A History of Leonora United Lodge No. 64 WAC

Following on from our previous stories on the history of Freemasonary in the Goldfields, we are fortunate to have another chapter from Doug Daws on the history of Freemasons in Leonora, Gwalia and Malcolm. This story is not only of interest to those who are Freemasons but to all who are interested in the founding pioneers of our Goldfields towns. Thank you Doug!

Prepared for the last meeting at Leonora,
Saturday 23rd October 2021 by
D.C. Daws

The beginnings:  Over the many years I’ve been in Freemasonry and listened to the stories about the origins and growth of Freemasonry there has been a lack of clarity about exactly how things happened. Early Freemasons were clearly more interested in being and doing, rather than recording, so we now struggle to recover the reasons they did certain things. For instance – here in Leonora – there are as many stories about the reason for the two Masonic buildings at Leonora as there are about where COVID started. Tonight I hope I can shed some light on that, and other matters, concerning what is known of the unit of Freemasonry, now called Leonora United Lodge No. 64 W.A.C. I realise many here will have previously heard me advance the story about how Freemasonry generally trailed the initial discovery, and later development, of a town associated with each of our 1890s gold discoveries. I say it again, just to set the timetable, and because there are some present tonight that are not members of the Craft or, anyhow, may not have heard this from me before. This simple truth is evident by even a cursory perusal of Masonic records that there was generally a time-lapse of about four to five years between the initial discovery by a prospector, and the first moves to establish a local Masonic lodge at each mining locality.

It must be remembered that many discoveries never amounted to much more than a ‘patch’ with no further discoveries and, thus, no need to establish other than a temporary settlement. It was only ongoing production by the discovery of reefs or lodes, over time, that led to the creation of a settlement of a more substantial and permanent nature. The first step was usually the creation of a progress association leading eventually to the gazettal of a township and investment in the usual facilities, services and commercial opportunities each new town development offered as the population grew. As each new townsite was gazetted, and then measured out by the surveyor, provision was always made for the school, the cemetery, a rifle range, rubbish tip, council offices, the churches and generally, a Masonic Hall. With this as a guide we can then go back to the discovery of Leonora and its co-joined sister, Gwalia. Leonora locals know a prospector by the name of Doodah Sullivan was the first to find gold just a little north of present-day Leonora in late 1895. He worked away on his own eventually pegging a lease – the “Johannesburg” – in March 1896. Other leases were pegged and mines such as the “Gold Blocks”, “Trump”, “Little Wonder” and “Ping Pong” developed in that area and they did quite well. The “Gold Blocks”, for instance, produced about 3,000 ounces of gold in 1899.

Entrepreneur Thomas Tobias (left) with Ernest Tobias – Photo SLWA

Meanwhile, a Welsh financed prospecting group arranged by a Coolgardie storekeeper named Thomas Tobias, in 1896, sent three prospectors named White, Glendenning and Carlsson north to Malcolm – now a railway siding and ghost town, but then – a busy but small mining town located only nineteen kilometres south-east of what became known as Gwalia. In May 1896, the three prospectors pegged a lease about five kilometres south of Leonora and called it “The Sons of Gwalia”. Now famous, but then just one more of the hundreds of leases being pegged
and promoted.

Tobias struggled in opening up the ‘show’ and sold out to another Welsh mining entrepreneur, George W. Hall. The claims were transferred on 6th January 1897. Hall pegged more leases and by the latter half of 1897 Hall had 80 men working on the mine at Gwalia. Finally, a young American mining engineer named Herbert Hoover came to the area south of Leonora and inspected the “Gwalia” leases, in September 1897. He liked what he saw and sent a detailed cable to his company’s head office in London recommending its purchase. That happened in December 1897.

Herbert Hoover as a young man – Photo SLWA

Meanwhile, Malcolm had developed further and by 1897 it boasted no less than four hotels. In writings about those early days we use the number of hotels as a reliable measurement of how rapidly and big the settlement had grown. A bit like, these days, we reference all estimations of volumes of water as being as big as X number of Olympic-sized swimming pools or X number of Sydney harbours. With all of the mining developments happening in the ‘north’ country, things started to hurry along. The railway line north from Kalgoorlie to Menzies was opened on 22nd March 1898. A land sale for lots at Leonora was held in November 1898 with all lots sold, and moves to establish a municipality were initiated in April 1899. Thus was the early history of the northern goldfields.

