OUR ORIGINS:
Our foundation really began on June 26, 1887 when our Mother Lodge, the Albert Victor Lodge was founded and who eventually sponsored The Clifton Hill Lodge number 335 on the United Grand Lodge of Victoria on October 1, 1923. The Consecration of this new, vibrant Lodge occurred in a ceremony that was held at Albert Hall and began at 5 pm with a Call-Off at 6.20pm and a Call-on at 6.40
pm. WBro Rice, Deputy Grand Master occupied the Chair of King Solomon and proceeded to Install WBro Wells as our first Worshipful Master. It is worthy of note that the Albert Victor Lodge #117 is still registered and meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month in Darebin at the Ivalda Masonic Center, 42 Salisbury Avenue, Ivanhoe. On that faithful night, our Lodge accepted the names of 5 Candidates for Initiation into Freemasonry. Our first real working night as a Lodge following our Consecration was held on October 22, 1923 when we Raised Bro Giles and Bro Hunt to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on behalf of the Albert Victor Lodge. As history records, those early foundations were to be further enhanced when we welcomed our very first Joining Member, Bro Johnson, who was then a Member of the Wetsgarth Temperance Lodge # 284 at our next Regular Meeting held on November 27, 1923. As with all societies of that time, the Great Depression hit us and is evidenced by our Record of Minutes being used and reused with the minutes being written in pencil, rubbed out and rewritten or pages being stuck with plain sheets and the Minutes of the day being then recorded. Despite this, we still have a clear record of many of those memorable occasions which have formed the foundation and integrity of our Lodge. Within our illustrious Ranks are;
Bro William Ruthven VC who was initiated into The Clifton Hill Lodge on June 2, 1932. He was appointed to the Rank of Senior Deacon but did not progress further and eventually resigned from our Lodge on November 3, 1953. Bro William Maurice Scott MM, the father of our present Almoner, Bro Vic Scott, became a Joining Member of our Lodge on March 6, 1947 and continued to be a valuable Member of our Lodge until his resignation on December 1, 1954
We have yet to trace the Masonic history of Bro Roy William Peter MM but his Membership of The Clifton Hill Lodge is recorded on our Role of Honour that can be viewed in the foyer of the Kew Masonic Center. Candidates began to overwhelm our Lodge to an extent that the Members of The Clifton Hill Lodge were forced to pass a Motion on May 5, 1951 that restricted the number of Candidates to a maximum of 8 Candidates per year. This Motion lasted for over 2 years until it was rescinded on July 2, 1953. This resulted in our Lodge Balloting for 7 Candidates for Freemasonry on December 3, 1953. Although we were settled in Queens Parade, we reluctantly accepted the inevitable and moved to our present Lodge Room at the Kew Masonic Center, Strathalbyne Street, East Kew on October 7, 1982. Modern society has always challenged the commitment that people can devote to activities outside of their work and family duties and Freemasonry has been no exception and it was on Saturday, October 10, 1992 that we amalgamated with Pentalpha Lodge #90; they accepting a change in name and we, The Clifton Hill Lodge honoring their Masonic Number on the Register of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria. Among our present Members are:
Our present Wor Master, WBro Reg Broadbent who was Initiated into The Clifton Hill Lodge on December 6, 1984 and was Installed in the Chair of King Solomon for the first time on October 6, 1988 seemingly having skipped the position of Senior Warden
Our Almoner, Bro Vic Scott who was Initiated on June 29, 1949, Vic was awarded the Grand Master’s Order of Service on March 18, 1982 and has acted faithfully as our Almoner since his appointment to that position on September 7, 1989
WBro Brad Brander was Initiated into this Lodge on September 7, 1989 and his father, WBro Bill Brander, communicated the Secrets to him. When WBro Laurie Trewin was Installed in the Chair of King Solomon, his appointed DC was our very own Rt WBro Len Hales. His ADC was WBro Ed Payne. WBro Ed Payne was Initiated into this Lodge on June 5, 1947
Of course, we must not forget our most celebrated Member MWor Bro Bruce Albert Edward Skeggs who was Initiated into our Lodge on August 4, 1955 and the many other Brethren who have made this, The Clifton Hill Lodge #90 what it is today. THE PENTALPHA LODGE:
A petition for the formation of The Pentalpha Lodge was received by the MWor Bro George Seth Coppin, Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of Victoria (the predecessor of our present Untited Grand Lodge of Victoria) on February 28, 1884 by Alfred Henry Padley, Charles Servante and James Snadden to form a new Lodge named The Pentalpha Lodge. This was granted and the birth of The Pentalpha Lodge #14 on the Register of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Victoria was made with the first meeting held on March 7, 1884 at the Grace Darling Hotel, 114 Smith Street, Collingwood with Alfred Henry Padley acting as Wor Master, Charles Servante acting as Senior Warden and James Snadden acting as Junior Warden. The Pentalpha Lodge Lodge #14 was officially consecrated on May 27, 1884 by MWor Bro Coppin at the Forresters Hall, Collingwood. On the formation of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria, The Pentalpha Lodge was presented it with its Foundation Warrant on March 30, 1887 with the designated #90 on the Register of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria – a number that we, The Clifton Hill Lodge proudly bears today. Unfortunately, we don’t have records of the Minutes of The Pentalpha Lodge prior to 1913 available but of special note:
October 22, 1964 – marked the Initiation of Mr Llewellyn Francis Gwyther into The Pentalpha Lodge
OUR JOINING MEMBERS:
It would be remiss not to mention the contribution of our Joining Members from The Westgarth Temperance Lodge #284 and the Lombard Lodge of Precision #357 have had on building the foundation of The Clifton Hill Lodge over the years
