There is a 60pp Introduction to this fascinating and important part of Australian history available, for copies of which please send $10 to the address above, specifying whether disc or hard copy. On its cover it shows a pic of an 1880 (approx) United Ancient Order of Druids Gala at Euroa in Victoria. The first part of the text follows:

     THE LITTLE THAT IS KNOWN by the general population about fraternal societies makes them seem too weird and 'olde worlde' to bother finding out more.

     The two words 'secret societies' prompt many people to think of comic book versions of the Illuminati, the Ku Klux Klan or the Anarchists...or to think of the Da Vinci Code.

     Professional historians and heritage practitioners have shown little interest in fraternalism.

     And then there's the peculiar approach adopted by Australians to the notion of 'mateship.'

     From that 'olde worlde' fraternals have brought us mateship, 'insiders' and 'outsiders', mutuality and solidarity, health care and insurance, secret ballots, conviviality, charity, ladders of success, Grand Masters and Arch Bishops, trade unions, Freemasonry and friendly societies, and much more.

     Their history connects us to oaths of allegiance, the Bible, to the after-life, and to a time when values, loyalty, manners and looking after one's mate were taken for granted.

      It's hard to think of anyone, anywhere who has not been affected by fraternalism or fraternal societies.

     'Fraternal' here, does not exclude women. It's just the best word for these societies. There were plenty of female members and female-only lodges, despite social pressures against them.

    Fraternal societies have had good reasons to have secrets, and to put their messages in coded pictures, that is, in symbols.

     The square and compass is most often associated with Freemasonry, but not all versions of this symbol are Masonic. It, or something similar, was used by the 'Order of Free Gardeners' and the 'Royal Black Preceptory', for example.

     This, of course, raises the question of borrowing, and claims that Freemasonry has been the source of all modern secret societies. I do not accept this argument.

     Some coded pictures, that is, symbols have been common to many 'Orders' and have entered everyday language. For example, the Eye of Providence, also known as the All-Seeing Eye, or God...or Big Brother. It also appears on the US dollar bill. The Temple has been used on many banners, because it formed part of many society emblems, and in public architecture as part of the Gothic Revival. The well-known handshake, favored by trade unions and friendly societies, was originally a secret sign of recognition.

     Because they have been secret societies the only way to an understanding of fraternal societies is through their codes..(Continued)..