History of Cape Town Theosophical Lodge

· 1904 The Cape Town Lodge was founded by Major Peacock of the Indian Army who knew H.P.B. and Annie Besant. He was the first President of the Lodge prior to receiving its Charter and Editor of the first editions of the South African Theosophist in 1903 and 1904. The Lodge received its Charter dated 24 September 1904. The signatures on the Charter are those of the Lodge President Dr David Buchanan, Alfred Holtzer, Major Peacock, Mrs Mainwaring - Robinson and their Associates. The name of Major Peacock is heavily crossed out. It is presumed that this occurred later as he was a clever and brilliant speaker and was instrumental in the foundation of the Johannesburg Lodge. However his fondness for strong drink was his undoing. Mrs Irene Holtzer was at that time the mainstay of the Lodge. Meetings were held in the Holtzer’s house in Camberwell Road, Three Anchor Bay.

· 1905 J.B. Gibson became Lodge President.

· 1906 Fred Cooper became Lodge President.

· 1908 Irene Holzer became Lodge President.

· 1911 Andre de Smit became Lodge President. He joined the Lodge in 1908.

· 1912 Fred Cooper again became Lodge President.

· 1913 William A. van der Byl became Lodge President.

· 1914 Mrs Irene Holzer again became Lodge President.

· 1915 Mr. J.C.L. Reed became Lodge President.

· 1917 Mr K.E Barrow became Lodge President.

· 1918 Mr. J.C.L. Reed again became Lodge President .

· 1919 A National Convention was held in Cape Town from December 26 to 29. A message from the international President Annie Besant was read out at the Convention by The National President Miss Margaret Murchie. Mrs A.E Firman became Lodge President. The address of the Lodge was Athenian Chambers, Shortmarket Street. Several members who were part of the armed forces returned home as part of the armistice and their membership was transferred to their country of origin.

· 1920 Mrs K. Pirie became Lodge President.

· 1921 W Proctor became Lodge President.

· 1923 Andre de Smit again became Lodge President.

· 1924 Mrs Mathie Clytie became Lodge President. One of her talks on Atlantis was broadcasted in 1925. The Lodge address was now 148, Longmarket Street. A special meeting was held in the home of Mr and Mrs Arthur Heywood in Stellenbosch to stimulate activity there. Mrs Weyburg of Cape Town Lodge gave a talk entitled “Man the Master of His Destiny”. Mr and Mrs Wyburg answered questions arising out of the talk.

· 1925 G. W. Golan became Lodge President .

· 1926 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. Mr. Wyburg of the Cape Town Lodge gave an excellent lecture which was published in the national quarterly magazine “Theosophy in South African.”

· 1928 Mrs A. M. Mathie became Lodge President. An article appeared in the “Theosophy in South Africa” magazine about Mr A. J. Gough of the Brotherhood Lodge who had been working with the Coloured people of Cape Town with the intention of spreading Theosophy and forming a lodge in their area.

· 1929 Dr W. Humprey became Lodge President until 1931. The Lodge address was changed to National Bank Chambers, Strand Street. There were other Cape Town Lodges during this period: - Brotherhood Lodge - President, Mr. A. Gough, Good Hope Lodge Seapoint - President Mrs Retief and Southern Cross Lodge Rondebosch- President, Mrs Rayner.

· 1932 Mrs E Drew Simms became Lodge President.

· 1935 Mrs A Thompson was Lodge President (The Aunt of Miss Pamela Gibbs) The Lodge address is Room 4 Markams Building, Hout Street. In June Mr Geoffrey Hodson and his wife came to Cape Town and were supposed to be on holiday but they instead gave public lectures, class lectures and members meetings for three weeks before moving on to Johannesburg.

· 1936 Dr W. Humphrey, affectionately known as Uncle Bill, again became lodge President.

· 1937 Mr Harry Stainton became Lodge President until 1940 and Dr W.A. Humphries of Cape Town Lodge became the General Secretary. During the year several members got married; Dr W. Humphries married a former Lodge President Mrs Drew-Simms, Ivan Midford Barberton married Miss Pamela Gibbs, Harry Stainton married Violet Johnston and Tim Cloete-Noding married Ivy Naude. Mr Geoffry Hodson visited Cape Town to give lectures there.

· 1939 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. Miss Clara Codd came to stay and gave a series of lectures at the Convention and afterwards.

· 1940 Clara Codd again visited Cape Town in August and stayed three months and gave a series of lectures. During the early part of her stay, Mr Jinarajadasa made a flying visit to Cape Town on his way to Australia from England and spent a memorable day-and-a-half with the Cape Town Members. He was met at the docks by Clara Codd and a delegation from Cape Town Lodge. In the Link Journal of August/September 1940 there i8 an article about the Eoan Group which had been running for almost seven years teaching movement and dancing, art and speech training to Coloured children of poor parents. This movement had been started by a Theosophist Mrs Holt and her daughter. During this time had trained 20 teachers. More than 1000 children were in training in 1940. The more advanced students took part in productions which received high praise from the press. An article in the Cape Times stated Eoan had added yet another success to its excellent artistic record. The latest addition to their teaching staff was a visitor from India, who taught hand loom weaving.

