Cornerstones: Freemasonry and the opening of historic Australian buildings by James Nicolas

Description In the course researching the opening of Masonic temples in Victoria, James Nicolas noticed that many non-Masonic buildings in the 19th century were opened with Masonic ceremonies.  They were primarily historic buildings, including Mechanics Institutes, Town Halls, bridges, schools, hospitals and churches.  They Masonic aspect was frequently a key part of the opening ceremony.  Nicolas looks at the history including the opposition, including newspapers and the strident opposition of the Catholic Church.  Nicolas also explores the apparent expunging of Freemasonry from contemporary histories of the openings of these buildings. Paperback, 179 pp, 2023