Taree Freemasons held their first meeting in the Protestant Hall (now a liquor store, 2024) in Manning Street on 4 October 1878.1 They moved into their own building in 1891, a timber hall built by Jacob Healey on the south-western corner of Manning and Albert Streets.2
A fire broke out at 2 am in the timber lodge following an ANZAC Day service in 1932. Although the blaze was quickly extinguished, it scorched the entire inside of the building. Plans to build a new brick building were made.3
The Freemasons subdivided the land and sold the corner lot to Edwin Spratt who later sold it to the Taree Municipal Council for a new Town Hall.4 The remaining land facing Albert Street was chosen as the new site of the Masonic Temple. William Lean, garage proprietor, Thomas Nielsen, blacksmith and Frederick Garstang, estate agent were listed as joint tenants on the title deed.5 Ownership was changed in 1936 to ‘Taree Masonic Hall Company Ltd’ when it was registered as a company in Sydney shares.6
In 1937, well-known architectural firm ‘Jeater, Rodd and Hay’ from Newcastle were the successful tenderers for the design.7 William D Jeater had fought in WWI and would soon again fight in WWII where he would become a POW at Changi. Incidentally, while imprisoned, Jeater would help establish the “University of Changi” to occupy and educate the other prisoners.8
The building’s foundation stone was laid on Saturday 26 June 1937 and the hall opened on 3 April 1938.9 The Taree Masonic Hall Company Ltd still owns the building and meetings are held on the upper floor.
Author: Janine Roberts
References:
1 Manning River Times, 20 Nov 2017.
2 Macleay Argus, 10 October 1890, 4.
3 Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser, 25 Apr 1932, 4.
4 NSW LRS, V-F: 4794-96.
5 NSW LRS, V-F: 4794-116, V-F: 4514-25.
6 NSW LRS, V-F: 4794-116, SMH, 26 Dec 1936, 13.
7 Manning River Times, 17 Apr 1937, 8.
8 Les Reedman, “Early architects of the Hunter Region: A hundred years to 1940”, accessed online 7 Feb 2022, https://downloads.newcastle.edu.au/library/cultural%20collections/pdf/reedman2008.pdf
9 Northern Champion, 22 May 1937, 4; Manning River Times, 20 Nov 2017.
