Chinese Masonic Hall, Sydney

The Chinese Masonic Society building at 18 Mary Street in Surry Hills, Sydney.

Chinese Masons, Sydney

Image Courtesy of: Denis Byrne

The Chinese Masonic Society building at 18 Mary Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, was constructed in 1911. The Chinese Masonic Society grew out of the Yee Hing Company (also known as the Hung League), an anti-Manchu underground network in China with chapters in North America and other key destinations of Chinese migrants. The Yee Hing Company and the Chinese Masonic Society were strong supporters of the republican cause in China and the hall in Mary Street served as a centre for many pro-Republic activities. The Chinese Masonic Society greatly expanded in 1916 and ran its own newspaper for many years. It was also prominent in many of the legal cases taken up to improve the rights of the Chinese, including the High Court challenge to the attempted expulsion of many wartime refugees in 1949. The Chinese Masonic Society remains active today and still occupies the same buildings.

1912
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/239062336

Masonic Altar, Sydney

Image Courtesy of: Denis Byrne