HENRY de BURGH ADAMS (1830 - 1869)
By BRO. B. C. MAJOR, Associate Asst. Editor.
SOURCE: UML v18n04p71
Famous Freemason - New Zealand
INTRODUCTORY
In browsing through the oldest ledger in the Bank in Auckland by which I am employed, to extract the names of the original customers for the occasion of the Bank's Centennial in 1961, the name of Henry de Burgh Adams immediately became apparent among those whose accounts were opened on the first day of business. I thought it might have been possible to reconstruct something of his private life from those records, but unfortunately the account appears to have been mainly used in connection with his occupation, with a few cheques payable to Lodge Ara. I had half-formed ideas of gaining original material on this eminent Freemason from this source, but what follows has been entirely drawn from others; I have leaned heavily on the published history of Lodge Ara No. 348 I.C., and "The Extinct Lodges of New Zealand" by R.W. Bro. Colonel G. Barclay, P.D.G.M., P.G.Sec., not to mention the writings of esteemed Brethren of this Lodge.
The fact is that quite a number of fairly short papers have been written on this eminent Brother, to say nothing of the many short references to him in Papers under other subjects. It has been my aim therefore to collect as much information as possible and collate this material. What follows is presented in chronological order.
BIRTH, AND LIFE IN THE ARMY
Among the many Freemasons who have reached prominence during the years the Craft has been practised in New Zealand, the name of Henry de Burgh Adams is by no means the least known.
Henry de Burgh Adams was born in Canada in 1830 with an already formed Military background. His father was Major H. B. Adams of Dublin, Paymaster of the Central Recruiting District of Dublin. It is not surprising therefore to find that his son followed a similar calling, although in a different part of the Army. He was in the Purveyor's Department, a sub-department of the Army Medical Service in those days, of which he was the Commissariat in New Zealand he ranked as Major without the title, having been Principal Purveyor The Army Lists of the British War Office for July 1860 and August 1861 show, among the officials of the Purveyor's Department, his appointment on 2nd March 1860 as Purveyor in charge of the foreign station of Australia; Australia presumably included New Zealand as well. It would appear that his modern counterpart would be Quartermaster-General.
His Army career took him to Crimea and Sebastopol in 1854, before his journey to New Zealand, where he is recorded as having served in the Taranaki and Waikato campaigns of 1860-1866, in purveying charge; he was thanked by the Secretary of State for War for his services.
Adams married Letitia Pooley, and with her arrived in Auckland on 30th July 1857 on the "Solent", a ship of 733 tons which sailed from the Downs on 27th April of that year. unlike the passage from England of many ships in those days, the trip was uneventful. The "Southern Cross" newspaper reporting the vessel's arrival said that, from the time of weighing from Margate Roads until her arrival at Auckland, "the fore and main topsail sheets were never started" - indicating a fair wind for the whole journey.
IN AUCKLAND, 1857-1868
In the middle 1850's Auckland had a general air of prosperity. Being the seat of Government at that time the opportunities for social activity were many, with levees at Government House, the theatre, racing, regattas and so on. A military garrison of 1000 men at Albert Barracks provided the dash of colourful uniforms to complete the colonial atmosphere. By 1860, war with the Maoris was already in progress in Taranaki, with prospects looming of its spreading to near Auckland, because of the South Auckland area being the real heart of Maori resistance. Although that did not come to reality until 1863, the threat caused a full off in Auckland prosperity and a military atmosphere was general. By 1865, when the Capital status was lost to Wellington, there was a full depression. All able-bodied men between 16 and 65 were under arms; as well is 10,000 British soldiers in the area. Men-of-war were in the harbour and sailors ("stout, hirsute chaps") were seen about. Depressed conditions continued until 1867, when the opening of the goldfield at Thames provided a much needed stimulus. Auckland's population after the departure of the troops was approximately 8000, including 1000 soldiers who remained. and settled here.
It is against this background that we should look at the events which follow, some of which serve to illustrate the times.
Several children were born to the Adams during their stay in New Zealand, the eldest son on 16th April 1862 at Symonds Street. Auckland. The boy was named Henry de Burgh John Gardr.
The "Taranaki Herald", in an article published 17th October 1894 mentioned later in this Paper. said that Henry de Burgh Adams' birthplace was selected as one of the boy's Christian names. If this refers to "Gardr", I have been unable to trace such a place either in Canada or elsewhere.
The "Taranaki Herald’ also records the births of three daughters at Eden Crescent Auckland on 8th May 1858, 12th June, 1859, and 10th November 1860. It is curious that these births were reported in the Taranaki newspaper several years before his residence there.
One of the few non Masonic references to Adams is in the Auckland Public Library which records him as having been a member of the Mechanics Institute in 1863.
MASONIC: IN LODGE ARA, No.348, I.C.
It is mainly in connection with his sojourn in Auckland that he came into Masonic prominence, and, of his 11 years in New Zealand, all but the last two were based on Auckland.
Bro. Adams had been initiated into Freemasonry in Ireland before his departure for the Crimea, and was registered on 2nd January 1852 as a Master Mason of Victoria Lodge No. 4, Dublin. His certificate from the Grand Lodge of Ireland was dated 11th May 1854. The Grand Lodge of Ireland has no record of his father ever having been a member of any Irish Lodge, but they do have a tantalising reference to a Henry de Burgh (not Adams) who was registered as a member of Lodge No. 205, Dublin, on 22nd December 1846. Whether the subject of this paper was related to, or named after him can only be speculated.
