site map

music

about us

contact us

The Lodge of the Golden Fleece > music > History of Golden Fleece Orchestra

The Lodge of The Golden Fleece meets at East Melbourne on the second Friday of February, March, May, July, September and November.

History of Golden Fleece Orchestra

Wor Bro Weston Pett formed an orchestra when the Lodge was formed in 1922. Bro Les Barklamb and Bro Dr Kaye Scott joined the Lodge in 1930 and assisted the orchestra when practicable.

In 1932, the South Brunswick Lodge No 484 with the co-operation of the Wor Master, Bill McPherson and Bro Jack Lazarus decided to form an orchestra with professional musicians who were freemasons and were unemployed because of the depression of the 1930's. The arrangement was that Bill McPherson (who had a printing business) would provide transport for the orchestra in return for the orchestra providing harmony to the South Brunswick Lodge.

This allowed the orchestra to travel around both suburban and country lodges - mainly to Installations and Master's last nights - masters who could afford to do so engaged the orchestra, but they also passed around the hat amongst the members, and funds raised this way were evenly divided amongst the unemployed musicians. The orchestra became known as the Temple Orchestra and travelled as far as Broadford, Seymour, Castlemaine, Powelltown, Warburton and Hamilton.

In the 1930's there was no such thing as unemployment benefits as paid these days - the only income they would have would be what they earned playing at Lodge functions.

In 1943, because of the effects of the war, membership of the Golden Fleece orchestra had declined, and Bro Les Barklarnb approached Bro Jack Lazarus to see if it was feasible for the Temple Orchestra to combine with the Golden Fleece orchestra. The two orchestras combined and made what is the basis of the orchestra we have today (1991).

The combined orchestra in 1943 consisted of the following members:

• Bro H. Dempster - Organist & Pianist
• Wor Bro Ted Rawlins - Conductor
• Bro Bill Morris - Violin
• Bro Harold Winstanley - violin
• Bro Bob Herrod - violin
• Bro Reg Lazarus - Violin
• Bro Cecil Hargreaves - Violin
• Bro Capt Snape - Viola
• Bro Stan Haycroft - Cello
• Bro Fred Earp - Bass
• Bro Bill Graf - Clarinet
• Bro Dr Kaye Scott - Flute
• Wor Bro Xarv Rosenhain - Flute
• Bro Arthur Maddern - Flute
• Bro Geo Stewart - Trumpet
• Bro Les Iverson - Trumpet
• Bro Jack Lazarus - Trombone
• Bro Bill Lehmann - Drums

With a combination such as this the orchestra was able to attract musicians who had a love of music and made a hobby of making music. This has been an asset to the Lodge of the Golden Fleece (as well as the objective of the Orchestra today). Over the years the Golden Fleece Orchestra has been able to attract such players as:

