History of Goliath Lodge 1936-1986

A Masonic thought: "Our object is not so much to get more men into Freemasonry, as to get more Masonry into men." Dr. Charles Johnson

In the year 1934, a group of members of the Samson Lodge No. 1668 and of the Hercules Lodge No. 4805 conceived the idea of founding a new Lodge. The feeling was that in their own Lodges, the prospects of promotion for the younger Brethren was limited, and so it was that on November 8 1934, the intended founders met at the residence of Bro. Louis Witmond, under the chairmanship of Wor. Bro. David Levy and it was then that they decided to ask Grand Lodge for a form of Petition.

Brother Albert Rabson had several further meetings at his residence and it was decided at one of these meetings that as the majority of the Founder members came from the Hercules Lodge, they would sponsor the new Lodge.

In August 1935 it was learned that Grand Lodge had been pleased to forward the Petition. In due course the Petition was signed in Open Lodge by the Master and Warden of Hercules Lodge on October 24 1935.

As Samson and Hercules are traditionally strong men it was decided the name Goliath would be appropriate to carry the idea of strength on. On November 17 1935, a further meeting took place of the Founders, who were informed that the Petition had been granted by the M. W., the Grand Master and accordingly arrangements were put in hand for the Consecration. This took place in the Grand Temple at the Cafe Royal on Monday, March 2, 1936, the Consecration being performed-by the then Grand Secretary, R. W. Bro. Sir P. Colville Smith P.G.W, assisted by W. Bro. H. Crookshank, M.P., S.G.D., S.W. W. Bro. M. Beachcroft, O.B.E., P.G.D., J.W., W. Bro. The Rev J. Johnson P.A.G., Chap., W. Bro C.R. Braddley, P. Dep. G.D.C., D/C, W. Bro., J.W. Webster, P.A.G. Pur I. G.

The first meeting was held at Frascarti's Restaurant, Oxford Street, London W1 and the first regular Lodge meeting took place on Wednesday April 15, 1936.

It was at this meeting that our Banner was presented to the Lodge by Bro. Alfred A. Jacobs (First Junior Deacon) and was dedicated. The dedication ceremony was performed by W. Bro. Dayan H. Lazarus, who then read Psalm LXVII. The Banner was unveiled and the Brethren joined in singing the Dedication Hymn: Great Architect, to thee we raise with joy our grateful songs of praise, our Brethren neath this Banner, Bless and crown their labours with success. may peace be with us evermore and Love extend from shore to shore; May we in Harmony combine and bless Most High, the Praise be thine.

The first initiate was Simon Abrahamson who was initiated 15 April 1936 and made such progress that he became W.M. in 1943 and A.D.C. from 1956 to 1960. On the 9 September 1936, Wor. Bro. Rev Dayan Lazarus was declared an Honorary Member by a show of hands for services rendered.

Bro. Peter Myers, a joining member in Goliath, was initiated and passed in our Mother Lodge Hercules, but was raised at the second regular Lodge meeting on September 9, 1936. He went on to become W.M. in 1944 and A.D.C. from 1953 to 1956 and D.C. from 1956 to 1960.

W. Bro Gabriel Abrahams L.R. occupied the Master's Chair on 15 April 1936 and was our first Wor. Master.

On the 21 April 1937 the first Installation Meeting took place and Bro. Hyman Grant was our first Master Elect and the second Wor. Master. This meeting was unique, for not only was Hyman Grant installed as Wor. Master, but at this same meeting, a Ballot was taken for a joining member, as well as a Ballot for an Initiate, Mr Max Pitt and Mr Abraham Marcus Koster who were initiated. These two were balloted for on the 17 February 1937.

After the untimely deaths of Wor. Bro. Gabriel Abrahams and Wor. Bro. Nathan Koster who was always very active in Freemasonry acting as Sponsoring Officer of the Peace and Friendship Lodge 7414 which was consecrated on 26 October 1955, the Brethren dedicated themselves to collect money from many Lodges and donated it to the Royal Masonic Hospital and our two Brethren were honoured by having a Ward named after them.