Bro. Adams joined Lodge Ara No. 348 I.C. on 5th October 1857, within three months of his arrival in New Zealand. It was to be four years before he was in substantive office in the Lodge; however on 7th February 1859 as Acting Secretary he was involved in an unusual incident recorded in the Lodge History. A member informed the Lodge that a Brother had spoken to non-Masons of the details of an unsuccessful Ballot for a candidate. On Bro. Adams' motion a committee was appointed to hear evidence on the matter, the committee going to the length of calling on a non-Mason to give evidence before it. The charge was eventually proved unfounded and the whole matter amicably settled. The record indicates in its context that Masonic matters in those days did not always go smoothly.
While acting in the office of Secretary, Bro. Adams presented the Lodge with its second Minute Book; the presentation was recorded in the Lodge minutes of 4th July 1859.
Because of his military occupation, Bro. Adams had the affairs of his military Brethren always in mind, indeed later on he was to he instrumental in founding new Lodges primarily for these Brethren. An early record of this concern for service Brethren is in an Ara minute proposed by him on 12th February 1861 - "That in consideration of the uncertainty of the time naval and military Brethren might be in Auckland, all officers being Masons and wishing to join the Lodge should, until an alteration could be made in the bye-laws, have half the Joining Fee of £2.2/- remitted; and that non-commissioned officers of the Army, and warrant officers of the Navy, being Masons, should have three-fourths of the fee remitted on joining." Bro. Adams was installed as Master of Lodge Ara on 24th June 1861, and remained such until St. John's Day in December when he re-assumed the Secretary's duties. His ability as Secretary was matched by his asperity when in his opinion the occasion warranted. The following minute recorded by himself demonstrated this characteristic - "Bro. Piercy objected to the confirmation of the minutes on the ground that Bro. de Burgh Adams had read his name as being present on that evening whereas he was absent. Bro. Adams regretted that he had committed this error, as he perfectly well remembered that not only was Bro. Piercy, who is an officer of the Lodge, absent without having sent an apology but that he had also neglected to send the Book of Constitutions which he had borrowed from the Lodge, that Bro. Piercy's name did not appear on the minutes as having been present, Bro. Adams having erroneously read the name of Bro. Pierce as that of Bro. Piercy. Bro Piercy then withdrew his objection and the minutes were confirmed Bro Adams proposed on 1st June 1863 that a congratulatory address be forwarded to the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his marriage. It is indicative of the slow process of communication in those was that a reply from the old country took five months in coming.
In browsing through the oldest ledger in the Bank in Auckland by which I am employed, to extract the names of the original customers for the occasion of the Bank's Centennial in 1961, the name of Henry de Burgh Adams immediately became apparent among those whose accounts were opened on the first day of business. I thought it might have been possible to reconstruct something of his private life from those records, but unfortunately the account appears to have been mainly used in connection with his occupation, with a few cheques payable to Lodge Ara. I had half-formed ideas of gaining original material on this eminent Freemason from this source, but what follows has been entirely drawn from others; I have leaned heavily on the published history of Lodge Ara No. 348 I.C., and "The Extinct Lodges of New Zealand" by R.W. Bro. Colonel G. Barclay, P.D.G.M., P.G.Sec., not to mention the writings of esteemed Brethren of this Lodge.
The fact is that quite a number of fairly short papers have been written on this eminent Brother, to say nothing of the many short references to him in Papers under other subjects. It has been my aim therefore to collect as much information as possible and collate this material. What follows is presented in chronological order.
BIRTH, AND LIFE IN THE ARMY
Among the many Freemasons who have reached prominence during the years the Craft has been practised in New Zealand, the name of Henry de Burgh Adams is by no means the least known.
Henry de Burgh Adams was born in Canada in 1830 with an already formed Military background. His father was Major H. B. Adams of Dublin, Paymaster of the Central Recruiting District of Dublin. It is not surprising therefore to find that his son followed a similar calling, although in a different part of the Army. He was in the Purveyor's Department, a sub-department of the Army Medical Service in those days, of which he was the Commissariat in New Zealand he ranked as Major without the title, having been Principal Purveyor The Army Lists of the British War Office for July 1860 and August 1861 show, among the officials of the Purveyor's Department, his appointment on 2nd March 1860 as Purveyor in charge of the foreign station of Australia; Australia presumably included New Zealand as well. It would appear that his modern counterpart would be Quartermaster-General.
His Army career took him to Crimea and Sebastopol in 1854, before his journey to New Zealand, where he is recorded as having served in the Taranaki and Waikato campaigns of 1860-1866, in purveying charge; he was thanked by the Secretary of State for War for his services.
Adams married Letitia Pooley, and with her arrived in Auckland on 30th July 1857 on the "Solent", a ship of 733 tons which sailed from the Downs on 27th April of that year. unlike the passage from England of many ships in those days, the trip was uneventful. The "Southern Cross" newspaper reporting the vessel's arrival said that, from the time of weighing from Margate Roads until her arrival at Auckland, "the fore and main topsail sheets were never started" - indicating a fair wind for the whole journey.
