Lodge Tullibardine

A series of public meetings of Scottish freemasons was held in Brisbane in early 1913 where the establishment of a new lodge was discussed.  A petition was then sent to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, which was granted and Lodge Tullibardine was formally established at the Masonic Hall in Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley on 28 June 1913 by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Bro. T.S. Burstow.  Until the Lodge received its Warrant from Edinburgh it operated Under Dispensation, with its first regular meeting being held on the same June day. 

 

The name of the lodge was chosen by the petitioners as the Grand Master Mason of Scotland In 1913 was the Marquess of Tullibardine (later the 8th Duke of Atholl on the death of his father in 1917).  The petitioners had written to the Marquess informing him of their choice of TULLIBARDINE as the name of the lodge and asking if they could wear the Murray of Tullibardine "colours" (tartan).  The Grand Master Mason wrote to the lodge thanking the brethren for honouring him by calling their lodge Tullibardine after his name (title)and granting permission to wear the Tullibardine tartan.  This we have done with pride ever since.  His address was Blair Castle, just north-west of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in the highlands of Scotland, in the midst of the Grampian Mountains.) 

 

The Duke of Atholl is the Chief of Clan Murray and his hereditary heir carries the courtesy title of Marquess of Tullibardine. The Chief of the Clan Murray today is Bruce Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl.

 

Tullibardine's Warrant was received from Edinburgh early in 1914, the minutes of the regular meeting on 24 January 1914 proudly headed Lodge Tullibardine No 1124 S.C. (Scottish Constitution).

 

The lodge records are silent on why this new Scottish Lodge was created in Brisbane.  There were numerous other Scottish Lodges in Brisbane at that time and it can only be conjectured that the brethren who founded Lodge Tullibardine did not consider any of those existing lodges met their Masonic needs. Perhaps the answer lies in the origins of the Founding Members and the Foundation Office Bearers of the lodge.

 

Of the 17 original Office-Bearers, 12 were from the immediate Glasgow area, with 5 of those having been members of the same lodge (Glasgow at Glasgow 441).  Of the remaining 5, only one came from a lodge outside Lanark/Renfrew.  There were 87 official Founding Members of Lodge Tullibardine. Of these, 54% came from lodges at Glasgow/Clydebank, with a further 29% from surrounding areas of Lanark and Renfrew. Only 17% came from Lodges elsewhere in Scotland. 

 

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Lodge Tullibardine ceremony, tradition and values reflect a Glaswegian origin, but overlaid by a fierce pride in the adoption of our Highland association through the Clan Murray and the name Tullibardine. Highland dress and the pipes have ever been part of our ceremonies and entertainment, and all things Scottish are jealously guarded.
 

It is also interesting to read the occupations of Founding Brethren. Most were tradesmen or unskilled workers with a smattering of clerical and professional occupations. Essentially Tullibardine was a working man's lodge, and largely remains so to this day, although we also have our doctors and barristers.  This may provide another reason why the original lodge petitioners did not seek a home within existing Scottish lodges.  They sought the close-knit fraternity of the trades, coupled with Scottish attitudes of equality and independence which persist as lodge values today.  Perhaps it was these origins which gave to the Lodge its relaxed, convivial atmosphere, its informality (outside of ceremonial work) and a refreshing disregard for pompous authority and senseless bureaucracy, whatever their source.  This definitely remains a trait of Lodge Tullibardine today. Any perceived attempt by a person or body to infringe its Scottish rights and practices will be vigorously resisted. 

 

The Lodge had only just celebrated its first year of existence when the First World War was declared and many rushed to answer the call to arms. A study of WW I involvement has identified 51 members of the Lodge who enlisted n the British Expeditionary Force/A.I.F., with a couple later transferring to the Royal Flying Corps.  Fifteen members of Tullibardine were ANZACS, 18 were Wounded in Action, sometimes more than once, and four were Killed in Action.

 

Despite the disruption of the War, the lodge continued to attract large numbers who sought to join its ranks and the lodge was sore-pressed to handle the influx.

 

Then in 1919 commenced a number of constitutional changes for the administration of Freemasonry in Queensland. While lodge members remained true to their Scottish origins and values, a newly awakened loyalty to Australia as a nation emerged from the First World War.  Up to that time Freemasonry in Queensland had functioned as overseas provinces or districts of the three Grand Lodges of Scotland, of Ireland, and of England.

