Irish freemasonry came into existence in Otago on 29th March, 1866, when the Shamrock Lodge, No. 448, was opened in the Masonic Hall, Princes Street, Dunedin, under Dispensation from the Provincial Grand Lodge. 

 

The discovery of gold in Otago around that time caused the population of Dunedin to fluctuate wildly and this had a profound influence on the activities of the Dunedin community. Within five years Lodge Shamrock 448 ceased to function, and for a decade no Irish Lodge met in Dunedin. On 21st September 1881 a preliminary meeting was held for the purpose of forming a lodge under the Irish Constitution. W Bro. Graham, who had been a founder of Shamrock 448, chaired this meeting. The assembled Brethren resolved that a Lodge bearing the name “St. Patrick’s Lodge” be formed and that W Bro. Graham should be its first Master.

​

Three months after being installed, W. Bro. Graham resigned from his position as Master of the Lodge to take up the appointment of District Grand Master, English Constitution. Early minutes show that the brethren endeavoured to put into practice many of the tenets of the Craft. As far back as 1885, a series of lectures on freemasonry were given. Requests for assistance from needy brethren of any Constitution were frequent. However, there being no Benevolent Funds, the records show that deserving cases were always assisted either by grants directly from the Lodge funds or by a special collection amongst the members.