IN AUCKLAND, 1857-1868
In the middle 1850's Auckland had a general air of prosperity. Being the seat of Government at that time the opportunities for social activity were many, with levees at Government House, the theatre, racing, regattas and so on. A military garrison of 1000 men at Albert Barracks provided the dash of colourful uniforms to complete the colonial atmosphere. By 1860, war with the Maoris was already in progress in Taranaki, with prospects looming of its spreading to near Auckland, because of the South Auckland area being the real heart of Maori resistance. Although that did not come to reality until 1863, the threat caused a full off in Auckland prosperity and a military atmosphere was general. By 1865, when the Capital status was lost to Wellington, there was a full depression. All able-bodied men between 16 and 65 were under arms; as well is 10,000 British soldiers in the area. Men-of-war were in the harbour and sailors ("stout, hirsute chaps") were seen about. Depressed conditions continued until 1867, when the opening of the goldfield at Thames provided a much needed stimulus. Auckland's population after the departure of the troops was approximately 8000, including 1000 soldiers who remained. and settled here.
It is against this background that we should look at the events which follow, some of which serve to illustrate the times.
Several children were born to the Adams during their stay in New Zealand, the eldest son on 16th April 1862 at Symonds Street. Auckland. The boy was named Henry de Burgh John Gardr.
The "Taranaki Herald", in an article published 17th October 1894 mentioned later in this Paper. said that Henry de Burgh Adams' birthplace was selected as one of the boy's Christian names. If this refers to "Gardr", I have been unable to trace such a place either in Canada or elsewhere.
The "Taranaki Herald’ also records the births of three daughters at Eden Crescent Auckland on 8th May 1858, 12th June, 1859, and 10th November 1860. It is curious that these births were reported in the Taranaki newspaper several years before his residence there.
One of the few non Masonic references to Adams is in the Auckland Public Library which records him as having been a member of the Mechanics Institute in 1863.
MASONIC: IN LODGE ARA, No.348, I.C.
It is mainly in connection with his sojourn in Auckland that he came into Masonic prominence, and, of his 11 years in New Zealand, all but the last two were based on Auckland.
Bro. Adams had been initiated into Freemasonry in Ireland before his departure for the Crimea, and was registered on 2nd January 1852 as a Master Mason of Victoria Lodge No. 4, Dublin. His certificate from the Grand Lodge of Ireland was dated 11th May 1854. The Grand Lodge of Ireland has no record of his father ever having been a member of any Irish Lodge, but they do have a tantalising reference to a Henry de Burgh (not Adams) who was registered as a member of Lodge No. 205, Dublin, on 22nd December 1846. Whether the subject of this paper was related to, or named after him can only be speculated.
Bro. Adams joined Lodge Ara No. 348 I.C. on 5th October 1857, within three months of his arrival in New Zealand. It was to be four years before he was in substantive office in the Lodge; however on 7th February 1859 as Acting Secretary he was involved in an unusual incident recorded in the Lodge History. A member informed the Lodge that a Brother had spoken to non-Masons of the details of an unsuccessful Ballot for a candidate. On Bro. Adams' motion a committee was appointed to hear evidence on the matter, the committee going to the length of calling on a non-Mason to give evidence before it. The charge was eventually proved unfounded and the whole matter amicably settled. The record indicates in its context that Masonic matters in those days did not always go smoothly.
While acting in the office of Secretary, Bro. Adams presented the Lodge with its second Minute Book; the presentation was recorded in the Lodge minutes of 4th July 1859.
Because of his military occupation, Bro. Adams had the affairs of his military Brethren always in mind, indeed later on he was to he instrumental in founding new Lodges primarily for these Brethren. An early record of this concern for service Brethren is in an Ara minute proposed by him on 12th February 1861 - "That in consideration of the uncertainty of the time naval and military Brethren might be in Auckland, all officers being Masons and wishing to join the Lodge should, until an alteration could be made in the bye-laws, have half the Joining Fee of £2.2/- remitted; and that non-commissioned officers of the Army, and warrant officers of the Navy, being Masons, should have three-fourths of the fee remitted on joining." Bro. Adams was installed as Master of Lodge Ara on 24th June 1861, and remained such until St. John's Day in December when he re-assumed the Secretary's duties. His ability as Secretary was matched by his asperity when in his opinion the occasion warranted. The following minute recorded by himself demonstrated this characteristic - "Bro. Piercy objected to the confirmation of the minutes on the ground that Bro. de Burgh Adams had read his name as being present on that evening whereas he was absent. Bro. Adams regretted that he had committed this error, as he perfectly well remembered that not only was Bro. Piercy, who is an officer of the Lodge, absent without having sent an apology but that he had also neglected to send the Book of Constitutions which he had borrowed from the Lodge, that Bro. Piercy's name did not appear on the minutes as having been present, Bro. Adams having erroneously read the name of Bro. Pierce as that of Bro. Piercy. Bro Piercy then withdrew his objection and the minutes were confirmed Bro Adams proposed on 1st June 1863 that a congratulatory address be forwarded to the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his marriage. It is indicative of the slow process of communication in those was that a reply from the old country took five months in coming.
John's World
R.W.Bro. HENRY de BURGH ADAMS - 1865 - 1869
PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER
The first record of his filling the position of Provincial Grand Master occurred in an advertisement in "The New Zealander" of 12th September 1863, wherein he called on the Brethren of the Irish Constitution to attend in regalia the funeral of a Brother killed in action. The advertisement was signed by him as Deputy Provincial Grand Master. The office of Provincial Grand Master had been vacant since the Ara Brethren forwarded a petition protesting at the residence in Sydney of their Provincial Grand Master, who thereupon resigned his appointment.
However it was to be about two years before Bro. Adams was confirmed in the office. Incidentally, the history of Lodge Ara records that during the term in office of Bro. Adams as Provincial Grand Master, there were frequent instances of Brethren appearing at public functions in Masonic regalia, these as likely as not being other than of a Masonic character.
