Masonic Hall, York

Last updated

Masonic Hall, York
Masonic Hall, York.jpg
Masonic Hall, York
Australia Western Australia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
General information
Architectural styleVictorian Academic Classical
AddressJoacquina Street, York
Town or city York, Western Australia
Coordinates 31°53′21″S116°45′41″E / 31.8893°S 116.7615°E / -31.8893; 116.7615 Coordinates: 31°53′21″S116°45′41″E / 31.8893°S 116.7615°E / -31.8893; 116.7615
Construction started1887
Renovated1927, 2019
Design and construction
Architecture firmWright & Paterson

The Masonic Hall, York, Western Australia, constructed in 1887, is believed to be the oldest surviving lodge building in Western Australia. It was constructed by the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in York and was originally called "Oddfellows Hall". The building is in Victorian Academic Classical style. [1]

Contents

Subdivision

In York, in 1885, part of Avon Locations X and Y on the south side of South Street and owned by merchant John Henry Monger Jnr was subdivided. [2] Location Y was traversed by the Eastern Railway line, then under construction, and the York station yard was located within the new subdivision. Already on the land was the Sisters of Mercy convent and school, on South Street, and the York Mechanic’s Institute on Avon Terrace (where the Town Hall is now situated). The property was acquired by a syndicate taking advantage of the railway extension, comprising Stephen Parker, James Grave and Maitland Broun. The Imperial Hotel was constructed in 1886.

Prior to Construction of the hall

Prior to constructing Oddfellows Hall, the Oddfellows held their meetings at the Castle Hotel. The meetings were on the closest Thursday evening to the full moon so members could make their way home with little difficulty in the dark. [3]

After negotiating from 1882 to buy a property from George Lilley, [4] the Lodge of Oddfellows bought the property on which the hall now stands from Stephen Parker, James Grave and Maitland Broun for ten shillings on 11 April 1887. This was described as a gift from James Grave, [5] who was a Perth adherent to the Oddfellows. [6]

"The late nineteenth century was the heyday of benevolent societies and the Oddfellows were among the strongest of the societies existing in York at the time along with the Methodist temperance group, the Rechabites, who had their own hall in Howick Street, and the Freemasons Lodge." [7]

Construction

Architect James William Wright of Paterson & Wright [8] produced a design for a "substantial and handsome structure". The successful tenderer for the building contract was James Butterley, quoting £1,320 18s. [9]

Work commenced at the end of February 1887. [10]

The foundation stone was laid by Mrs J R M Thomson on 18 May 1887. [11]

The building had two storeys, consisting of a public hall available for hire below and lodge meeting rooms above.

Opening

The hall was opened on 14 December 1887. "The building is a credit to the town and speaks well for the enterprising spirit of the Oddfellows of the district and the skill of the builder." [12]

Celebrations took place at the Imperial Hotel followed by a ball in the hall.

The York Freemasons also wanted to use the hall as their meeting room but were not able to do so immediately because the proprietor of the Castle Hotel refused to allow the York Freemasons to break their lease. The York Freemasons rented the hall for £24 a year from 1891. [13]

Heyday of the hall

The hall was used for York's major social, musical and theatrical events until the Town Hall opened in 1911.

Sale to the Freemasons

In 1926, the Oddfellows in York had reduced in numbers and the hall was sold to the Freemasons for £1,000. [14]

The Freemasons replaced the window above the door with their own symbols and removed the word "ODDFELLOWS" from the name of the building.

The hall continued to be used for a range of social events including Coolbaroo Club functions.

Damage

In 1987, the hall began to subside when water seeped from a new septic drain next to the Town Hall. Tie bars were installed to secure the building. [15]

Into private hands

The Freemasons sold the building in 2018. The new owners have restored the building and the hall is now used as an art gallery with residence above.

Heritage listings

The building is on the Shire Register (31 December 1995), National Trust Classified (1 April 1984), and on the Register of the National Estate (21 March 1978).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity</span> English fraternal order founded in 1810

The Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society Limited, also called the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows; trading as The Oddfellows, is a fraternal order founded in Manchester in 1810.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York, Western Australia</span> Town in Western Australia

York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated on the Avon River, 97 kilometres (60 mi) east of Perth in the Wheatbelt, on Ballardong Nyoongar land, and is the seat of the Shire of York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freemasons' Hall, London</span> Headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England

Freemasons' Hall in London is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England, as well as being a meeting place for many Masonic Lodges in the London area. It is located in Great Queen Street between Holborn and Covent Garden and has been a Masonic meeting place since 1775.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianapolis Masonic Temple</span> United States historic place

The current Indianapolis Masonic Temple, also known as Indiana Freemasons Hall, is a historic Masonic Temple located at Indianapolis, Indiana. Construction was begun in 1908, and the building was dedicated in May 1909. It is an eight-story, Classical Revival style cubic form building faced in Indiana limestone. The building features rows of engaged Ionic order columns. It was jointly financed by the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association and the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, and was designed by the distinguished Indianapolis architectural firm of Rubush and Hunter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masonic Hall, Monmouth</span>

