7 or 8 Brethren.
All toasts were honoured at the
Festive Board. Ladies present
were Mrs Barnes, Mrs Leslie
Falconbridge and Mrs Jo
Mortimer who provided a very
pleasant Festive Board and
delightful company.

A SIGNIFICANT FIND
Quite a few people have heard of the
poem The Spider on the River Gwydir. It
is humorous tale about a drunken shearer,
saved from possible robbery by a spider
that lived in a Jones jam tin at the
Showground of Moree.
The Gwydirs meandering headwaters are
situated west of Armidale and Guyra on
the New England Tableland. The Gwydir
Valley is located west of the Great
Dividing Range, within the MurrayDarling drainage system. It is bounded by
the Mastermans Ranges to the north, the
Great Dividing Range to the east and the
Nandewar Range to the south. East of
Moree is where one finds Bingara, a
quaint rural hamlet of 1300 souls.
Freemasonry arrived early in this area. By
1904 the townsfolk had built an
impressive brick Temple. A regular visitor
to Bingara for the past forty years I had
been unsuccessful in co-ordinating my
schedule to coincide with Lodge Gwydirs
No. 211 monthly meetings. On many
occasions I have missed their meetings by
only a day or two.
Recently I was again walking near the
banks of the Gwydir when I spotted the
Temple door ajar, people mingling inside.
I scurried across Finch Street and came
upon a gathering of ladies attempting
quilting in the searing +42C heat. To my
great disappointment I was to learn that
Gwydir Lodge No.211 no longer exists.
The Temple, which had formed such an
impressive landmark over the years, was
now owned by the Gwydir Shire Council,
let out to community groups such as the
local quilters, amateur thespians and other
interest groups.
I was welcomed to inspect the Temple. Its
tessellated pavement was covered in
droppings from birds nesting in the
ceiling. Its once proud columns were piled
in a store room, covered in cobwebs;
lodge furniture appeared in a similar
neglected state. Theres some mason
stuff in that cupboard over there said a
sinewy woman, temporarily suspending
her quilting.
I was given a key and opened a creaky
cupboard door. Silver fish and
cockroaches made a hasty retreat. Dusty
apron cases lay scattered on the bulging
shelves. Eleven lodge collars, gauntlets
and other mementoes of Gwydir Lodges
halcyon days hanged like silent sentinels
from rusty hooks. Opening some of the

cases was not dissimilar

archaeological dig.

to

an

There were Installation Cards from 1929

and 1934. Old, underlined rituals and
constitution books; Masonic regalia and
musty papers, envelopes featuring
postage stamps from the LSD currency
days lay before me. Most apron cases
featured names or at least initials. Stuck
behind the cases I spotted a pile of
books. On closer examination I
discovered it was a published lodge
history from 1993, the centenary year of
Gwydir Lodge.
These were no doubt the remainder of a
small edition, long forgotten by the new
owners of the Temple. I closed the
cupboard and made my way to Shire
Council Chambers where I asked if I
could purchase a copy of the book. The
Town Clerk was totally unaware of the
existence of Masonic memorabilia in the
Temple cupboard.
There are no Masons left, she said. I
explained that she was looking at one as
we spoke. I offered to do an inventory of
the cupboard. The Town Clerk agreed
and released one of her staff to
accompany me.
Upon my return my assistant and I
went about our task with due care. Some
of the 70-80 year-old Installation cards
were fragile but still legible. The regalia
varied with an inordinate (for such a
small lodge) emphasis on the Mark
Master Masons aprons, Arc Mariner and
Royal Arch Masonry. My assistant held
up each item while I feverishly wrote a
full description and, where possible,
ownership. Time passed quickly.
We were almost done when I spotted a
large plain cardboard sheet propped up
against the back of the cupboard.
Actually, while putting all the apron
cases back I must have
touched the cardboard
which began to lean
against my hand.
I went to put it back, but
for
whatever reason,
decided to pull it out and
flip it around. Here was a
beautiful photograph of
Gwydir Lodge #211s
Officers and Members
from 1914! My find
startled my assistant. Each
member was identified in
print. Some were about to

set out for the Great War, never to

return. Others formed the nucleus of
prosperous Bingara by the Gwydir.
Pondering my find, for a brief moment
I overruled my assistant who felt that we
should put the photograph back where
we found it. I made an executive
decision to bring it to the Town Clerk for
protection in the Shire Councils airconditioned environment. My decision
was applauded on our return.
In the busy foyer, where mostly
pensioners were lining up to pay Rate
Notices, the photograph caused great
excitement. Townsfolk, now in their 80s
recognised most Freemasons in the 1914
photograph.
That
is
old
Mr.
Finkernagel, and look at that, its old Mr.
Fay doesnt he look like his
grandson?
A piece of local history had by chance
been uncovered by a sojourner from
Queensland who had never sat in Gwydir
Lodge #211, but chanced upon its
disused, decaying Temple and from its
ruins retrieved something tangible.
The Town Clerk, in a town where
nothing much happens, and life takes on
a slower pace, suggested we immediately
scan the valuable photograph. Moreover,
she asked if I would use her computer to
type up my inventory and possible
proposal as to the future of the old
Temples treasure trove. I set to work
while the office staff made me coffee
and waited on me with utmost courtesy.
Emerging from the Shire building a few
hours later I was met by my wife who
thought I had got lost, a difficult task in
this small town. I mused for awhile and
told her that I have finally been to
Lodge in Bingara.
Stig R. Hokanson..Secretary

Gwydir Lodge No. 211 Members in 1906