Members
of the
public are welcome at conducted tours of the building held most
Thursdays at 2pm.
Bookings
- these are
necessary for Group Tours,
but not for individual tours.
The
tours, conducted
by Freemasons, include a brief introduction to Freemasonry, followed by
an inspection of the heritage listed building (including lodge
rooms). The tour includes portions of the collection of the Masonic Museum which contains many
items of
historical
interest.
The
land on which
the Masonic Centre stands was purchased in 1922 for
£10,640.
The
architects were John
Quinton Bruce and William H. Harral. Bro.
Harral
personally
superintended the work, the main contract for which
was let to Anderson
and Company. The Grand Master officiated at the ceremony of
laying
the Foundation Stone on 15th April 1925. The three lodge rooms on
the third and fourth floors were dedicated in April 1927, and the final
payment for the building was made in February 1928. The total cost of
the
land, buildings and furnishings was £116,318/11/6. Originally the building
was intended to be constructed
from cut stone and
granite, but costs dictated extensive use of reinforced concrete.
The
building comprises six levels, accommodating offices and meeting rooms,
three lodge rooms,
kitchens, reception rooms and banqueting rooms, a large hall at the
rear
(the 'Great Hall'), the Masonic Museum and
the Masonic Library.
The
main entrance (see left)
on North Terrace is accentuated by four great ionic columns on the
exterior
of the building and approached by a flight of granite steps.
Above the entrance are the Latin words "Audi Vide Tace"
derived from the Latin proverb "Audi,
Vide, Tace, si vis vivere in pace" ("Hear, see, be
silent, if you would live in peace"). This old
saying was the motto of the Grand Lodge until the 1950's.
The
Latin inscription "Aedificatum et Dicatum
Magna Artifici Mundi AD MDCCCCXXV" is placed higher on
the facade of the building. A translation reads "Erected and Dedicated to the Great
Architect of the Universe AD 1925".
On
passing
through the entrance doors an outer vestibule is entered, the 'Hall
of Memory'. On its walls there are bronze Rolls of Honour commemorating the
names of those Freemasons who served in the Great War of 1914-1918.
Passing
through the next doorway one enters the spacious 'Hall of
Fame' (see left and right) which is
notable for its propylaeum like form, with colonnades,
marble floor and staircase.
Columns of the three Greek orders of
architecture - doric, ionic and corinthian - are among the major
features
of this space which is heightened by a mezzanine floor reached by
the main
marble staircase (see right)
situated opposite the main entrance.
The
largest
public hall, the 'Great Hall' (see below), is situated towards
the rear of the building,
behind the staircase.
The first (mezzanine) and second
floors contain offices and areas let to The University of Adelaide.
The third
floor contains two sets of lodge rooms. One is named for A.M.
Simpson and the other for C.R.J. Glover (the long serving second
Grand
Secretary who was first lord mayor of Adelaide in 1919).
The anterooms to the lodge rooms contain displays and portraits from
the collections of the Adelaide Masonic Centre Museum.
(at left, the Glover Room, set up for a
meeting of a lodge of Mark Master Masons)
On the fourth
floor are found the largest lodge room (named for the first
Grand
Master,
Sir
Samuel Way) with its magnificent organ and choir (see right), and the Masonic
Library.
The
organ was dedicated in 1956 as a memorial to those who died in the
service of Australia in the Second World war.
The basement contains several banqueting rooms, a large reception
area
(the 'Chandelier Room' - see left) and a kitchen.
The Masonic Museum
collection
is displayed on several floors of the
building.
The building structural detail has many interesting features which
serve to remind Freemasons of
various Masonic principles.
Many of these features may be seen during
the course of the conducted public tour (for example, the window detail at right,
showing a protractor, and further below, an Ionic pillar).
A
short video showing some rooms visited
during the tour ,,,
(video
directed and shot by Mike Retter, edited by Brecon
James)
Our thanks to Mike Retter for giving
permission to use the video.
Music: the Introit: Requiem aeternam from Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor (K.626)
A
floor plan required for lodges in this Grand Lodge can be seen elsewhere on
this web site.
Make a 3D
model of the
Adelaide Masonic Centre - with aid of the program Sketchup.
Further
reading: Adelaide Masonic
Centre Conservation Plan 1993
Note for
historical section
- past monetary sums in today's values:
Year
Then
= Now (2008)
1901
A£1
= A$125
1910
A£1
= A$113
1920
A£1
= A$57
1930
A£1
= A$67
1940
A£1
= A$69
1950
A£1
= A$42
1960
A£1
= A$24
1965
A£1
= A$21.90
1966
A$1
= A$10.62
1970
A$1
= A$9.38
1975
A$1
= A$5.75
1980
A$1
= A$3.48
1990
A$1
= A$1.60
2000
A$1
= A$1.28
2008
A$1
= A$1.00
(Australia
changed from using
Pounds to Dollars in 1966 when A£1
was equivalent to A$2. The above estimates are adjusted to spending power for
the year 2008
- from Reserve Bank of
Australia Inflation Calculator for a representative basket of goods
and services)
main contract for which
was let to Anderson
and Company. The Grand Master officiated at the ceremony of
laying
the Foundation Stone on 15th April 1925. The three lodge rooms on
the third and fourth floors were dedicated in April 1927, and the final
payment for the building was made in February 1928. The total cost of
the
land, buildings and furnishings was £116,318/11/6. Originally the building
was intended to be constructed
from cut stone and
granite, but costs dictated extensive use of reinforced concrete.
The third
floor contains two sets of lodge rooms. One is named for A.M.
Simpson and the other for C.R.J. Glover (the long serving second
Grand
Secretary who was first lord mayor of Adelaide in 1919).
The anterooms to the lodge rooms contain displays and portraits from
the collections of the Adelaide Masonic Centre Museum.