So, the first lease was pegged in early 1896, Leonora municipality established in 1899 and the first two lodges there Registered at Edinburgh on 7th February 1901. These were Lodge Leonora No. 913 and Lodge Gwalia No. 914, both of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, or the Scottish Constitution. For those present that are not members of Freemasonry, perhaps a little explanation of a couple of these terms will help. The first action following a group applying for the Charter for a new Masonic lodge was the Registration. This is the formal date that the lodge is/was established by its Grand – or over reaching – or supervising lodge. Its perhaps analogous to the time of actual conception, to use a human association. The next step, after the applicants had received the approval, and the Charter issued, was to organise and conduct the first formal meeting of the new lodge. We call this first meeting the Consecration meeting – to use another human analogy – this is equivalent to the birth date. And like humans, all lodges have a ‘parent’ which we call their “Mother Lodge” or, their Constitution.

Thus all Scottish lodges answer to the Grand Lodge of Scotland headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, and all lodges belonging to the Western Australian Constitution answer to the Grand Lodge of Western Australia, headquartered in Perth. There is another Masonic peculiarity and that involves the placement of the word ‘lodge’. In Scottish Freemasonry it is placed ahead of the lodge name. Thus, Lodge Leonora No. 913 whereas in the Western Australian Constitution the word ‘lodge’ is placed after the lodge name. Thus, Leonora United Lodge No. 64. And, when we speak of ‘erecting’ a lodge we are talking of the establishment of the lodge unit and not the construction of a building. In 1990.  A chap called Colin Turnbull, who I believe to be a descendent of a long-term Leonora family, produced a compilation titled “Looking Back” for Leonora and Gwalia, for the years from 1895 to 1963. It is essentially a chronological list of extracts of newspaper stories. In it, he recorded a newspaper story from 9th August 1900 which said: ….

A meeting of Freemasons was held at the Central Hotel this evening, with the intention of forming a new lodge of Freemasonry in Leonora. About 20 men attended and signified their intention of becoming foundation members. …..

Here, I need to clarify that what Turnbull was reporting is not strictly accurate. He neglected to include the full and proper text of the newspaper report. What was actually said was : …..

“It was unanimously decided, that in the interests of Freemasonry, a lodge was required at Leonora, and that a warrant be applied for under the W.A. Constitution …….”

As events turned out, a lodge under the Western Australia Constitution was not established until June 1903, nearly three years later. This was to be Alexandra Lodge No 64 W.A.C. which became the principal component of the present-day Leonora United Lodge. Turnbull had no more mention of Freemasonry until the entry dated 18th September 1901, nearly two years earlier, in which he reported: …..

“Freemasonry is now strongly established in the Gwalia/Leonora district and tonight a Masonic Ball was held in the Federal Hall. It was a great success. It took a group of hard working men and women supporters, two days to decorate the hall with flowers and greenery.” …..

Barnes Federal Hall, Leonora circa.1960

Barnes Federal Hall, Leonora circa 2020

Interestingly, the Federal Hall still exists after many decades providing a venue for theatre, civic functions and the occasional Masonic Ball.  Turnbull made another note for 1st April, 1902: …..

“The Masonic Lodges in Leonora are now in full swing. The two Lodges are doing good work in the District and recently made a big donation to the hospital.” …..

The two lodges referred to were, of course, the two Scottish lodges Leonora and Gwalia. This is confirmed in another note Turnbull made for Friday 19th September 1902 in which he says: …..

“Masonic Lodge Gwalia 914, Scotch (sic) Constitution, was inaugurated this evening. It meets in the Gwalia Wesley Church. The other Masonic Lodge, which also continues to do well, meets in Leonora. This is Lodge Leonora 913, also Scotch (sic) Constitution.”

The Foundation Master of Lodge Leonora No. 913 was Wor. Bro. J.J. Williams who presided over fourteen enthusiastic members. The Foundation Master of Lodge Gwalia No. 914 was Bro. Malcolm Downie. The Gwalia Lodge didn’t fare so well and surrendered its Charter in 1904 lasting barely four years. The fifteen remaining members transferred to Lodge Leonora No. 913 with three of them – Bro’s Walker, Taylor and Downie – quickly becoming the Master of their ‘new’ lodge in 1904, 1905 and 1906. In fact Bro. Malcolm Downie was the Master of Lodge Leonora in 1906, 1907, 1912 and again in 1922! We must now leave Leonora and go to Mount Malcolm – now commonly referred to as ‘Malcolm’ – and the erection of the Mount Malcolm Lodge No. 34 W.A.C. This was originally a member of the United Grand Lodge of England because it was Consecrated on 15th June 1899 which was before the W.A. Grand Lodge which was inaugurated, or Consecrated, on 27th February, 1900.

