WBRO John Benjamin Goulburn PGD – Deputy Provincial Gran Master – 1908-1918
CRAFT
- He was initiated into St.Georges Lodge No.1723 in Bolton in 1882 aged 26.
- Master of St.Georges Lodge in 1891.
- First Provincial appointment- PProvJGD in 1895.
- Also served as Master of Anchor and Hope No.34 and of Felicity Lodge No.64.
- Grand Lodge Appointments – 1903-PGStdB (Eng) – 1908 promoted to PAGDC(Eng) and later to PGD.
- 1908- Appointed as Deputy Provincial Grand Master a post he held until his death in 1918.
Goulburn Lodge No.3478 Bolton was named after him and he was present at the consecration of that Lodge on 11 January 1911 and he installed the first WM of that Lodge – WBro J.C.Broadbent. Later he was made an Honorary Member of that Lodge.
ROYAL ARCH
- Second Provincial Grand Principal from 1908 until his death in 1918.
- In Supreme Grand Chapter he held the rank of RGSoj.
- The Goulburn Chapter No.3478 was also named after him but he died before that Chapter was consecrated in 1919.
MARK
He was Deputy Provincial Grand Master from 1900-1908 and he held the rank of PGOverseer.
MEMORIAL
Following the Death of WBro Goulburn on 18 November 1918 aged 61 years the Masons of East Lancashire funded a Memorial to him which was erected in the Church Yard at St.Anne’s Turton with the epitaph of “ Faithful in his work- he was loved and respected by all his Brethren”.
PORTRAITS
Whilst he was Deputy Provincial Grand Master two portraits of JBG were commissioned – one for the Provincial Headquarters at Bridge Street Manchester and that can still be seen in “The Goulburn Suite “ in Manchester where his memory is perpetuated. The second copy of the portrait was a personal one for JBG. In 1933 his widow donated this portrait to Bolton Masonic Hall- the plaque to mark the Centenary of his death will be placed adjacent to this copy of his portrait which can be found on the staircase to the main Lodge Room.
FOUNDING OTHER LODGES AND SIDE DEGREES
In addition to founding Goulburn Lodge in 1911 JBG was very active in the promotion of Freemasonry in Bolton and he was a founder for the following:
- Super Moras Lodge in 1908.
- Royal Ark Mariners in Bolton in 1910.
- Allied Degree Bolton branch in 1914 known as “The Goulburn Council Number 36”.
- Boltonian Lodge in 1914.
- Kitchener Lodge in 1917.
BRIDGE STREET TEMPLE MANCHESTER
Together with the RWPGM Lord Derby he was instrumental in the building of a new Masonic Temple in Bridge Street Manchester – hence the Derby and Goulburn Suites.
The new Temple was dedicated to those East Lancashire Masons who perished in the Great War.
Ian Buttress – November 2018
