Premier Diamond Lodge No. 3172
Consecrated 30th August 1906
Meeting at: Cullinan - Masonic Centre, 115 Oak Road
Meeting Dates: 3rd Thursday Jan, Feb,Mar, Apr, May, June, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov Inst Jun
Contact 082 461 5731
Lodge History
Six of the intending Founders were Scottish Constitution masons and in order to get the 'mix' right, they joined Johannesburg Lodge No 2313 before signing the petition for Premier Diamond - a name which in the context of Cullinan explains itself. The lodge was consecrated in the Cullinan School Hall and met there until 1909, when its own hall, still in use today, was completed at a cost of £1200.
One of four candidates initiated in January 1907, William Sandilands McAdam, was to have a most distinguished masonic career with - as its highlight - the District Grand mastership from 1955 to 1957. His services to Premier Diamond included occupying the chair for four years, ranging between 1911 and 1943. In February 1963 Bro McAdam was to lead a party bringing the Grand Secretary, R W Bro James Stubbs and Mrs Stubbs to visit the mine but unfortunately he fell ill, and died the day after the visit.
A feature of the Lodge's history has been the number of times it has been forced into recess, whether because of war, as in 1914 to 1916, disturbances leading to martial law, 1921 to 1922, and the closing down of the diamond mine (the main source of members) during the depression, 1932 to 1941. However the Second World War saw military forces stationed on the mine and an adjoining farm and this helped the lodge to get restarted. Then in 1945 the mine was reopened, restoring 'normality' to Cullinan, and since then the lodge's progress has been steady and sound.
Reference: 'A Century of Brotherhood' by A A Cooper & D E G Vieler