The first record of his filling the position of Provincial Grand Master occurred in an advertisement in "The New Zealander" of 12th September 1863, wherein he called on the Brethren of the Irish Constitution to attend in regalia the funeral of a Brother killed in action. The advertisement was signed by him as Deputy Provincial Grand Master. The office of Provincial Grand Master had been vacant since the Ara Brethren forwarded a petition protesting at the residence in Sydney of their Provincial Grand Master, who thereupon resigned his appointment.
However it was to be about two years before Bro. Adams was confirmed in the office. Incidentally, the history of Lodge Ara records that during the term in office of Bro. Adams as Provincial Grand Master, there were frequent instances of Brethren appearing at public functions in Masonic regalia, these as likely as not being other than of a Masonic character.
1884 photo of the DE BURGH ADAMS LODGE, No. 446 IC in New Plymouth, and the 1863 funeral notice mentioned above
FORMATION OF NEW LODGES
The greatest mark Henry de Burgh Adams made on Freemasonry in New Zealand was in his very active efforts in promoting the formation of Lodges under the Irish Constitution. His zeal on behalf of the servicemen with whom he was associated resulted in his being directly concerned in the establishment of no fewer than five Lodges, all of which were erected within two years. These were Scinde, No. 419, Onehunga, No. 420, United Service, No. 421, Alpha Waikato, No. 449, and Beta Waikato, No. 450.
The early records of Scinde Lodge (now No.5 N.Z.C.) were lost in the fire of 1866 and consequently the exact date of its foundation is not known. However its founders had applied to Lodge Ara for a dispensation to work until the arrival of a Charter from Ireland. Lodge Ara granted this request in April 1858. In March 1859 Lodge Ara had further thoughts about the legality of its granting the dispensation, and proper steps were taken to secure formal approval for the Napier Brethren to work.
Meanwhile Bro. de Burgh Adams was present in Napier for the arrival of the barque "Eastfield" with the 65th Regiment, and the Centennial History of the Lodge mentions that he took a keen interest in its formation. The proper Charter for the Lodge duly arrived, dated 8th October 1858, which has since been fixed as the birthday of the Lodge. It seems likely, however, that the Lodge actually worked for a period under the Dispensation granted by Lodge Ara.
Lodge Onehunga, No.420 I.C., was constituted on 16th December 1863. R.W. Bro. Colonel G. Barclay, P.D.G.M., P.G.Sec., in his excellent book "The Extinct Lodges of New Zealand" gives the following account, which I do not presume to better: “Onehunga was originally established as one of the chain of military pensioners' settlements placed across the Auckland isthmus by Sir George Grey in his first term of Governorship in the 'forties', as a rampart to the City, then Capital of New Zealand, against the trouble-some Maoris of the Waikato. In 1863, when the Lodge referred to was founded. Onehunga could have had but a small population, although probably at that time there was a good deal of shipping business carried on, occasioned by the Maori troubles in the Country; vessels carrying munitions of war etc. were then running regularly between that port and Taranaki." Bro. Adams was a Charter member of No.420, and first Master, and held that office only until St. John's Day following, 28th December 1863, when he was succeeded by Bro. F. M. P. Brookfield. Apparently this occasion was a joint installation with Lodge Ara, held in that Lodge's room. At the opening meeting of the Lodge, three candidates were initiated. Bro. Adams certainly took part in the ceremonial work, as it is recorded that he raised Bro. Ingham Stevens on 15th February 1865.
Consecration took place in the old scoria schoolroom at St. Peter's Church, Onehunga, on Wednesday 16th December 1863. The ceremony was conducted by Bro. Adams assisted by officers of Provincial Grand Lodge IC. 'The New Zealander' of 31st December 1863 states 'The Lodge was opened with much pomp and ceremony'. Bro. Adams was duly installed as first Master As was customary in lush Lodges in those days, Installations were held twice yearly and on St. John’s Day in June 1864, Bro. Adams was again installed as Master of Lodge Onehunga.
The Lodge later fell on hard times, no doubt caused by the depressed conditions in the area following the cessation of the Maori wars, and it faded out of existence. Its memory survives however in Lodge Manukau No 24 whose officers still wear the old Onehunga Lodge distinctive collar jewels, and possess the original Charter, seal, and other appurtenances. Its name also survives in Onehunga Lodge No. 424, a daughter Lodge of Manukau. The Lodge was just too late to secure the same number, 420, as its early namesake. Both Manukau and Onehunga meet in the now bustling industrial suburb of Onehunga.
Bro. Adams kept up his active association with Ara, and on 7th March 1864 he presented the Lodge with a harmonium, saying "I beg to present to the Brethren of the Lodge Ara No. 348 the accompanying harmonium as a trifling testimony of my appreciation of the kindly feeling of this Lodge towards me.”
The formation of United Service Lodge No. 421 followed on 25th May 1864; Bro. Adams had the same dual role as in Onehunga Lodge by being a Charter member and first Master. This Lodge the first wholly for servicemen in New Zealand, met for a time in the Ara Lodge room, whose minutes for 6th June 1864 record: “A letter from Deputy Prov. G.M. Bro. Adams was read requesting permission to use the Lodge room on as easy terms as possible for the United Service Lodge.", and for 6th July, "Resolved 'to allow United Service the use of the Lodge room free of rent, and also of the regalia and furniture for 12 months'."
The records of Lodge Ara provide the best single source of information on Bro. Adams, mainly of course because of his continued association with that Lodge from 1857 until 1866, when he left for Taranaki, and because fortunately the Lodge's early records escaped that loss or destruction which all too often makes research into early history a matter of conjecture.