· 1941 Mrs Pam Mitford-Barberton became Lodge President until 1943 The Lodge address changed to Room 605, Union House, Queen Victoria Street. The Good Hope Lodge closed and members were either absorbed into Cape Town Lodge or became unattached members of the Section.

· 1943 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. Major J Beatty became Lodge President. The Lodge Address changed to Room 816, Groote Kerk Building, Adderley Street.

· 1945 Mrs V. Stainton became Lodge President until 1947.

· 1947 The National Convention was held in Cape Town.

· 1948 Mr Ivan Mitford-Barberton became Lodge President.

· 1949 Harry Stainton became Lodge President.

· 1950 Members moved into their own premises at 3 Rheede Street, Gardens, Cape Town which consisted of a moderately sized hall, kitchen, cloakrooms and a self-contained flat. Harry Stainton, the Lodge President, had supervised the alterations which had resulted in an ideal lodge building.

· 1951 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. It was a special occasion because it was held in the new Lodge Building. Major J Beaatty became Lodge President until 1953.

· 1953 Mrs. Butler Became Lodge President until 1956.

· 1954 The Golden Jubilee year of Cape Town Lodge which received its charter on 27 September 1904 saw a major change when the National Headquarters moved to Cape Town with Ivan Mitford-Baberton becoming the National President.

· 1955 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. The international lecturer Geoffrey Hodson was the guest speaker. During his stay in Cape Town, Ivan Mitford -Barberton the National President and well know sculptor modelled a bust of Geoffrey Hodson.

· 1956 During a Visit of Clara Codd, Pam Mitford-Barberton painted her portrait which can still be seen hanging in the Cape Town Lodge. A portrait painted by another artist hangs in Pretoria Lodge

· 1957 Mimi Liebeck became Lodge President for two years.

· 1959 Mrs. V. Stainton again became Lodge President for three years.

· 1960 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. Two international guest speakers Mrs Clara Codd and Geoffrey Hodson, were welcomed and introduced by the National President Mary Patterson.

· 1962 Mrs Pam Mitford -Barberton again became Lodge President until 1964.

· 1965 Mr Harry Stainton became Lodge President.

· 1966 The National Convention was held In Cape Town. An interesting development was the emergence of the Young Theosophists in South Africa. A Young Theosophist camp was organised by Catherine and Michael Mitford-Baberton and held in the grounds of their parents home in Hout Bay.

· 1967 Dr L. C. van Chevens became the Lodge President for two years.

· 1969 Mrs Helen Young, a retired violinist who had played with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, became Lodge President for three years.

· 1971 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. The international speaker was Mr John Coates who was at that time, Chairman of the European Theosophical Federation and international President of the Young Theosophist movement. He was also shortly to become the international President of the Society. There was a Young Theosophists camp in the grounds of the Mitford-Barberton’s residence in Camps Bay. The Young Theosophist organised and led by Tom Davis and Catherine Mitford-Barberton entertained the members on Saturday evening. A statue named “Serpent Fire” had been completed and donated to the Johannesburg City Council by Ivan Mitford-Barberton. A ceremony of acceptance was held in Johannesburg on May 8 (White Lotus Day). The mounted sculpture was placed at the corner of Smit and Nugget Streets in Johannesburg.

· 1972 Mrs K. Copeland became the Lodge President and caused quite a stir by Co-Freemasons (who had been holding their meetings there for many years) to discontinue using the Lodge premises. As many of the Co-masons were also T.S. members, this caused a sudden loss of membership. The Co-Masons ultimately built a new Masonic temple in Rifle Road, Wetton.

· 1975 Mrs Helen Young a former Lodge President passed away. Helen joined the Wimbledon Theosophical Lodge in England during 1912 and moved to South Africa in 1952 to take up a position as a violinist with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Helen had been a T.S member for 63 years.

· 1976 Mr Pierre le Grange became Lodge President and hosted the National Convention in Cape Town. The theme was “Challenge for Today” Mr. Ivan Mitford-Barberton passed away at his home in Hout Bay. He had been an invalid for four years after suffering a stroke. Ivan joined the Society in 1937 became the Lodge President in 1948 and National President of the Section from 1954 until 1958. Ivan and his wife Pam attended the Adyar International Convention in 1950, and in 1951 travailed extensively in India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Ivan was an accomplished sculptor and his work can be found all over South Africa. His most famous work is a statue of General Jan Smuts which stands in the Gardens, Cape Town. A smaller copy stands outside Jan Smuts House in Irene, near Pretoria. Willy Myburg, a faithful Lodge member, also passed away during the year. 1977 Mrs Pam Mitford-Barberton advised members at the National Convention in Johannesburg that she was discontinuing the publication “Lodge of the Air”, which Pam had been editing single-handedly since the first issue in 1963. The printing and distribution unfortunately became prohibitively expensive. This excellent publication had been distributed throughout Southern Africa and to readers in other countries Mr Harry Stainton, who had been so active with his wife, passed away aged 72. He was Lodge President for various periods between 1937 and 1967. His wise counsel was sought after by many.

