W.Bro. Richard McClure
First Worshipful Master Penola Lodge No. 415.
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W.Bro. Richard McClure
First Worshipful Master Penola Lodge No. 415. |
Bro. Richard McClure was a dedicated Freemason, leaving his mark wherever he went. He is believed to have come from Scotland in the early days of the settlement of the Province, and he was a builder by trade, and lived in the inner Adelaide suburb of Brompton. He was the foundation Master of the `Lodge of Truth’, No. 933 EC., in 1854, and he was also a member of the `Lodge of Harmony’, No. 743 EC. In the following year, 1855 he was appointed the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, EC. In 1856 he became the foundation Master of the first of the Irish Lodge, the `Duke of `Leinster Lodge’, No. 363 IC., but after presiding for only two meetings he moved to Victoria. Nothing is known of his activities in that State except that when he came back to South Australia and settled in Penola he held the rank of Provincial Deputy Grand Master, IC., Victoria. His activities were initially two-fold. He wrote to the Provincial Grand Secretary, IC., South A. requesting permission to open the nearly completed Penola Institute with Masonic Ceremony, and at the same time sounded out the P.G.L for a Dispensation for an Irish Lodge.
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Richard McClure, the first Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 363, settled in Penola, a town in the south-east of the State and about 250 miles from Adelaide. He was to petition the Irish Provincial Grand Lodge for a Warrant for a new Lodge and the Dispensation being granted he was installed as the first Worshipful Master of Penola Lodge on 21 April 1869. A Warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland on 4 September 1869 to R. McClure, Worshipful Master and others. Wor, Bro. McClure ceased membership after about four years but the Lodge, after some problems in 1873, continued to work until it initiated its final candidate in 1879. For some years prior to this the records had been rather scanty and it was in 1881 that the Provincial Grand Lodge advised the Grand Lodge of Ireland that no returns had been received for some time and that the Lodge was at an end. It is believed that the Warrant was surrendered but there is no record of its ultimate fate.
As stated Wor. Bro. McClure had been the first Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 363, he was also the W.M. of Lodge of Truth No. 933 EC., at the same time. He had been the English Constitution P.G. Director of Ceremonies just prior to this. He then left the Colony for Victoria and in time he became P.D.G.M. in that state. Later he returned to the south-east of South Australia where he became the Foundation Master of this Lodge. Later again he was to be the Provincial Grand Inspector of Lodges in this area and for the remainder of his lifetime until his death in 1886 he was a dedicated member of the Irish Craft.
As stated Wor. Bro. McClure had been the first Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 363, he was also the W.M. of Lodge of Truth No. 933 EC., at the same time. He had been the English Constitution P.G. Director of Ceremonies just prior to this. He then left the Colony for Victoria and in time he became P.D.G.M. in that state. Later he returned to the south-east of South Australia where he became the Foundation Master of this Lodge. Later again he was to be the Provincial Grand Inspector of Lodges in this area and for the remainder of his lifetime until his death in 1886 he was a dedicated member of the Irish Craft.