Kiama Masonic Hall

The Kiama Masonic Lodge in Collins Street, Kiama, started out as the Temperance Hall for the Sons and Daughters of Temperance.

The Sons of Temperance organisation was first formed in the USA in 1842 and assumed a prominent place among the fraternal and benevolent anti-liquor societies. Their motto was 'to shield themselves from the evils of intemperance, to afford mutual assistance in case of sickness and to elevate their character as men'.

The organisation had a highly restricted membership. In order to become a member a person had to be nominated by an existing ‘brother’. Three other brothers would then investigate his life to determine if they thought they were worthy of membership.

The Sons of Temperance required an initiation fee, an amount equal to a week’s wages of an ordinary worker. Its constitution required members to pay a charge to cover the burial costs of any brother who died. It also required the payment for the funeral costs of a member’s dead wife. Another membership requirement was to visit a sick brother at least once a day, and one of the orders of business at each meeting was to identify any brothers who were ill. On the death of a ‘brother’, his wife received £20, while if the wife died, a survivor would be paid £10. Medical insurance was afforded to every member, their wives, and families.

The Kiama Masonic Temple (aka Temperance Hall for the Sons and Daughters of Temperance) was, for many years, the largest place for public meetings in town. The building was built as a Temperance Hall between 1876 and 1878 by contractor James Dinning at a cost of £1500, on land purchased from William Geogheghan. It was operated by the National Division of the Sons of Temperance before it was sold to J. H. Somerville in 1899, who continued to run the venue as a public hall. It was then sold to the Freemasons in 1908. The Freemasons renovated the property, adding stained glass windows and decorative friezes, removing the gallery and converting the former stage into a supper-room.

Today it continues to serve as a Masonic Lodge. Lodge Kiama No. 35 has been meeting continuously in the building since 1909.

The Kiama Masonic Lodge (in the middle of the photo), under construction, c. late 1870s

The newly constructed Sons of Temperance Hall, c.1880s

Kiama Masonic Lodge, c1960s

Masonic Hall, Collins St Kiama c.2010