The Lodge of Fidelity No. 5 - Gift to the Town of Gawler

5 Dec 2017 - 11:50am

Recently, the Lodge of Fidelity No. 5 gifted a Portrait of Historic Gawler Civic Leader, Industrialist, Mayor of Gawler, MP and three times Worshipfil Master of the Lodge of Fidelity No. 5 -WBro. James Martin (1821-1899), to the Town of Gawler Heritage Collection.

The Portrait was officially handed over by WBro. Bradley Furlong,  and WBro. Shaun Taylor (Worshipful Master and Care Officer of the Lodge respectively) at a meeting of the Gawler Heritage Collection Committee, in the presence of the Town of Gawler - Mayor Karen Redman.

The Portrait painted by Andrew MacCormac (1826-1918) in 1901, hung in the Entry Hall of the Lyndoch Road Freemason's Hall for over 100 years. Unfortunately conditions within the Lodge Hall saw the Portrait begin to deteriorate, prompting the Lodge of Fidelity to seek funding for its preservation/restoration. Eventually, with the assistance of the Gawler History Team, substantial funding for the restoration of the Historic Portrait was provided by the Town of Gawler, on the mutually agreed condition that the Portrait be gifted to the Town of Gawler Heritage Collection, thereby preserving this significant and Historic Portrait for all Citizens of Gawler well into the future.

When the current renovations on the Gawler Civic Centre are complete, the Portrait will go on public display with a plaque acknowledging the ‘Gawler Freemasons’ as the donors.

(L to R)  Mayor Karen Redman being presented with the Historia Portrait

by WBro. Bradley Furlong  and WBro. Shaun Taylor