· 1978 Mrs. Pam Mitford-Barberton again became Lodge President for three years.

· 1981 Mr K. MacDonald became Lodge President for three years.

· 1983 Rev. Bob Steyn became Lodge President for two years.

· 1985 Mrs Rosemary Voss became Lodge President until 1988.

· 1986 Elizabeth Strydom, a member of Cape Town Lodge for several years passed away in England during September, aged 92.

· 1988 At the National Convention in Durban it was stated that Cape Town Lodge wanted to decorate their premises but could not afford it. Then the Durban Lodge loaned the Cape Town Lodge R1000 to enable them to carry out the necessary work.

· 1989 Mrs Rene Borros became Lodge President for three years.

· 1990 The National Convention was held in Cape Town after a break of many years. It was a great success and did much to stimulate the work in Cape Town.

· 1991 Cape Town Lodge celebrated the HPB Centenary Year over a two day period in May.

· 1992 Mr Robert Matzdorff became Lodge President until 2000.

· 1996 Mr Bupedra Vora, General Secretary of the East and Central African Section, was the Guest Speaker at the National Convention in Johannesburg. After the Convention he and his wife and Navin Shah were accompanied by the General Secretary and Mrs Davis on a lecture tour of the county and one of the most important stops was in Cape Town. Bhupendra gave some good talks in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Pretoria.

· 1994 The National Convention was held in Cape Town. Ruben Thuku (who is blind) was the international Guest Speaker, from Kenya . He was accompanied by Kiran Shah, Past General Secretary of the East and Central African Section. Jan Jelle Keppler also came to the Convention from Belgium and represented Holland and Belgium. The Convention Theme was: “To Investigate the Third Object – Realize your full Potential.”

· 1998 The International President, Mrs Radha Burnier, visited Cape Town during a lecture tour after the Johannesburg Centenary Convention. Radha Bunier was accompanied by her friend Sonja Luders, an Austrian Lady from Portugal, and the General Secretary, Tom Davis, and his wife Ann. The World Parliament of Religions was held in Cape Town between 1 and 8 December. Several of the members took part in a Peace March with a Theosophical banner from the Gardens to District Six which included the General Secretary and his wife Ann, the Assistant General Secretary Susan Kaschula and the Lodge President Robert Matzdorff. The General Secretary gave a talk on the history of the Theosophical Society and participated in two seminars and attended many of the events with his wife and other members. John Govender, the Vice-President of the Durban Lodge, gave a talk on Ghandi’s life in South Africa. There was a special peace-pole planting ceremony on Robben island in which Susan Kashula officiated and the General Secretary and wife Ann took part. Bishop Boudewijn Goudriaan of the Liberal Catholic Church and Johannesburg Lodge member, did the Christian blessing.

· 2000 Mr. Dennis Rothwell became Lodge President. Pamela Mitford-Baberton passed away in August 2000 aged 87. Pam was born in 1913. Her mother died when she was only 9 months old. Her uncle Tom Watson a Liberal Catholic Church priest, adopted her. (He later became a Bishop and was President of Johannesburg Lodge in 1942. Pam(Gibbs)(married Ivan Mitford-Barberton in 1937 and became Cape Town Lodge President several times from 1942 to 1947, 1962 to 1965 and 1978 to 1979. Pam started the “Lodge of the Air” magazine for the benefit of members who were unable to attend lodge meetings. Pam was also co-editor of the “Link magazine” for several years, which preceded the “South African Theosophist”. Pam was an accomplished artist who had taught at the Michaelis School of Fine After in Cape Town and was well-know as a portrait artist.

· 2002 The 19^th International Festival of Esoteric Sciences was held in Cape Town hosted by Dr Douglas Baker, an internationally famous Theosophist and esoteric author of more than a 100 books. The General Secretary, Mr Tom Davis, had been invited to give a series of lectures along with other international speakers at the Holiday Inn Garden Court Conference Centre in Mill Street, Gardens. During the event many members from Cape Town Lodge attended including the Lodge President Dennis Rothwell although he was not feeling at all well. The General Secretary as invited to an informal gathering at the home of the Lodge Secretary, Joy Parker.

· 2003 Mr Rob Bebe became Lodge President following the death of Dennis Rothwell.