GRAND LODGE
OF ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF
SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND NORTHERN TERRITORY

District Grand Master, S.C. 1880-1884
Installing Grand Master 1884, 1909

Born 8 July 1842 at Rathenow, near Berlin in Prussia (Germany), Hugo Carl Emil Muecke was the oldest of the children of Carl and Emilie Muecke.  Dr Carl Muecke, noted Lutheran Pastor, educationalist and intellectual, brought his family to South Australia on the 'Princess Louise' in 1849 when Hugo was 7 years old, following the uprisings of 1848.  The family settled in Tanunda where Hugo attended the High School.

At the age of 16 he learned from the local Police Officer that the Port Adelaide firm of John Newman & Sons required the services of a shipping clerk with a knowledge of German. So anxious was he to obtain the job that he walked from Tanunda to Salisbury, then went by train to Adelaide. A few hours later he was delighted to know that his application had been accepted. 

Muecke threw himself into the commercial activities of his employer and improved his general education.  He operated as a customs agent under the endorsement to John Newman's Customs Agent Licence as was the practice of the time.

Hugo Muecke was married in 1863 to Margaret Le Page.  They later had nine children.

Of German birth, Muecke became a naturalised British subject on 1 May 1866.  This allowed him to become a partner with John Newman on 23 May 1866, just short of his 24th birthday. He was made a customs agent in his own right on 13 December 1872. 

John Newman died in 1873.  Hugo was appointed executor of the Newman Estate and liquidator of the partnership. Following the completion of his duties, he became the sole proprietor of the company and renamed it H Muecke & Co in September 1875.  By this time HCE Muecke was aged 33 years. 

During his time H Muecke & Co became agents for many notable shipping and trading companies around the world.  The Company also became ship owners with interests in a number of coastal ketches. 

Masonic Career

Adelaide Lodge No 341 S.C. transferred from the town of Adelaide to Port Adelaide in 1852 during the Mastership of Bro. George Coppin (a notable comedy actor and theatrical impresario, Bro. Coppin later became first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Victoria in 1883, several years before the formation of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria).  The Lodge soon attracted the interest and involvement of many who were engaged in shipping port and marine affairs.  Hugo Muecke became a Freemason in this Lodge on 4th September 1868 and served as Master in 1872 and 1873.  During these years the Lodge met at Smith's Ship Inn at Port Adelaide, and in 1879-1881 at the Port Adelaide Institute, before moving to the new Port Adelaide Masonic Hall in December 1881. 

In 1874 Bro Muecke became the first RW Master of St Andrew's Lodge No. 555 S.C., the second lodge of the Scottish Constitution in South Australia (the third was Lodge St Vincent No. 621 S.C. at Port Wakefield, and the fourth St James' Lodge No. 629 S.C. at Saddleworth). 

Bro Muecke was Installed as RW Provincial Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution in the Adelaide Town Hall on 20th October 1880, before the largest gathering of Masons that had ever assembled in Adelaide to that time.  Unfortunately the records of the Scottish Provincial Grand Lodge were lost sometime after the formation of the Grand Lodge of South Australia in 1884, it is thought during their transmission to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in Edinburgh.  In his History CRJ Glover states: 

"the advent of Bro. Muecke in the 'Grand East' was the signal for increased activity [of Scottish Freemasonry], as was anticipated." 

In 1882 the fifth Scottish Lodge was opened - Concordia Lodge No. 672 S.C..  The Consecration was performed by RW Bro Muecke who also translated the Ritual into his mother tongue for the use of the Lodge.  Unfortunately there are no copies of this Ritual in the archives of the Grand Lodge.

In 1883 the Holdfast Lodge No. 686 S.C. was formed at Glenelg, on February 12th.  This was the sixth Lodge under the District Grand Lodge of Scotland. 

All six Scottish Lodges joined the new Grand Lodge of South Australia at its formation in April 1884. 

RW Bro HCE Muecke was the Installing Grand Master, having previously resigned from the Office of District Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution.   During the ceremony he delivered a Charge to MW Bro SJ Way, the new Grand Master, in the following words: 

"Most Worshipful Sir - for henceforth you are entitled to be thus held - in inducting you to your Chair of Office, as a symbol of the commencement of your government over the Craft, I am performing a most solemn duty. 

By the immemorial usages and landmarks of Freemasonry you, as Grand Master of Masons, are invested with powers and prerogatives which are well nigh absolute.  The interests of the Craft, for weal or woe, are placed in your hands during your term of office.  The good resolutions you have doubtless formed in your own mind that these powers shall not be abused or perverted while in your hands, I would gladly strengthen by a few words of admonition which it would not become me after this morning to utter.  The very consciousness of the possession of so great a power, will ever make a generous mind cautious and gentle in its exercise. 

