R.W.Bro. Henry De Burgh Adams
Provincial Grand Master of New Zealand
R.W.Bro. Henry De Burgh Adams,
(1830 - 1869) |
Henry De Burgh Adams was Principal Purveyor to the Army when stationed in New Zealand and carried the rank of Major. (In modern times he would probably be a Quartermaster-General.) Born in Canada in 1830, he took part in the Crimean War and was at Sebastopol.
His family moved to Ireland and he was a member of the Victoria Lodge No. IV, Dublin, having been registered a Master Mason in 1852. Coming to New Zealand in 1857 he affiliated with Lodge Ara No. 348, (I.C.). He was four years in New Zealand before taking office in Lodge Ara, due no doubt to being in different parts of the country on army duties. On being stationed eventually at Auckland he became Secretary of Ara for two and a half years, Master in 1861 and Treasurer in 1864-65. |
On the formation of Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand he was appointed Deputy Provincail Grand Master and on the resignation of Brother Cormack Patrick O'Rafferty, C.E., took over the ruling of Provincial Grand Lodge [In reality Bro. O'Rafferty never took up his Office as he had moved to Melbourne prior to his appointment arriving from Ireland and the Province was run by Bro. De Burgh Adams from its inception].
As Deputy Provincial Grand Master, deBurgh Adams issued a Dispensation for Lodge Onehunga No 420 (with himself as Master) in 1863 followed by United Service Lodge No 421 in 1864. He is also credited with forming Alpha Cambridge Lodge No. 449.
The Irish Lodge in New Plymouth, "De Burgh Adams Lodge", was formed in his honour in 1865, but the records show that he never visited the Lodge, although he assisted it financially both whilst in New Zealand and after leaving for London. He was also the only Freemason to have a Lodge named after him in his lifetime. De Burgh Adams Lodge No 446 (I.C.) Labours in New Plymouth and is still very active today (2012). |
Taranaki Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 656,
25th February. 1865, Page 3. |
When the regiment was recalled to England in 1868, De Burgh Adams went with it, but sadly he died in London the following year from complications caused by a ruptured stomach ulcer at the age of 39 years, leaving a widow and six children.
You may access a very interesting and informative paper on the early days of Irish Freemasonry in New Zealand entitled IRISH LODGES IN NEW ZEALAND by W. Bro. A. M. G. Johnston, P.Prov.G.D.C. (I.C.), P.M., through the following Link - IRISH LODGES IN NEW ZEALAND.