Early survey plan of Mount Malcolm townsite – Photo SLWA

Gold had been discovered in the Mount Malcolm area in 1895, and in 1896 the local provisional committee lobbied the government to perform a survey and declare a townsite. The town had six stores, three hotels and two bakeries at this time. The townsite was gazetted in 1897. So there we have further confirmation of the four to five year rule for establishment of a Masonic lodge. Gold discovered in 1895/1896 and the lodge Consecrated in mid 1899. The relationship between Mount Malcolm and Leonora was not unlike that, in the early years between Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie, although on a different scale.

Mount Malcolm railway station – Photo SLWA

Mount Malcolm was the first developed and, for a time, outpaced development at Leonora only nineteen kilometres away by about two years. The northern railway line was targeted to Mount Malcolm but was quickly extended on to Leonora which was reached on May 1902. This further diminished the importance of Malcolm as freight could now go straight to its destination. Without the magnitude and quality of the gold deposits found at Leonora – or more particularly, Gwalia, – Mount Malcolm went into an earlier decline. The effects of population shift caused by mine closures and the onset of the first World War put paid to Mount Malcolm. So much so that, on 24th July 1919, Mount Malcolm Lodge surrendered its Charter and Amalgamated with the Alexandra Lodge No. 64 W.A.C. The Malcolm lodge had lasted only 20 years. We can now only imagine the sorrow that accompanied that act of Amalgamation as it was Mount Malcolm Lodge that had originally sponsored the erection of the Alexandra Lodge at nearby Leonora.

It has to be remembered that the period from 1900 to July 1908 was a time of great division between the two Grand Lodges – Scotland and Western Australia. Inter Constitution lodge visits were strictly forbidden. The two Scottish lodges Leonora and Gwalia had been erected by Scotland in defiance to the sovereignty claimed by Western Australia when the Grand Lodge of Western Australia was erected on 27th January 1900. And that takes us to the establishment of Alexandra Lodge, the last lodge to be created in the Leonora District. It wasn’t Consecrated until 15th June 1903 – 118 years ago – and three years after the meeting held in the Central Hotel. It was given the number 64 on the register of the W.A. Grand Lodge.

I’ve collated this history from a series of newspaper reports; miscellaneous lodge records from some of the early “Masonic” monthly magazines such as the “West Australian Freemason” and the “WA Craftsman”; Colin Turnbull’s publication, “Looking Back”, and I managed to find a paper on the Leonora United Lodge which had been prepared in 1979 by late Wor. Bro. Bill Detez, a well-known long-term local citizen, and Freemason. I should also briefly mention the Cosmopolitan Lodge No. 63 W.A.C. which met at Kookynie from June 1903 until 1915 and Lodge Lawlers No. 921 S.C. which met briefly at Lawlers from February, 1902. Unfortunately, we don’t have much information at all on Lodge Lawlers but we do on the Cosmopolitan Lodge that had a valuable association with Alexandra Lodge. As I said, Cosmopolitan Lodge only operated until 1915 but in 1910 one of its members, Wor. Bro. G. (Giuseppe) Quarti, joined Alexandra Lodge becoming the Worshipful Master in 1914. He did the same again in 1916 – now as a R.W. Bro. – and again in 1935-36. He was still a member of the lodge in 1950, a remarkable length of service.

TM King Edward and Queen Alexandra – Photo SLWA

The West Australian Freemason’ of May 15th, 1903 recorded that the new lodge would be named “Alexandra” in token of loyal affection for the Queen Consort of the Patron of W.A. Freemasonry, King George Vll. The Foundation Wor. Master was a Wor. Bro. G.G. Lavater – late of Norseman – leading a lodge membership numbering only twelve. At the first meeting they received seven propositions for membership – a sign of strong growth – and that continued for some time.

Webb’s White House Hotel, Leonora – Photo SLWA

The Consecration of Alexandra Lodge took place at what was described as a finely appointed room contained in the first-class hotel of Bro. Webb although the hotel – the White House Hotel – was not fully completed. In the ‘come-and-go’ world of the early day gold rush, it was not unusual for members to appear and then disappear. Bro. Webb must have moved on for he didn’t become a Master of any of the Leonora lodges, so far as I can ascertain.