They record that he was appointed Treasurer of the Lodge on 27th December 1864, and about the middle of 1865 his appointment as Provincial Grand Master must have been confirmed, for a minute of 7th August 1865 shows; "Present: Bro. Adams, P.G.M. etc. The P.G.M. notifies that he shall be happy to issue Grand Lodge certificates to any Brethren wishing them. The P.G.M informs the Lodge that he purposes to call together the Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand, also to call the Past and Actual Masters together to frame Bye-laws etc., also asking for the use of the Lodge room for Provincial Grand Lodge." There is no record either in No. 348 minutes or amongst the archives of the Provincial Grand Lodge as to the installation of Bro. Adams as Provincial Grand Master. As there was no Brother in the Auckland Province of sufficiently high rank to act as Installing Master at such a ceremony, we can only assume that R.W. Bro. Adams was not installed, but merely held the position and ruled his Provincial Grand Lodge by virtue of his appointment.
During his term as Provincial Grand Master a significant event was the establishment on 8th February of a Lodge appropriately named in his honour, De Burgh Adams Lodge No.446, New Plyrnouth, founded entirely by servicemen of which only two were non-commissioned. This Lodge has, of course, now passed its centenary, to mark which a Paper was presented to the Research Lodge of the Taranaki Province, No. 323, in 1965. The Paper sets out the circumstances leading up to, and details of the formation of the Lodge, as well as its subsequent history. The Paper records great disappointment that no archives show that Bro. Adams ever attended the Lodge, although regular correspondence flowed between them, and that he was the first to assist financially in any programme for the benefit of the Lodge, even after he had left New Plymouth.
An event of importance in Auckland during 1865 was the laying of the foundation stone of the new Supreme Court on 9th November, reported very fully in the "New Zealand Herald" on the following day, all the Masonic ceremony being quoted in full. The report says “The selection of the day was itself fortunate, being the Anniversary of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, a general holiday, and moreover the one appointed for the Inauguration of the Provincial Grand Lodge": and, “The stone was laid by His Honour Frederick Whitaker assisted by Henry de Burgh Adams, Prov. G.M. I.C., these two bringing up the rear of the procession which marched down Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant." R.W. Bro. Adams had invited all Brethren to Divine Service it 11 a.m.at St. Paul's where he assisted in taking up the offertory. The Provincial Grand Lodge ceremony followed at high noon when it was opened in the third degree and the officers appointed. Bishop Selwyn was present and took part in the stone-laying ceremony, but there is no record of his having been present at Divine Service.
The minutes of Lodge Ara mention a regrettable incident stemming from this ceremony. A Brother, evidently of some rank, tendered his resignation from the Lodge because of his not being appointed to some office in the stone laying ceremony. His resignation was accepted.
Under a Dispensation granted by R.W. Bro. Adams, Alpha Waikato Lodge, No.449, in Cambridge was formed, and was constituted and dedicated by him on 15th December 1865. It was formed from members of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Waikato Regiments who, after enlistment in Australia, had been brought to Onehunga. A detachment went on to Cambridge to prepare for their coming; there the 3rd Regiment ultimately went.The early history of this Lodge has been very adequately covered by V.W. Bro Glenie in his paper "Early Freemasonry in the Waikato", presented to this Lodge in May, 1960.
Lodge Beta Waikato No.12 (formerly No. 450 I.C.) acknowledges in its history that its formation is credited to R.W. Bro. Adams. It was founded on the day after Alpha Waikato, and two years to the day after Lodge Onehunga, on 16th December 1865. The Lodge was opened under a temporary Charter supplied by R.W. Bro. Adams, pending the arrival from Dublin of the actual one. This temporary Charter is still in the Lodge's possession.
It appears that Beta Waikato met the expenses of Bro. Adams' trip to Cambridge to open Alpha Waikato, as one of the two only references in the Minute Book of No. 12 refers to the presentation of the expense account.
Shamrock Lodge No. 448 was opened in Dunedin on 29th March 1866, under Dispensation: although its Charter was dated 19th June 1866 it would not have arrived in New Zealand from Dublin until some months after this. The Dispensation was issued during the period in which R.W. Bro. Adams held office as Provincial Grand Master, and it is reasonable to assume it was issued by him. The Lodge was the sixth to be warranted under the Irish Constitution in New Zealand, the first in the South Island and the only one remaining there: although now under a new name and number, namely Lodge St. Patrick No. 468; it had faded out for a time, during which its original number was re-allocated.
There is no record of who was Consecrating Officer, and it seems unlikely that R.W. Bro. Adams travelled to Dunedin for the purpose. His interest lay mainly in Freemasonry for servicemen, and Shamrock Lodge members came principally from mercantile residents of Dunedin. Barclay records in his account of the St. John's Lodge No. 464 S.C., Otahuhu (now extinct), that R. W. Bro. Adams attended the opening of the Lodge on 26th June 1866 representing the Provincial Grand Lodge I.C. Prior to the Lodge being constituted, a meeting of Past Masters of the three Constitutions was held where Bro. Adams installed Bro. Andrew Beveridge as Deputy Provincial Grand Master Scottish Constitution. R.W. Bro. Beveridge then proceeded with the formation of the new Lodge, but not before the Lodge was called off for the purpose of attending Church. A procession with Bros. de Burgh Adams and Beveridge occupying distinguished places near the rear, and comprising members of the five existing Lodges, proceeded to the Church in Masonic order. At the following banquet which lasted no less than five hours, Bro. Adams proposed the toast to the Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand, S.C.
