This Lodge, from its commencement, had a prosperous career. N o rival appeared for several years, and it was piloted by Dr. Greeves, a m a n of considerable ability, and an ardent Oddfellow; indeed, a m a n who, if he had only displayed as much consistency and steadfastness in political life as he did in promoting the cause of Oddfellowship, would have become a most influential public man. T h e Oddfellows, like the Freemasons, were valuable acquisitions to the old processional ceremonials, and in all charitable movements played a conspicuous part. They were more practical in their charitable exertions than the Masons, and occasionally celebrated their anniversaries, not only with the usual convivialities, but also marching to church, and leaving an equivalent in the shape of a collection for some benevolent object. T h efirstappointment as Medical Officer to a Lodge was made in July, 1843, when Dr. Greeves was inducted at a remuneration of 20s. per member per annum. This was afterwards reduced to 15s. and 12s. 6d., utterly inadequate payment for anything pretending to be medical skill. At a Lodge Meeting held on the 16th July, 1845, t'ie nrst ste P was taken to establish a new Branch, under the designation of the Loyal Melbourne Lodge, and the application for a Dispensation bore the signatures of James W o o d m a n , David Lyons, Henry Elms, Matthew Cantlon, and William O'Connell. THE FIRST DISTRICT
Port Phillip having been constituted a District of the Order by Dispensation from Manchester, in April, 1844, the inauguration took place in the Australia Felix Lodge R o o m , at the Crown Hotel (corner of Queen and Lonsdale Street), on the 15th October, 1845. A convocation of P.G.s was held for the purpose, and a ballot being taken, showed the following election as its results : — Prov. G.M., A. F. A. Greeves; Prov. D.G.M., Thomas Graham; Prov. C.S., James W o o d m a n . T h e application for a Dispensation for the Loyal Melbourne Lodge having been granted, it was accordingly opened on the 15th November. Others soon followed, and at the Port Phillip District meeting in June, 1851, the Manchester Unity could count seven Lodges, and 512 members.
A COURT OF APPEAL
From the District decisions was considered a necessity in course of time, and consequently at the District Meeting of 6th December, 1850, a notice of motion was tabled for the formation of a Board of Directors, or Appeal. T h e Rules for the government of such Court were discussed and adopted on the 5th March, 1851, and on the ensuing 4th June the Supreme body was thus constituted: Colonial G.M., P.P.G.M. Greeves; Colonial D.G.M., P.P.G.M. Barber; Colonial C.S., P.G. Ford; Colonial Warden, P.G. Isaacs, and nine members. T h e Corresponding Secretary was voted an annual salary of .£20. O n the 5th October, 1846, there was a grand celebration of Oddfellows, when N o . 1 Lodge of the Manchester Unity marched in full regalia to the Church of St. James. They were played thither by the band of the Australia Felix Temperance Society. Parson Thomson was before them with a true Evangelical welcome, and went through the Church of England Service with marked impressement, winding-up with a rather long-winded sermon on Galatians ii., 6. T h e collection realized
- £i6 3s. 8^d., in aid of the funds of the St. James' Visiting Society. T h e evening wound up with
a sumptuous spread at host W . Mortimer's Crown Hotel (corner of Queen and Lonsdale Streets), with P.P.G.M. Greeves as Chairman. In 1846, there was started in Melbourne a branch of the Duke of York Ancient and Independent Order of Oddfellows, and their motto was " Friendship, Love, and Truth," a triad which, certainly, so far as the two first elements were concerned, was occasionally transgressed as regarded the Manchester Unity, with which a spirited, and sometimes rather over-brisk rivalry was prosecuted. The most devoted and disinterested adherent of the Yorkists was a Mr. William Clarke, for many years overseer of the Port Phillip Herald printing office; and subsequently landlord of an hotel,