But there were some who settled in for the long haul. For instance Wor. Bro. D Campbell was first Installed as the Master of the lodge in July 1906 and then, again, in the following year. His second Installation was interesting for the fact that it took place in the new hall of the Alexandra Masonic Club. There were 13 P.M.s present plus another 52 brethren on the floor. The records say ….” the visiting brethren spoke in eulogistic terms of the spirit and enterprise of the Leonora brethren in the building of such a fine hall and club premises.” After the ceremony the brethren adjourned to Bro. J.W. Farlie’s Exchange Hotel. Bro. Farlie too seemed to avoid ever being Installed as the lodge master. Another member of the lodge worthy of attention tonight is Bro. Harold Owalia Beech. His is a sad story. Bro. Beech was first Installed as the Master in July 1910 and again in the following year. The Installation in 1910 was notable for the presence of R.W. Bro. Fred McMullen leading the delegation representing the W.A. Constitution. Fred McMullen went on to become the M.W. Grand Master in 1933 after decades of devoted commitment to Freemasonry across Western Australia. Indeed he had been the Consecrating officer for the actual Consecration of Alexandra Lodge in July 1903 when he was already the R.W. Deputy Grand Master. He was an accountant by profession and commenced work at Kalgoorlie where he was the first Chairman of the Kalgoorlie Chamber of Commerce. He was also a Foundation member of the Kalgoorlie Masonic Hall Trust that established, and still maintains, the Kalgoorlie Masonic Hall to this day.

Sons of Gwalia Mine Winder – Photo SLWA

But, back to Wor. Bro. Harold Owalia Beech. He was the engineer on the Sons of Gwalia mine and had his first reported trouble when in April 1913 he had a finger crushed under one of the brake blocks on the mine’s new Fraser and Chalmers Winder. This happened when the winder driver accidentally put on the brakes during a functional test of the winder. That’s how it was reported but there was no accident. The winder driver obviously deliberately applied the brakes and poor Bro. Beech happened to have his finger in the wrong place!

Sons of Gwalia winder Bro. Beech was regarded as one of Western Australia’s leading mining engineers at the time and was in the midst of the Gwalia Mine’s biggest changes since Herbert Hoover planned the future course of the mine in 1898, some ten years previous. Prior to the change, Beech had made an extensive tour to the Eastern States, South Africa and England in order to ascertain the best of the latest equipment and techniques for the production of gold in the local operating environment. The installation, when completed, proved perfectly suitable setting the mine onto steady profitable production for many decades. Beech continued as a senior member of the mine management, sometimes as Acting Manager, until 1924 when disaster struck. On the 14th August local residents of Gwalia, particularly on the Mine Staff Hill, were overcome with regret when all heard of the death of Mr. Harold Beech at his mine residence. The reports of the day said that Mr. Beech had suffered from diabetes for some time. On the previous Saturday he had attended a social at the Leonora Fire Brigade. The next day he became ill and went to bed, but gradually became worse. It was decided to bring a Dr. Stacey from Kalgoorlie but Bro. Beech died before Dr. Stacey arrived. He was 48yrs old.His background was that he was born at Audley in Staffordshire, England, but had resided in Western Australia for the greater part of his life. He initiated the Gwalia Co-op store which was a great success.

Gwalia Co-op Store – Photo SLWA

Mention was made of his involvement in Freemasonry and that although failing health deterred him from those duties his interest in Freemasonry never flagged. On August 15th, 1924, a funeral service was conducted at the staff residence of the Beech family. Many mourning friends were present, including numerous brethren in full regalia from the local Masonic lodges. A further short funeral service was held the next morning, again at the Beech residence, for family and close friends prior to the funeral cortege leaving for the Gwalia railway station where the coffin was entrained at 7.30 am for Karrakatta, via Kalgoorlie. Another short service was conducted at the railway station before the pall bearers carried the coffin into the funeral van as all present sang “Lead kindly Light.” When the Leonora-Gwalia train arrived in Kalgoorlie at 4.45 pm it was met by many friends and Kalgoorlie based Masonic Brethren. The newspapers of the day reported that his coffin was then reverently transported on the shoulders of six Masonic Brethren, in official regalia, along the platform to the waiting Perth Express; two Masons leading the way and clearing a passage for the Pall Bearers through the big crowd on the station platform. He was buried in the Church of England portion of the Karrakatta Cemetery two days later. Although it hardly needed to be said, the report ended with the comment that Mr. Harold Beech was an outstanding man who had endeared himself to all who knew him. His passing is a great loss to this district. One of the items of business on the night of the re-Installation of Bro. Beech in August 1910 was a Ballot for, and then the Affiliation of the previously mentioned member of the Cosmopolitan Lodge at Kookynie, Bro. Giuseppe Quarti. There are equally detailed references to various prominent members of Alexandra Lodge but rather than more of that, let me now go to some detail of the two buildings on what deceptively appears to be one lot now known collectively as the Leonora Masonic Hall.