In the closing months of 1866, Bro. Adams' sojourn in Auckland drew to an end, and to mark his departure a banquet was held at Lodge Onehunga on 5th November. The Master and Wardens of Lodge Ara received on invitation to be present on this occasion, at which an address was presented to their Provincial Grand Master, no doubt eulogising his sterling activities on behalf of the Irish Freemasons in the Province.
DEPARTURE FROM AUCKLAND
He left for New Plymouth nine days later. For two years R.W. Bro. Adams resided in Taranaki, and it is a curious fact that no records show any Masonic attendance on his part during this time. It is possible that his other duties prevented it, of course but since he was so active in the more bustling centre of Auckland, it is strange that there is no evidence of a continuation of his zeal. The records of De Burgh Adams Lodge, as previously mentioned, show that he maintained contact with them by correspondence, and Lodge Ara records on 3rd February 1868 his presenting that Lodge with a gilt frame for its Warrant; but except as in these two references, Bro. Adams seems to have ceased active participation.
His term as Provincial Grand Master was automatically terminated when he left New Zealand with departing troops in 1868. Lodge Ara's History mentions that its records contain no reference to the Provincial Grand Master or Provincial Grand Lodge between 14th November 1866 and 14th October 1869, when a letter was read in the Lodge announcing the appointment of R.W. Bro. Pierce as Provincial Grand Master. The former date is that on which Bro. Adams left for Taranaki while the latter is some several months after his death. It therefore appears that no move was taken to fill his office until the news of his death was received in New Zealand: De Burgh Adams Lodge records that just prior to his departure from Auckland citizens of Auckland met in the Auckland Hotel (sic) to present him with a purse of sovereigns to the value of £301, a very sizeable sum in those days.
A moving tribute was paid to him in 1894, when the “Taranaki Herald” of 17th October said: "Old Colonists, and especially those who in the New Zealand War, will remember that genial commissariat officer, Dc Burgh Adams. He was a welcome guest at all the Mess Dinners, a caterer for every class of social entertainment, and foremost in all charitable movements. But he will chiefly be remembered in connection with Freemasonry, of which he was a most enthusiastic and energetic member. To this day there is a Dc Burgh Adams Lodge in Taranaki, New Zealand; and either there or in some picture gallery, says a London Correspondent, I remember a life-size oil painting of the distinguished founder." The article goes on to mention the birth of his eldest son, as I have mentioned earlier in this Paper, and recounts a marital upset the son had when 31 years old.
The life of Henry de Burgh Adams came to a sudden and unexpected end on 20th March 1869 while on a short visit to London, when he was called to the Grand Lodge above. His death was caused by a stomach ulcer, for which there was no treatment in those days. He was in his 39th year, and left his wife and six children.
We all owe a great deal to those early Freemasons in New Zealand, who devoted so much time and energy to the sound establishment of the Craft in this country, and the name of Henry de Burgh Adams ranks high among them. Upon the pioneering and war-troubled period of the 60's his zeal, energy and enthusiasm left an enduring mark, and his record deserves a permanent place in our archives.
Finally it is worth remembering that his peak activity all occurred within nine years: an inspiration to us all.
The greatest mark Henry de Burgh Adams made on Freemasonry in New Zealand was in his very active efforts in promoting the formation of Lodges under the Irish Constitution. His zeal on behalf of the servicemen with whom he was associated resulted in his being directly concerned in the establishment of no fewer than five Lodges, all of which were erected within two years. These were Scinde, No. 419, Onehunga, No. 420, United Service, No. 421, Alpha Waikato, No. 449, and Beta Waikato, No. 450.
The early records of Scinde Lodge (now No.5 N.Z.C.) were lost in the fire of 1866 and consequently the exact date of its foundation is not known. However its founders had applied to Lodge Ara for a dispensation to work until the arrival of a Charter from Ireland. Lodge Ara granted this request in April 1858. In March 1859 Lodge Ara had further thoughts about the legality of its granting the dispensation, and proper steps were taken to secure formal approval for the Napier Brethren to work.
Meanwhile Bro. de Burgh Adams was present in Napier for the arrival of the barque "Eastfield" with the 65th Regiment, and the Centennial History of the Lodge mentions that he took a keen interest in its formation. The proper Charter for the Lodge duly arrived, dated 8th October 1858, which has since been fixed as the birthday of the Lodge. It seems likely, however, that the Lodge actually worked for a period under the Dispensation granted by Lodge Ara.
Lodge Onehunga, No.420 I.C., was constituted on 16th December 1863. R.W. Bro. Colonel G. Barclay, P.D.G.M., P.G.Sec., in his excellent book "The Extinct Lodges of New Zealand" gives the following account, which I do not presume to better: “Onehunga was originally established as one of the chain of military pensioners' settlements placed across the Auckland isthmus by Sir George Grey in his first term of Governorship in the 'forties', as a rampart to the City, then Capital of New Zealand, against the trouble-some Maoris of the Waikato. In 1863, when the Lodge referred to was founded. Onehunga could have had but a small population, although probably at that time there was a good deal of shipping business carried on, occasioned by the Maori troubles in the Country; vessels carrying munitions of war etc. were then running regularly between that port and Taranaki." Bro. Adams was a Charter member of No.420, and first Master, and held that office only until St. John's Day following, 28th December 1863, when he was succeeded by Bro. F. M. P. Brookfield. Apparently this occasion was a joint installation with Lodge Ara, held in that Lodge's room. At the opening meeting of the Lodge, three candidates were initiated. Bro. Adams certainly took part in the ceremonial work, as it is recorded that he raised Bro. Ingham Stevens on 15th February 1865.
