Richard Squire was a student at the Ballarat School of Mines In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consols at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age." He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failed. MINE MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION. Ballarat Branch. ... Mr R. B. Squire, manager of the West Berry Consols, at Allendale, submitted a paper detailing what he had done tor the betterment of ventilation in the alluvial mines of Smeaton and Mary borough districts- Members gave Mr Squire every credit for the results that he claimed to have effected; the adoption of his ideas had testified to their value to mine-owners. It was painted out, however, that for want of a thorough debate of the subject with experienced men the author had unwittingly included some general statements that required modifying in some points and extending in others, in justice to other workers among the earlier and the present day managers of mines. It was decided to invite the author to meet a sub-committee on this subject!Small blue covered booklet from the Orion Lodge given to newly initiated members Written in appropriate Sections Unicorn Hotel Sturt Street Second Monday Five Pounds The sum of two pounds the sum of one pound the sum of one pound Five Pounds orion lodge, robt. e. williams wm, morton s. clark immediate pm, edwin baker s.w., samuel j. morgan j.w., john embling p.m. sec. and treas., frederick c. wainwright s.d, kenneth mciver j.d., thomas blight i.g., john gray s.s., vladimer o. petersen j.s, olof s. olden tyler, joseph josephs p.m., charles dyte p.m., lawrence moran p.m., e. richards, w. rushall, j. embling p.m., d. phillipson, t. sayle p.m., w.h. simpson p.m., g.h. leverton p.m., m.s. clark p.m., c. klug, w.t.c. kelly p.m., donald mcdonald, t. potter p.m., e. baker, r.e. williams, david mcdonald, r. baker, j. dickson, w.l.w. dusautoy, j. kilfedder, o.s. olden, w.g. williams, j.a. burritt, j. brazier, j.m. heriot, t.a. freedman p.m., r.s. barclay, t. blight, a. gibson, j.h. jenkins, a. stevenson, s.j. morgan, f.c. wainwright, k. mciver, g. sara, h. oyston, j. haigh, a. hodge, c. gribble, d. ferguson, d. thomas, o.e. wilson, a.w. williams, j. gray, j. pyke, w. glover, a.b. berry, r. mcrae, v.o. petersen, j. laird, j. hinley, h. ritz, f.j. martell, j. weir, w.h. fisher, f.c. standish d.g.m., t.h. lempriere d.g.s., bye-laws

At the beginning of February 1903 a few men covered the district to see whether the time was ripe to form a Beech Forest branch of the Australian Natives Association. They were surprised at the response from intending members so they contacted the Colac branch who sent up some members as a follow-up. 51 said they would become benefit members and 5 would become honorary members. As a result on the 26 February 1903 a branch of the Australian Natives Association was established in Beech Forest. At a meeting where 40 people were present, Mr. T.M. Burke, the Victorian President, spoke to the meeting, outlining the aims, objects and benefits of the ANA and saying that the Victorian membership was 22,000. He then installed the several officers of the newly constituted Beech Forest branch. By August 1906 the Beech Forest branch membership was moving ahead with sixteen new members being proposed. Mr Fred Cookson was one of them, and he and the other new members were given their Certificates of Membership on the 14 November, 1906.Australian Natives Association, Certificate of Membership, certifying that Mr Fred Cookson of Beech Forest was elected a member of the Beech Forest Branch No.211 on the 14th day of November 1906. Signed by Arthur D. Freeman, President of the Association, and F.C. Wainwright, General Secretary.australian natives association; ana; beech forest;