• Bro Les Barklarnb - Flute - player and teacher. Was principal flute player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and also Senior Tutor and Examiner of Flute at the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music. He conducted the orchestra on many occasions. Les has been a member of the Lodge over 60 years (1991) and played an important part in combining the 2 orchestras in 1943.
• Bro Dr. Kaye Scott - Flute & Piccolo and Conductor - a brilliant medical practitioner and a brilliant musician - a member of the Lodge of the Golden Fleece from 1930 to 1991. He conducted the orchestra in the 1970's and 1980"s and made his home available for orchestra rehearsals. The orchestra rehearsed there from 1968 to 1989.
• Wor Bro Ted Rawlins - Conductor - Musical Director at the Princess Theatre 'in the "Heydays" of musical comedy.
• Bro William Morris - Conductor and violinist - a professional musician in the evenings and watchmaker and repairer during the day.
• Bro Jack Lazarus - Trombone and String Bass - played in the theatre orchestras for many years. He was a person responsible for forming the Temple orchestra that later combined with the Golden Fleece Orchestra, a very fine musician and citizen. Played with the Golden Fleece Orchestra in the 1940’s, 50's and 60’s. Father of Reg Lazarus (q.v.)
• Bro Harry N. Lazaraus - was musical director of Hoyts Theatres and the musician who was responsible for the installation of the Wurlitzer Organs in various Hoyts Theatres in the 'silent' film days. He was also the musical director and accompanist to "Ella Shields" of Burlington Bertie fame and toured the world several times with her. He was also a member of the musical team known as the "3 Australian Boys" that toured England in the 1930's. He returned to Australia in 1939 as musical director of the Tivoli Theatre. He conducted the Lodge orchestra in the 1970's.
• Bro Bill Glasford - Lead violinist of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and on his retirement from that orchestra, played regularly with the Golden Fleece orchestra in the 1980's.
• Bro Colin Kerr - lead viola player in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and on his retirement, played regularly with the Golden Fleece orchestra. He was a recognised repairer of musical instruments.
• V Wor Bro Ern Shade - the Past Grand Director of Music and conductor of the Grand Lodge Choir. Conducted the Lodge orchestra in the latter 1970's.
• Bro Fred Earp - Bass player and Baritone singer, who was also responsible for arranging music that is still played in Masonic services.
• Wor Bro Xarv Rosenhain - Flute player - a very fine musician also a prominent business man had a customs agency business in Melbourne.
• Wor Bro Les Ivorson - Trumpet player - a Technical School teacher (vice principal of Yallourn and Swinburne Technical colleges) played with the Lodge orchestra in 1950's & 60's.
• Bro Wally Martin - Clarinet - Taxation investigator - played with orchestra in 1950's & 1960’s
• Bro Dud Smith - Drummer - also chief diesel mechanical engineer for the Tramways at their Central Bus Depot played drums for many years in 1950's & 60's until retirement to Eddington Vic (near Bendigo).
• Bro Stan Haycroft - Cello player - professional musician and also a business man. Stan played with the orchestra until he moved to the Gold Coast in the early 1970's.
• Bro Jim Fletcher - Trombone - also a business man, played with the orchestra in 1970's and 80's.
• Wor Bro Stan Code - Trombone player - with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for many years and on his retirement played with the Golden Fleece orchestra.
• Bro Bob Herrod - violin and Viola - a professional musician also a qualified electrician - father of Bill and Harold Herrod (both q.v.)
• Wor Bro George Trueman - Organist and Pianist - Real Estate agent (now retired) Past Master of the Lodge of the Golden Fleece. Past Grand Organist. A very capable organist, who is licensed to play the organ in the Melbourne Town Hall. He was organist at a leading Melbourne Church for many years, and played with the Golden Fleece orchestra for many years.
• Wor Bro Maurie Turk - Trumpet - Grand Lodge Herald & Grand Mark D.C - played with the Golden Fleece orchestra during 1980's.
• Bro Cecil Hargreaves - Violinist (& Trombone) - played with Golden Fleece orchestra for many years from the 1940's until the 1970's.
• R Wor Bro Harold Herrod - Violin and viola - a qualified electrician and business man. Harold has in later years turned his hand to painting. He has had several paintings hung in various galleries around Melbourne. Harold has played with the orchestra since the 1950's.
• Wor Bro Bill Herrod - Pianist, Organist & String Bass player. A qualified electrician and Past Master of the Lodge. Bill has played with this orchestra since the 50's and is also a regular player with the Zelman orchestra.
• Wor Bro Lewis Coleman - Conductor and Trombone player - a qualified accountant, works as a programmer for a leading oil company, played for Preston Orchestra for many years. Played in many orchestras formed for a number of musical comedy societies
• Bro Reg Lazarus - violinist and librarian - was a textile engineer and was responsible for installing and maintaining machinery for a leading textile company for may years, He was initiated into South Brunswick Lodge in 1933 and has played his violin at practically every lodge meeting since then. He is also responsible for arranging the programs for each lodge meeting as well as acting as General Manager of the orchestra. Reg and his wife, Dorothy, plus Dud Smith (see previous) and Lew Coleman's father (Marc) played together as a Dance Orchestra in the 30's.
• Bro Own Jones - Flute and String Bass player - a qualified aeronautical Engineer, Own has played regularly with the orchestra since 1970's. He is also a very capable music arranger and has arranged the music to play the Wor Master into the South for many years.
• Bro Eric McGee - Violin - building contractor. Eric has played with the orchestra regularly during the 1980's and 90's - the orchestra now rehearses at his home in North Balwyn on the 1st Wednesday each month exceptinq January.
• Bro Len Rosenthal - Violinist and French Horn - was a Tool maker with the Govt. Aircraft Corporation. Len has played with the orchestra since he 1960's - quite a large amount of the music played comes from Len's Music Library.
• V Wor Bro Bert Guy - Clarinet player. A very highly respected person in the retail music world in particular and in music generally. He has played regularly with the orchestra since the 1950's.
• Bro Keith Bulman - Trumpet player - qualified accountant. Very well known as a cornet player of distinction with a number of "A" Grade Brass bands in Melbourne. He has played with the lodge orchestra since the 1950's.
• Bro Dr Richard Sheill - Flute player and Assistant Grand Herald (Tenor Horn). A highly respected medical practitioner specialising in plastic surgery. He joined the orchestra and the lodge in 1990. Often arrives in the Lodge South 'just in time', after having commuted from Sydney where his vocation takes him regularly.
• Bro Lorenzo (Laurie) Grimmett - Drummer - had a hairdressing business in Williamstown. He has played the drums in the orchestra since early 1980's.
• Bro Bill Rodqers -Clarinet - builder and contractor. Played the clarinet with the orchestra since the 1980's.
• Bro Bill Webb - Trumpet player - has played with the orchestra since the mid 1980's. Commutes from Anglesea to Lodge.
• Bro Vic Sykes - French Horn player - civil and construction engineer - has played with the orchestra since the late 1980's. Plays with a number of other symphony orchestras around Melbourne.

The Orchestra has been assisted on many occasions with musicians such as:

• Merv Simpson Trumpet M.S.O. and Footscray,Yarraville Brass Eland.,
• Ernest Lighten Percussionist Xylophone - M.S.O.
• Frank Thorn Violinist - Conductor A.B.C. Show Band
• lan McDonough Violinist - now with London Symphony Orchestra

The orchestra for the past 4 years, has given a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon to residents and friends of the Freemasons' Homes in Punt Road Prahran on a Sunday afternoon in September or October.

The orchestra acknowledges the following people who have kindly made their homes available and provided hospitality for rehearsals:- Bro Jack and Mrs Lazarus - 1945 to 1964, Wor Bro Arthur and Mrs Margaret Berry - 1964 to 1968, Bro Dr Kaye and Mrs Connie Scott - 1968 to 1989, Bro Eric and Mrs Helen McGee - 1989 to 1991

Many of the musicians of the Lodge orchestra had trades and professions, but all played music for the Love of good Music and also the good Brotherhood created and dispersed by so doing,

Many musicians in the above comments were members of the Thespian Lodge No 232 or Orpheus Lodge No 393, both Daylight Lodges, both being formed to suit performing artists and musicians who worked in the evenings.

Author: Bro Reg Lasarus September 1991 Edited; Wor Bro Lewis Coleman November 1991