International Order of Good Templars

The I.O.G.T was formed in 1851in America as a temperance and philosophical society,by 1868 it was established in Europe where,by 1900, it had over 13 million members in Great Britain including Keir Hardie founder of the first UK Labour Party. Unlike other fraternal societies of the day it encouraged female/family membership and played a significant part in the Suffragette movement.In Western Australia the Order was already established by the 1870s and in 1874 the Reverend William Traylen,Wesleyan Minister of York established a Chapter in Northam with the assistance of George Throssel, a Northam identity; initial enrolment was forty souls. Perth had Chapters in most Suburbs,in January,1878 the IOGT held what was described as " a monster demonstration" in the Perth Town Hall. The organisation continued to grow with Chapters being established in most country towns,after WW2 membership gradually decreased until, in 1965, the order in WA was wound up and the assets given to the WA Temperance Alliance.today it operates mainly against drug and alcohol addiction and has orders in some 22 countries but not in Australia. The Memorial is located in the gardens at the rear of the Supreme Court,Perth,It is dedicated to fallen Brethren of both the 1914-18 and 1939-45 Wars but individual names are not given. Constructed of Granite it now has the appearance of rusty iron from years of being bathed in the bore water used to water the gardens. The Govenor,Sir Francis Newdegate, performed the unveiling 12th.March,1922.

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