To rule, has been the lot of many.  It requires neither strength of intellect nor sound judgment.  But to rule well has been the fortune of but few, and may well be an object of every honourable ambition.  It is not by the strong arm or the iron will that obedience and order, the two great requisites to good government, are secured, but by holding the key to the hearts of men. 

The Office of Grand Master is one of great antiquity and respect, and is one of the highest dignities to which we may aspire.  Its incumbent, to rule well, requires the possession and practice of several important requisites. 

As a man, he must be of approved integrity and irreproachable morals, freed from the dominion of hasty temper or ill-governed passions; of good repute in the world, and practising as an example to the Craft the cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice. 

As a citizen he must be loyal to his government, obedient to its laws; prompt in the duties he owes to society, and a very pattern of integrity in all his social and domestic relations. 

As a Mason he must cling to the Ancient Landmarks, and sternly oppose their infringement; be a proficient in the laws, language, and literature of the fraternity, ever desirous to learn and apt to teach; though not a workman himself for the time, yet master of the work and qualified to earn his wages; ever ready to relieve, slow to demand; ever remembering that, though elevated for a time above his fellows, he was elevated by them, that he is yet a Craftsman more sacredly bound by a Craftsman's obligation; and that at all times, wherever he be, he should practise the golden tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. 

As an officer [of the Grand Lodge] he should remember, first of all, that he is an individual Mason, and as such, sharing a common lot with his Brethren, and feeling an interest in the welfare of each and all; he should avoid all undue ostentation or haughty overbearing; be accessible to all, cultivating the closest friendship and most unlimited confidence with his associate officers; ever ready to take council with the Brethren, and to give it; forbearing long and much with evil doers, ready to reward the good; be free from favouritism, and wholly impartial; watchful over the treasury, keeping an eagle eye on every part of his jurisdiction, and breasting over the restless spirit of innovation.

Such, Most Worthy Master, are some of the qualifications of a Grand Master of Masons.  The virtues he should possess, the errors he should avoid.  Probably most, if not all, have not come up to this standard, but it is attainable; be it your purpose to reach it, and be a shining light to your successors."

"we cannot forget ... that you resigned the high office of District Grand Master of the Scottish Lodges, which you so highly valued, in order to join with your Brethren in the establishment of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of South Australia."

Commercial business success

Hugo Muecke figured prominently in the commercial and public life of South Australia.  In 1877 he was appointed Vice-Consul of Germany and in 1883 Imperial German Consul, which post he held for the following 32 years until the commencement of World War I when he renounced his appointment.  He was involved in the Chamber of Commerce for many years, serving as President 1885-1886. 

HCE Muecke served as a Director of many companies, including: 

• BHP  (Board member in 1892, Chairman 1914)
• Bank of Adelaide 
• Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd 
• Executor Trustee & Agency Company 
• South British Insurance Co Ltd 
• National Life Assurance Co 

Public life

In public life Muecke served as a Justice of the Peace and as warden of the Marine Board.  He was involved in local government affairs, at various times being involved with the municipalities of Port Adelaide, Rosewater (Chairman) and Walkerville (Chairman).  In 1903 he was elected to the South Australian Parliament, serving as a member of the Legislative Council for 7 years.

Disaster in wartime

Following the outbreak of World War I there was considerable anti-German feeling in Australia.    Following a raid upon BHP company offices by 'defence authorities' in November 1914, and despite no evidence of any offence being found, in early 1915 Muecke was forced to resign as Chairman of the Board of BHP.  He resigned as a director later that year.  In May 1915 he resigned from the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce after 35 years service on the committee.    Hugo Muecke was interned in Fort Largs in April 1916.  After many of South Australia's leading citizens and businessmen pleaded for his release he was released into home detention under military custody after one month, remaining in military custody a further six months.  These events occurred almost 50 years after his naturalisation as a British subject, despite his vigorous protestations of loyalty and the service of his youngest son as a surgeon in the British Army.  The War greatly affected the fortunes of his family company, which lost the greater part of its business, not reviving until after the end of the War.  Muecke retired in 1916 and was succeeded in the family business by two sons.

Final years

Forty five years after the formation of the Grand Lodge of South Australia, on 6 June 1929, MW Bro HCE Muecke died at the age of 87 years, after ailing for some time.  Despite the vicissitudes of his later years Bro. Muecke was not forgotten by his Masonic brethren.  In April 1924 on the fortieth anniversary of the Grand Lodge he had again been acknowledged for his many contributions to Freemasonry in the Address of the retiring Grand Master, MW Bro. AW Piper.

"Dictionary of Australian Biography" entry for HCE Muecke - www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100590b.htm
"A History of First Fifty Years of Freemasonry in South Australia 1834-1884" by Glover, CRJ (1915): Adelaide
"A History of Craft Masonry in South Australia 1884-1934" (1976): Adelaide
"Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of South Australia" for the years 1884, 1909 and 1924