The Masonic Hall is a grade II listed building on Monk Street in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was designed by architect George Vaughan Maddox. The building is believed to mark the site of Monk's Gate, part of the original defences of the town of Monmouth. Before its 1846 conversion to the Masonic Hall, the building served as the Monk Street Theatre. After more than 150 years of housing the Loyal Monmouth Lodge No. 457, the Masonic Hall sustained fire and smoke damage from suspected arson. The Lodge of Freemasons housed in the building is the oldest surviving Masonic Lodge in Monmouthshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York Town Hall</span> Building in York, Western Australia

York Town Hall is a heritage listed town hall in York, Western Australia, located in Avon Terrace. At the time of its construction, it was claimed to be the largest public hall in Western Australia, with an interior floor space measuring 100 by 50 feet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avon Terrace, York</span> Street in York, Western Australia

Avon Terrace it is the main street of the town of York, Western Australia, and is lined with heritage buildings.

James William Wright was an Australian architect, civil engineer, and politician. He established the first private architectural practice in Western Australia in 1884, which now operates as Cameron Chisholm Nicol. Wright also served in the state's Legislative Council from 1902 to 1908, representing Metropolitan Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York Post Office</span> Building in York, Western Australia

York Post Office, on Avon Terrace in York, Western Australia, is the oldest surviving two storey post and telegraph building in Western Australia, and forms part of the heritage-listed town centre complex with the Court House and Police Station (1895). The site has been continuously used as a post office since 1866. The York Post Office was built in response to the town's growing importance as a rural centre and as the town and railway centre closest to the goldfields in the Yilgarn during the initial period of the Western Australian gold rush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faversham House</span> Building in York, Western Australia

Faversham House is a heritage-listed "grand residence" overlooking Avon Terrace in York, Western Australia. The house, named after the birthplace of John Henry Monger Snr, was built in four stages by the Monger family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Hotel, York</span> Heritage listed building in York, Western Australia

The Castle Hotel in York is one of the oldest surviving hotels in Western Australia. Its first proprietor was Samuel Craig and it was then held by members of the Craig family for 137 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial Hotel, York</span> Hotel in York, Western Australia

The Imperial Hotel was the first hotel to be built in York, Western Australia that adopted the new "Australian hotel" style in hotel design, with a dominant position on a main street corner block, high and ornate double verandahs surrounding the façade and a main entrance onto the street. The building is in Victorian Filigree style.

John Henry Monger Snr (1802–1867) arrived in Western Australia as an assisted migrant in 1829. After a short period running a mill at what became Lake Monger, he established a hotel and store in York and went on to become one of the richest men in the colony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suspension Bridge, York</span> Footbridge in York, Western Australia

The Suspension Bridge is a suspension foot bridge with steel cables and timber decking spanning the Avon River between Lowe Street and Pool Street, York, Western Australia, linking the commercial centre of the town with the Holy Trinity Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Settlers House, York</span>

Settlers House is a historic hotel in the centre of York, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Residency Museum, York</span>

The Residency Museum in York, Western Australia is a single-storey, heritage-listed building in the Victorian Georgian style. It is associated with the also heritage-listed Old York Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York Flour Mill</span>

The York Flour Mill is a purpose-built flour mill, constructed in 1892 with associated buildings built from 1892 onwards, to mill flour for York and the surrounding districts, and for export.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniting Church, York, Western Australia</span> Church in York, Western Australia

The Uniting Church, York, Western Australia and the former chapel are significant early buildings of York, Western Australia.

Joseph Pyke (1831-1910) was a shoemaker who settled in York, Western Australia in 1857 with his wife, Elizabeth, and became a prominent store keeper and land owner in the town, developing the first street-front shops, and taking a significant role in town affairs.

References

  1. ↑ Apperly, Richard; Irving, Robert; Reynolds, Peter L. (1989). A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture, Styles and Terms from 1788 to the Present. North Ryde: Angus and Robertson. ISBN   0207162018.
  2. ↑ DLI subdivision survey plan 63, 9 October 1885.
  3. ↑ AM (Tony) Clack and Jenni McColl, York Sketchbook, The York Society, 2003, p.36.
  4. ↑ Eastern District Chronicle, 10 November 1882, p. 3.;Eastern District Chronicle, 6 February 1886, p. 2.
  5. ↑ Eastern District Chronicle, 29 January 1887, p. 2.
  6. ↑ AM (Tony) Clack and Jenni McColl, York Sketchbook, The York Society, 2003, p.36.
  7. ↑ AM (Tony) Clack and Jenni McColl, York Sketchbook, The York Society, 2003, p.36.
  8. ↑ The Enquirer and Commercial News, 2 March 1887, p. 3.
  9. ↑ Eastern District Chronicle, 29 January 1887, p. 2.
  10. ↑ Eastern District Chronicle, 26 February 1887, p. 2.
  11. ↑ The Daily News, 28 July 1887, p. 3.
  12. ↑ The Enquirer and Commercial News, 21 December 1887, p. 2.
  13. ↑ John Coe: A Company of Gentlemen, cited in Heritage Conservation Plan for the building.
  14. ↑ AM (Tony) Clack and Jenni McColl, York Sketchbook, The York Society, 2003, p.36.
  15. ↑ AM (Tony) Clack and Jenni McColl, York Sketchbook, The York Society, 2003, p.36.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.