I came across something called “North Country Notes” dated 28th April, 1907 which said this: ….

“It is the popular belief that the Masonic organisation is one of complete harmony, a big brotherhood wherein the brethren are always cheerfully shelling out their worldly goods to each other, and constantly rubbing the fraternal nose. Their aims are one, their hopes are one, and there is only one goat, the grand ceremonial William. But ’tis a fallacy; the way of the square and compass is as rugged as the way of all other things human. Some time ago a split occurred the Leonora camp – why outsiders cannot say – and the divided sections are now building opposition temples, made of brick, at a cost of about £500 apiece. One crowd is known as the Scotch (sic) Constitution, led by watchmaker Corne, who is far from being a Scotsman; the other calls itself the Australian Constitution, with auctioneer Hobart its leading spirit. So far there is no actual bloodshed, but it is quite on the cards that, as the new temples are side by side, severe conflicts must mark the future history of Freemasonry at Leonora. How will things hum on the road home after rival banquets? There is undoubtedly a gory time ahead.”

Whether the writer really understood what he was writing about is probably doubtful. It must be remembered that the ban on inter-Constitution visiting was still in force in 1907 and wasn’t lifted until July 1908 so what was being said probably was a reflection of a state-wide problem and almost certainly not one that just affected Leonora.
In the Friday 15th March, 1907 issue of the “Kalgoorlie Miner”, there was a report saying: ….. Masonic Temple – Leonora

“Good progress is being made in the erection of a Masonic temple, which, with furnishing, will cost about £1000. A large club room is being attached, and it is understood a club licence will be applied for at the next licensing court,”

Early photograph of the two side by side lodge halls – Photo D Daws

Masonic Hall, Gwalia Street, Leonora, September 2021 – Photo SLWA

A later report in the “Kalgoorlie Miner” on May 22nd, 1907 said: …..

“The Alexandra Masonic Club was opened tonight. The President, Mr. D.M. Campbell, occupied the chair. There was a large attendance of members, who spent a most enjoyable evening. The club has been built and furnished at a cost of £1200 and is limited to 100 members.”

The Mr. Campbell referred to was, of course, Wor. Bro. D.M. Campbell who was the Master of Leonora Lodge for the years 1906 and 1907. A further “Kalgoorlie Miner” report on Wednesday 19th May, 1909 said: ….

“The Alexandra Masonic Club propose adding a wing to the back portion of their buildings, to be used as a billiard room, and thus enable the large brick hall, at present used as a bar and billiard room, to be utilised for socials and lodge meetings. The fine lawns and garden at the club are an object lesson of what can be grown on the northern goldfields with proper attention.”

There is constant reference in the various minutes that it was Lodge Leonora No. 913 that constructed the first building which was used as the first Masonic meeting hall or, Masonic Temple. It was situated on its own town lot. Photograph post-2010 showing both Masonic Halls at Leonora. Note the newer structure then still existing at the rear of the left-hand hall

It is obvious that it was initially the Alexandra Masonic Club who were the driving force behind the construction of the second building on another town lot immediately adjoining the Lodge Leonora Masonic Temple. When the Masonic Club became the Masonic Hall is probably now impossible to say. Neither can we now say exactly when both lodges decided to use the former Alexandra Club as the Masonic Temple for the meetings of both lodges and to use the former Lodge Leonora ‘Temple’ for other miscellaneous uses. We can say that it is probable that the two halls became “one” in terms of ownership when the amalgamation of Lodge Leonora No. 913 S.C. with Alexandra Lodge No. 64 W.A.C., to create Leonora United Lodge, eventually took place in 1945. Both these lodges had continued to operate side by side, under their own Constitutions, in the years following the Concordant reached between the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Western Australia in 1908. It can be seen from the lodge records that inter-Constitutional visits were a regular event and the members of both lodges assisted each other in their lodge work, especially at the annual Installation meetings.