Consecration took place in the old scoria schoolroom at St. Peter's Church, Onehunga, on Wednesday 16th December 1863. The ceremony was conducted by Bro. Adams assisted by officers of Provincial Grand Lodge IC. 'The New Zealander' of 31st December 1863 states 'The Lodge was opened with much pomp and ceremony'. Bro. Adams was duly installed as first Master As was customary in lush Lodges in those days, Installations were held twice yearly and on St. John’s Day in June 1864, Bro. Adams was again installed as Master of Lodge Onehunga.
The Lodge later fell on hard times, no doubt caused by the depressed conditions in the area following the cessation of the Maori wars, and it faded out of existence. Its memory survives however in Lodge Manukau No 24 whose officers still wear the old Onehunga Lodge distinctive collar jewels, and possess the original Charter, seal, and other appurtenances. Its name also survives in Onehunga Lodge No. 424, a daughter Lodge of Manukau. The Lodge was just too late to secure the same number, 420, as its early namesake. Both Manukau and Onehunga meet in the now bustling industrial suburb of Onehunga.
Bro. Adams kept up his active association with Ara, and on 7th March 1864 he presented the Lodge with a harmonium, saying "I beg to present to the Brethren of the Lodge Ara No. 348 the accompanying harmonium as a trifling testimony of my appreciation of the kindly feeling of this Lodge towards me.”
The formation of United Service Lodge No. 421 followed on 25th May 1864; Bro. Adams had the same dual role as in Onehunga Lodge by being a Charter member and first Master. This Lodge the first wholly for servicemen in New Zealand, met for a time in the Ara Lodge room, whose minutes for 6th June 1864 record: “A letter from Deputy Prov. G.M. Bro. Adams was read requesting permission to use the Lodge room on as easy terms as possible for the United Service Lodge.", and for 6th July, "Resolved 'to allow United Service the use of the Lodge room free of rent, and also of the regalia and furniture for 12 months'."
The records of Lodge Ara provide the best single source of information on Bro. Adams, mainly of course because of his continued association with that Lodge from 1857 until 1866, when he left for Taranaki, and because fortunately the Lodge's early records escaped that loss or destruction which all too often makes research into early history a matter of conjecture.
They record that he was appointed Treasurer of the Lodge on 27th December 1864, and about the middle of 1865 his appointment as Provincial Grand Master must have been confirmed, for a minute of 7th August 1865 shows; "Present: Bro. Adams, P.G.M. etc. The P.G.M. notifies that he shall be happy to issue Grand Lodge certificates to any Brethren wishing them. The P.G.M informs the Lodge that he purposes to call together the Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand, also to call the Past and Actual Masters together to frame Bye-laws etc., also asking for the use of the Lodge room for Provincial Grand Lodge." There is no record either in No. 348 minutes or amongst the archives of the Provincial Grand Lodge as to the installation of Bro. Adams as Provincial Grand Master. As there was no Brother in the Auckland Province of sufficiently high rank to act as Installing Master at such a ceremony, we can only assume that R.W. Bro. Adams was not installed, but merely held the position and ruled his Provincial Grand Lodge by virtue of his appointment.
During his term as Provincial Grand Master a significant event was the establishment on 8th February of a Lodge appropriately named in his honour, De Burgh Adams Lodge No.446, New Plyrnouth, founded entirely by servicemen of which only two were non-commissioned. This Lodge has, of course, now passed its centenary, to mark which a Paper was presented to the Research Lodge of the Taranaki Province, No. 323, in 1965. The Paper sets out the circumstances leading up to, and details of the formation of the Lodge, as well as its subsequent history. The Paper records great disappointment that no archives show that Bro. Adams ever attended the Lodge, although regular correspondence flowed between them, and that he was the first to assist financially in any programme for the benefit of the Lodge, even after he had left New Plymouth.
An event of importance in Auckland during 1865 was the laying of the foundation stone of the new Supreme Court on 9th November, reported very fully in the "New Zealand Herald" on the following day, all the Masonic ceremony being quoted in full. The report says “The selection of the day was itself fortunate, being the Anniversary of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, a general holiday, and moreover the one appointed for the Inauguration of the Provincial Grand Lodge": and, “The stone was laid by His Honour Frederick Whitaker assisted by Henry de Burgh Adams, Prov. G.M. I.C., these two bringing up the rear of the procession which marched down Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant." R.W. Bro. Adams had invited all Brethren to Divine Service it 11 a.m.at St. Paul's where he assisted in taking up the offertory. The Provincial Grand Lodge ceremony followed at high noon when it was opened in the third degree and the officers appointed. Bishop Selwyn was present and took part in the stone-laying ceremony, but there is no record of his having been present at Divine Service.
The minutes of Lodge Ara mention a regrettable incident stemming from this ceremony. A Brother, evidently of some rank, tendered his resignation from the Lodge because of his not being appointed to some office in the stone laying ceremony. His resignation was accepted.
Under a Dispensation granted by R.W. Bro. Adams, Alpha Waikato Lodge, No.449, in Cambridge was formed, and was constituted and dedicated by him on 15th December 1865. It was formed from members of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Waikato Regiments who, after enlistment in Australia, had been brought to Onehunga. A detachment went on to Cambridge to prepare for their coming; there the 3rd Regiment ultimately went.The early history of this Lodge has been very adequately covered by V.W. Bro Glenie in his paper "Early Freemasonry in the Waikato", presented to this Lodge in May, 1960.
