Historical information

This book contains the Constitutions of the Freemason Lodges in Victoria. Freemasonry is a world-wide benefit society. Moves were made in the 1860s to establish a Masonic Lodge in Warrnambool with the first Lodge being St. John’s (No. 895). The Masonic Hall in Kepler Street was built in 1870. This book belonged to a member of the Flaxman family and John Flaxman was a prominent Warrnambool resident in the 19th century – an insurance agent and moneylender in the 1860 and 70s and an employee of the auctioneer, Samuel Macgregor. The book, however, seems to belong to a W. Flaxman. John Flaxman had a brother William but, as far as can be ascertained, he did not live in Warrnambool.

Significance

There is nothing known so far to link this book with Warrnaambool but it is kept because of the name ‘Flaxman’ and so it may have some relevance.

Physical description

This is hard cover book of 142 pages. The cover is blue with gold lettering on the front cover. The cover is slightly marked. The inscription on the first page is handwritten in black ink.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Br W.S.B.J.Flaxman 24-2-25’