Photograph post  2010 showing both Masonic Halls at Leonora. Note the newer structure then still existing at the rear of the left-hand hall – Photo D Daws

The shared history of the Leonora lodges was memorialised in February 2016 (see below) when the Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, Bro. Charles Iain R. Wolrige Gordon of Esslemont (centre) unveiled an obelisk that carefully records the establishment and term of each of the local lodges. Wor. Bro. Jim L. Hurst, a Past Master of the Leonora United Lodge (right) was present with Doug Daws, (left) a Past District Grand Master of the Scottish District Grand Lodge. Photo Doug Daws.

Decline in membership of both the lodges was a consistent problem exacerbated by events such as the Second World War that took many men from the District. Numerous discussions were initiated between the lodge members about the desirability of Amalgamation but the fact that the two lodges belonged to different Constitutions made such a proposition very difficult. Thus matters stood until 1944 when a series of meetings were arranged to consider the broad question of whether the Scottish lodges in Western Australia should amalgamate with the Western Australian Grand Lodge. Lodge Leonora was one of the lodges that innocently supported the concept casting a vote in favour. To their consternation, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, when it heard about the meeting and the vote, immediately withdrew the Lodge Charter.

A similar fate was conferred on all of the other Scottish lodges in the State that had dared to vote in support of transferring to the Grand Lodge of W.A. Lodges Trafalgar and Mossgiel, both meeting at Boulder, were two who suffered the same fate by having their Charters from Scotland withdrawn. This led to the W.A. Grand Lodge making immediate arrangements for those lodges to be inducted into the West Australian Grand Lodge. Thus, on August 22nd, 1944, Leonora Lodge No. 913 S.C. became No. 183 W.A.C. after an induction that took place with the M.W. Bro. Dr. J.S. Battye, the MW Grand Master of Western Australia himself, conducting the ceremony. Lodge Leonora No. 183 W.A.C. had a very short life, lasting only one year and having only one Master, a Wor. Bro. J.R. Saunders. After the change in Constitution took place, an amalgamation of Lodge Leonora with Alexandra Lodge was easily possible, and the brethren of both lodges considered it in the best interests of Freemasonry for it to happen. Nevertheless, and despite negotiations proceeding smoothly, it wasn’t until August, 1946 that both lodges passed the necessary resolutions needed to allow their aim to be realised. The first Installation of the new (Amalgamated) lodge styled Leonora United Lodge No. 64, W.A.C., was held on October 5th, 1946 when Wor. Bro. Don Culley was Installed as the W.M.

Another former member of Alexandra Lodge to become the Worshipful Master of the new Leonora United Lodge (in 1949) was Wor. Bro. A.A. Roe. A photograph of the case he used to protect his lodge apron is maintained in the Leonora Shire Council historical collection. The lodge has, since then, continued through more than sixty years of regular Masonic activity even surviving the impact of the shock closure of the Sons of Gwalia mine in December 1963. The nickel boom starting in the late 1960’s, through the 1970’s, created additional interest but the lodge realised they could not continue to operate at Leonora against a background of district mine closures and decline in population. The transition to the Fly-in Fly-out (FI-FO) style of employment by the remaining mines hastened the departure of members from the district and local lodge membership numbers continued to fall.
In 2009 a decision was made to relocate the lodge operations to the Masonic Hall at Boulder but with plans for a couple of meetings each year to be conducted at their original hall at Leonora to maintain the association with its birthplace. The premises at Leonora were rented out and the lodge effectively became Boulder based.

Boulder Masonic Temple circa 2010 – Photo D Daws

Even that turned to mud when, in April 2010, the Boulder earthquake caused significant damage to the Boulder Masonic Hall and all meetings there were immediately suspended. The W.A. Grand Lodge got involved and the building was eventually sold to a private owner. Boulder Masonic Temple circa 2010 The Leonora United Lodge then relocated to meet at the Kalgoorlie Masonic Hall where they continue to meet successfully to this time. There is so much more that could be said about the affairs of this lodge through the decades since it was Consecrated in June 1903. Stories about meetings; stories about the personalities that attended those meetings. We can easily remember some of them such as Graham Canning, “Taddles” Leahy, Bob Adamson, Peter Hughson, Bob Collard and Murray Thomas. Just a few of the members of Leonora United Lodge who have now passed to the immortal mansions of the Eternal after sharing the pleasure of disinterested association in our Order. Tonight, in a final act of separation, the Leonora United Lodge No. 64 W.A.C. has handed the deeds and passed ownership of the property to the Leonora Shire Council hoping they may preserve the buildings for future use of the citizens of Leonora.
So Mote it Be.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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