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Lodge History
Authored by Bro. Philip Purcell, A History of Lodge Capitol 1927- 2007©
incorporates the publication The First Fifty Years 1927-1977. It explores Capitol’s
chronology, the characteristics of the membership and its spiritual, social and
community achievements in the context of Freemasonry and the sociology of the
times.
Freemasonry established itself throughout rural NSW in the mid 1800s. Lodge
Capitol, the second Lodge in Canberra, was consecrated in 1927 – the year that
Canberra became the seat of the Federal Government.
The 80 years produced 655 Capitol members. Our attendance book recorded 52,000
entries and Capitol had fraternal relationships with 30 Lodges. As with Freemasonry
generally, Capitol’s nominal membership numbers boomed in the aftermath of the
Second World War but declined as society absorbed waves of socio- economic
change and became increasingly time-pressed.
Subsequently our membership began to stabilise as the participation rate of members
rose and our demographic catchment areas became ever more diverse by ethnic
heritage, age, occupation and domicile.
Such diversity produced a culture highly supportive of members in the pursuit of
their Masonic duties and education including ritual work, research, lodge
management and related community projects.
Investments in infrastructure and savings, produced by earlier generations of
members, supported a rising share of Capitol’s resource directed to community works.
Meanwhile our philosophical foundations continued to develop as evidenced by a
rising number of original discussion papers presented at meetings.
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