It was at the third meeting on Wednesday 9 September 1936 that our Lodge performed the Three Degrees and this we added as a regular practice (except at Installation Meetings), right up until the outbreak of the Second World War.

WORLD WAR II

Bro. Joseph Conway became W.M. on 19 April 1939 and on Wednesday 20 September 1939 which was to be his first working meeting, Grand Lodge decided to cancel all meetings owing to the outbreak of hostilities.

Bro. Albert Rabson, Master Elect, was installed W.M. on 17 April 1940, and held that office during 1941 and 1942.

Two previous meetings were cancelled, one on September 20, 1939 by Edict of Grand Lodge and the other on September 18 1940 (during the Battle of Britain). It was decided to hold other meetings in the afternoon, preceded by a light meal. The attendance at the first regular meeting after Wor. Bro. Albert Rabson was installed as Master, was very small as there were only twelve members present and one visitor and the Tyler.

SPONSORSHIP OF NEW LODGES

As the Lodge grew in strength like its predecessors, Samson and Hercules, the members of this Lodge felt that the younger Brethren were not having the opportunity for promotion, and so in September 1947, the Lodge sponsored the petition for the formation of the Lodge of Eternal Light No. 6568, and this was consecrated in January 1948, and Wor. Bro. Albert Rabson had the great honour of being its first Master.

MEETING AND FESTIVE BOARDS

The meeting place of the Lodge was changed is September 1944 from Frascarti's Restaurant to Freemasons Hall, and dining at the Connaught Rooms, but the dining arrangement was changed in May 1978 to the Europe Restaurant, 109 Kingsway. This was decided because of the rising cost at the Connaught Rooms as it would have left no alternative but to increase the fees if the Lodge had to pay their minimum fee of £7.56 per person. In 1984 the Brethren felt the need to return to the Connaught Rooms once again, and this we have been doing since November 1985.

LODGE OF INSTRUCTION

Since the formation of the Lodge, the Brethren had made use of the services of the Hendon School of Instruction under the preceptorship of Wor. Bro. Gabriel Abrahams and Wor Bro Albert Rabson but it was felt that it was now time to have our own Lodge of Instruction and this was established in 1951 by resolution in Open Lodge. The Preceptor was Wor. Bro. LH. Levy L.G.R.

Since 1951, the Lodge had many venues under the Preceptorship of Wor. Bro. A. Taylor (who was also D.C. at the Silver Jubilee Meeting). Wor. Bro. A. Duinkerk, Wor. Bro. R. Epps and now our present Preceptor Wor. Bro. Barnett Manning.

Our family ever grew, and then in its turn, the Lodge of Eternal Light sponsored the formation of Euclid Lodge No. 7464 a Lodge of Installed Masters, in 1956, and it was in this Lodge that our Wor. Bro. Albert Rabson was given the honour of being the first S.W. and the third Master of the Lodge.

As time passed by our Lodge felt the need to sponsor yet another Lodge and in April 1952 Goliath sponsored the formation of the Menorah Lodge No. 7195 and this was consecrated in July 1952 with Bro. Arthur (Archie) Taylor as first S.W. and second Master. The Goliath Chapter of Royal Arch Masons was sponsored in February 1948 and consecrated in March 1949 with Ex-Companion Gabriel Abrahams as first Preceptor.

With the passing of time many of the younger Brethren moved up in Rank. Some achieved L.G.R., others S.L.G.R. and other Grand Lodge honours, but alas our founders became fewer and of sixteen founder members, only one now remains, our own Grand Officer Albert Rabson, P.A.G.D.C. and we send to him our warmest Fraternal Greetings on this our Golden Jubilee.

W. Bro. Bernard Rappaport, who was initiated into the Goliath Lodge on 17 November 1937, became Wor. Master on 18 April 1945, and was appointed Almoner of the Lodge on 19 November 1975 and has held this office for the past ten years.

The Lodge's highest attendance meeting was when Thomas Hicks (known as Tommy Steel) O.B.E. was initiated into Goliath Lodge on the 30 September 1964, passed 17 September 1969 and raised on 15 September 1971.

The Masonic Charities have always had the full support of the Lodge these being The Royal Masonic Hospital, The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys, The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

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