 

On 22 July 1919, the Lodge voted in favour of the "...formation of a Sovereign Grand Lodge of Queensland..."All Lodge rights, customs and usages held under the Scottish Constitution would be preserved."  Along with most Scottish lodges operating in Queensland, Tullibardine transferred its allegiance from the Grand Lodge of Scotland to the Queensland Grand Lodge. The first regular meeting of Lodge Tullibardine No 168 , Queensland Grand Lodge, was held on the night of 25 December 1920.

 

The Queensland Grand Lodge was very short lived and with the aim of promoting unity among the Freemasons of Queensland amalgamated with the Grand Lodge of Queensland to form the United Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Queensland (UGLQ).  Assurances were reiterated  that the ceremonies and Regalia of those lodges who had formed prior to 1921 were not going to be interfered with and lodge business would carry on "as they have done under the constitutions to which they belonged.... ".

 

Lodge Tullibardine had its Charter, No 227, from the United Grand Lodge of Queensland delivered in person by the Grand Master and presented to the Lodge, immediately prior to the Ceremony of Installation on 22 July 1922.

 

However, during 1922-1923, Lodge By-Laws were redrafted and when submitted to UGLQ for approval, eight of the traditional positions of Scottish working lodges were expunged, having been "superfluous".  Lodge ritual was then revised to remove reference to those offices. Also in 1923 the election of Office Bearers was held for the first time in the First Degree; previously this had been conducted in the Third Degree, thereby excluding all below the rank of a Master Mason from the election process.

The Tullibardine desire for independence was clearly demonstrated in the formation of a Building Fund Committee on 1 May 1918 with the objective of acquiring suitable land in the Fortitude Valley for the erection of its own Masonic Temple. In February 1920, the Lodge decided to purchase a block of land at 147 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley for £650, which was paid off within one year. At that time, the average annual wage was £204.  Then, In February 1922 the Lodge authorised its Trustees to borrow £3000 (approx $195,000 in 2014 - (RBA 2014)) to build a new Lodge building on the purchased land. 

 

The facility would be known as the Valley Masonic Temple and on 27 May 1922, Most Wor. Bro. T.S. Burstow, in the presence and at the request of the UGLQ Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Corrie, laid the Foundation Stone of the Valley Masonic Temple. 

 

Two months later the current Charter No 227 of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland was delivered in person by the Grand Master and presented to the Lodge, immediately after his entry and prior to the Ceremony of Installation.

 

On 29 September 1922, the Valley Masonic Temple was consecrated by the UGLQ Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Quinn.  The Lodge moved in immediately, quitting the Masonic Hall facilities it had been renting in Wickham Street. The Valley Masonic Temple was used by many lodges and other Masonic orders for their meetings over the next 60 years. The management of the Temple and repayment of the debt incurred on construction and ongoing maintenance was a major chapter in Tullibardine history, entailing much work by many brethren over many years.

 

As a lodge, Tullibardine prospered until by 1929 there was a marked decline in new members joining the lodge, and a stream of resignations as the economic depression in Queensland took hold. In 1926 falling wool and mineral prices pushed Queensland into recession. The situation worsened in 1929 with the collapse of world stock markets. As the Australian economy plunged into crisis, about 30% of the Queensland workforce was out of work. Many brethren, including Founding Members, were forced to resign due partly to the economic constraints coupled with some loss of faith in Tullibardine's ability to survive due to the debt hanging over it.  These were hard times, but by the late 1930s the Lodge had recovered from its slump and had a sufficient flow of candidates to carry it through the years of World War II.  After the war, Tullibardine boomed, along with Masonry in general throughout Australia. Because of the huge influx of candidates it was by no means uncommon for a new member aspiring for the office of Master of the lodge to take 15 years to do so.

 

Despite having won through the Great Depression and the ups and downs of the next 50 years, by 1982 the Valley Masonic Temple had become a serious financial impost to the lodge.  The upkeep of the 60 year old Temple was such that the Lodge decided to sell the building and move to a new home.  The Concluding Ceremony at the Valley Masonic Temple was held on 27 Mar 1982. The Temple was sold to The Embroiderers’ Guild Queensland who moved into the building in 1985.  They are still there.  The temple façade is Heritage Listed with the Brisbane City Council and the Guild have retained many of the original Temple features.

 

For a short period the South Brisbane Masonic Centre became the Lodge's new home but circumstances forced a further move to the Stones Corner Masonic Centre where it continues to meet.  Membership declined through the 1990s and into the 21st Century, when the Lodge benefitted from a resurgence of interest in Masonry. 

 

In 2013 Lodge Tullibardine celebrated the first 100 years of its existence. A number of commemorative events were held, a Centenary Jewel was struck for all financial members and a lodge banner was created to herald the next 100 years.  This banner is paraded into the lodge at every regular meeting when the Master enters his lodge in due form.