The Armadale Lodge No. 94 (previously known as The
Goolamrup Lodge No. 94) was the first masonic lodge in the southeast
metropolitan area.
The Most Worshipful Grand Master Rt Rev C.O.L Riley
- Lord Bishop of Perth, consecrated the lodge in the old Kelmscott Public Hall
(now demolished) on the afternoon of Saturday, 15th March 1913.
The Lodge first met at the Kelmscott Primary School
located on River Road and took its original Noongar (Aboriginal) name from the district,
which is known, to the indigenous peoples as ‘Goolamrup’, today's suburb of
Kelmscott.
In Noongar culture, Goolamrup means ‘A Place of Young Man’.
Under the Warrant, the Lodge then met on the Monday
nearest ‘full moon’ of each month to enable the brethren to travel home safely
by moonlight.
The Lodge continued to meet at the primary school
until it obtained ownership of the current building at the corner of Fourth
Road and Church Avenue, Armadale at a cost of £500, with another £500 spent on
basic refurbishment.
The Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother F.A
McMullen dedicated the lodge Foundation Stone on Saturday, 28th July 1934.
With the ending of the World War in 1945 and the subsequent population boom of the
surrounding areas, The Armadale Lodge sponsored two other Lodges: Gosnells
Lodge No. 225 in 1947 Kelmscott Lodge No.265 in 1949.
In 1960, The Serpentine Lodge No. 301, (sponsored
by The Jarrahdale Lodge No.49 located in Mundijong in 1954), moved its meeting
place to the Armadale Masonic Hall to be more convenient for the majority of
its members.
The year 2000 saw The Goolamrup Lodge in some difficulty
regarding falling membership numbers (like many other masonic lodges at that
time).
The idea of a ‘twinning’ arrangement with
Serpentine Lodge was born with each lodge meeting on alternative months and
the members of each being associated members of the other lodge, thereby
keeping both lodges viable in the mid-term with a view of possible amalgamation
in the future.
On the 22nd of April 2004, the Goolamrup brethren
voted to officially change the lodge name to ‘The Armadale Lodge No. 94’, to
better reflect the location of the Lodge within the community and with a view
to bring the very successful ‘twinning’ arrangement with Serpentine Lodge to
finalisation.
On the 26th of June 2004, The Serpentine
Lodge No. 301 surrendered its Warrant, its brethren transferring their
allegiance and becoming full members of The Armadale Lodge No.94.
The official Armadale Lodge logo (front cover)
celebrates this occasion by the inclusion of the ‘Serpentine Falls’, as an
identifiable link to our past.
The lodge Latin motto ‘Dixiqtue Deus Fiat Lux Et Facta Est Lux’ (and God said ‘Let there
be light: and there was light’) is drawn from the ceremony of the 1st Degree
and is symbolically reflected with the sun rising over the Serpentine Falls.
On the 25th of February 2010, The Armadale
Lodge agreed to act as a sponsor for a proposed new lodge, born out of the
Gosnells and Kelmscott Lodges surrendering their respective Warrants.
Heritage Lodge No. 369 was concentrated at the
Victoria Park Masonic Hall (due to the halls larger seating capacity) on
Saturday, 3rd September 2010, thus becoming our newest 'daughter' lodge.
The Armadale Lodge celebrated is centenary
installation on Saturday, 29th June 2013, with Grand Lodge conducting a
re-enactment of consecration ceremony in the presence of 138 Freemasons who
came and witnessed this important milestone in Western Australian freemasonry.
As an enduring remembrance of our centenary ‘The Armadale
Lodge Centennial Scholarship’ (currently $500.00) was instituted in perpetuity
to a graduating student at Armadale Senior High School to build upon and encourage
the youth in the district to continue with ongoing studies.
Since 1913, The Armadale Lodge has welcomed (as of 12 January 2023) 575 men of all professions and occupations to its ranks; the
current membership stands at 27.
The Armadale Lodge of today has a growing
membership and continues with the same strong and vibrant passion as it
commenced 107 years ago, looking forward to the future whilst drawing strength
from its past; maintaining its high standards and remaining progressive to
welcome men to its ranks for years to come!
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