Lodge Beta Waikato No.12 (formerly No. 450 I.C.) acknowledges in its history that its formation is credited to R.W. Bro. Adams. It was founded on the day after Alpha Waikato, and two years to the day after Lodge Onehunga, on 16th December 1865. The Lodge was opened under a temporary Charter supplied by R.W. Bro. Adams, pending the arrival from Dublin of the actual one. This temporary Charter is still in the Lodge's possession.
It appears that Beta Waikato met the expenses of Bro. Adams' trip to Cambridge to open Alpha Waikato, as one of the two only references in the Minute Book of No. 12 refers to the presentation of the expense account.
Shamrock Lodge No. 448 was opened in Dunedin on 29th March 1866, under Dispensation: although its Charter was dated 19th June 1866 it would not have arrived in New Zealand from Dublin until some months after this. The Dispensation was issued during the period in which R.W. Bro. Adams held office as Provincial Grand Master, and it is reasonable to assume it was issued by him. The Lodge was the sixth to be warranted under the Irish Constitution in New Zealand, the first in the South Island and the only one remaining there: although now under a new name and number, namely Lodge St. Patrick No. 468; it had faded out for a time, during which its original number was re-allocated.
There is no record of who was Consecrating Officer, and it seems unlikely that R.W. Bro. Adams travelled to Dunedin for the purpose. His interest lay mainly in Freemasonry for servicemen, and Shamrock Lodge members came principally from mercantile residents of Dunedin. Barclay records in his account of the St. John's Lodge No. 464 S.C., Otahuhu (now extinct), that R. W. Bro. Adams attended the opening of the Lodge on 26th June 1866 representing the Provincial Grand Lodge I.C. Prior to the Lodge being constituted, a meeting of Past Masters of the three Constitutions was held where Bro. Adams installed Bro. Andrew Beveridge as Deputy Provincial Grand Master Scottish Constitution. R.W. Bro. Beveridge then proceeded with the formation of the new Lodge, but not before the Lodge was called off for the purpose of attending Church. A procession with Bros. de Burgh Adams and Beveridge occupying distinguished places near the rear, and comprising members of the five existing Lodges, proceeded to the Church in Masonic order. At the following banquet which lasted no less than five hours, Bro. Adams proposed the toast to the Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand, S.C.
In the closing months of 1866, Bro. Adams' sojourn in Auckland drew to an end, and to mark his departure a banquet was held at Lodge Onehunga on 5th November. The Master and Wardens of Lodge Ara received on invitation to be present on this occasion, at which an address was presented to their Provincial Grand Master, no doubt eulogising his sterling activities on behalf of the Irish Freemasons in the Province.
DEPARTURE FROM AUCKLAND
He left for New Plymouth nine days later. For two years R.W. Bro. Adams resided in Taranaki, and it is a curious fact that no records show any Masonic attendance on his part during this time. It is possible that his other duties prevented it, of course but since he was so active in the more bustling centre of Auckland, it is strange that there is no evidence of a continuation of his zeal. The records of De Burgh Adams Lodge, as previously mentioned, show that he maintained contact with them by correspondence, and Lodge Ara records on 3rd February 1868 his presenting that Lodge with a gilt frame for its Warrant; but except as in these two references, Bro. Adams seems to have ceased active participation.
His term as Provincial Grand Master was automatically terminated when he left New Zealand with departing troops in 1868. Lodge Ara's History mentions that its records contain no reference to the Provincial Grand Master or Provincial Grand Lodge between 14th November 1866 and 14th October 1869, when a letter was read in the Lodge announcing the appointment of R.W. Bro. Pierce as Provincial Grand Master. The former date is that on which Bro. Adams left for Taranaki while the latter is some several months after his death. It therefore appears that no move was taken to fill his office until the news of his death was received in New Zealand: De Burgh Adams Lodge records that just prior to his departure from Auckland citizens of Auckland met in the Auckland Hotel (sic) to present him with a purse of sovereigns to the value of £301, a very sizeable sum in those days.
A moving tribute was paid to him in 1894, when the “Taranaki Herald” of 17th October said: "Old Colonists, and especially those who in the New Zealand War, will remember that genial commissariat officer, Dc Burgh Adams. He was a welcome guest at all the Mess Dinners, a caterer for every class of social entertainment, and foremost in all charitable movements. But he will chiefly be remembered in connection with Freemasonry, of which he was a most enthusiastic and energetic member. To this day there is a Dc Burgh Adams Lodge in Taranaki, New Zealand; and either there or in some picture gallery, says a London Correspondent, I remember a life-size oil painting of the distinguished founder." The article goes on to mention the birth of his eldest son, as I have mentioned earlier in this Paper, and recounts a marital upset the son had when 31 years old.
The life of Henry de Burgh Adams came to a sudden and unexpected end on 20th March 1869 while on a short visit to London, when he was called to the Grand Lodge above. His death was caused by a stomach ulcer, for which there was no treatment in those days. He was in his 39th year, and left his wife and six children.
We all owe a great deal to those early Freemasons in New Zealand, who devoted so much time and energy to the sound establishment of the Craft in this country, and the name of Henry de Burgh Adams ranks high among them. Upon the pioneering and war-troubled period of the 60's his zeal, energy and enthusiasm left an enduring mark, and his record deserves a permanent place in our archives.
Finally it is worth remembering that his peak activity all occurred within nine years: an inspiration to us all.
SOURCE: UML v18n04p71