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History of Grand Lodge of Tasmania

 

A Brief History

This is but a brief history, first in Van Diemens Land as we were known, then later as Tasmania.  From individual Lodges, to what we have today.

Amongst the arrivals in Hobart Town from Norfolk Island in 1807/08 when that settlement was abandoned were a number of Masons who belonged to a Lodge known as St Johns Lodge No 1. This Lodge did not possess a Charter but there is evidence that it existed both on Norfolk Island and later in Van Diemens Land. There is no record of meetings in Hobart Town but press reports between 1814 and 1820 give details  of their activity.

In 1825 the 40th Regiment 2nd battalion South Lancashire arrived in Van Diemens Land having attached to it Thorntons Lodge No 284 Irish Constitution. It was a common practice for these travelling Charters to be attached to Regiments.  There are records of this Lodge admitting Civilians in 1825.This Lodge issued a Dispensation in March 1827 for a Civilian Lodge to be formed in Hobart Town. This Lodge was known as Tasmanian Lodge No 313 IC  and opened in circa 1828 and was the first Civilian Lodge in the State

In 1844 Tasmanian Union Lodge was founded under the English Constitution being numbered 781 EC and after the renumbering of English Lodges in 1863 became No 536 EC.

The first Lodge under the Scottish Constitution was formed in 1876  and was known as St Andrew Lodge No 591 and a half S.C. - and later became No 6 TC. under the Grand Lodge of Tasmania.

A number of provincial and district Grand Lodges from the 3 constitutions formed over the years until our own Grand Lodge formed in 1890.

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       Formation of the Grand Lodge of Tasmania


In 1890 there were 7 English, 7 Irish and 5 Scottish Lodges in the Territory and representatives of these lodges met in the Hobart Town Hall on Thursday The 26th of June and formed The Grand Lodge Of Tasmania by passing the following resolution which formed the basis of Union

"That the under mentioned Lodges having agreed to aid in the formation of a Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Tasmania, according to the Ancient Landmarks and Established Customs of Freemasonry, it is resolved that the said Grand Lodge is hereby Established this 26th Day of June A.L. 5890 - A.D. 1890 and that the capital of the colony shall be the seat of Masonic Government ............"

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