It was a fine sunny morning in St Annes,1 as the brethren and guests of Foxhall Lodge No 7484 made their way to the Palace Masonic Hall, the highlight of the day being the celebration meeting for Thomas Goodier, who has been a member of Freemasonry for a magnificent 60 years.
The lodge was opened promptly at 11am by the WM, Mike Hornby who completed the routine business of the lodge. Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Geoff Diggles announced that Assistant Provincial Grand Master Michael Tax stood without and demanded admission. The procession of grand and acting Provincial grand officers were admitted followed by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Michael Tax.
Michael was offered the gavel of the lodge by WM Mike and he graciously accepted it for the purpose of celebrating Tom’s 60 years in this ancient fraternity. Michael requested Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Geoff Diggles to place Tom before him, so that he may address him.
Michael commenced the presentation by saying that Tom was born in 1941 and attended various schools in Preston where he sang in the choir. Tom’s involvement in the Church led him to join the cubs and then the scouts where he became a patrol leader. Tom was also active in the Boys Brigade where he played the drums. On the sporting front, his main love was cricket where he played on Ashton Park. Tom also learned to swim and he would improve his swimming by attending Saul Street Baths in Preston.
At the age of 13, Tom moved to Blackpool where his father had a change of occupation, going to work at the local bakery. Tom attended the local boys’ school, whilst at the school Tom played in the midfield for the school football team. Supporting Preston, Blackburn and Blackpool Football Clubs, although Preston definitely came first. Tom also excelled at cricket where he batted at either number two or number three and he dabbled as a spin bowler. Cricket interest saw him join the local cricket club where he played until the age of 45 years having been a committee member for 15 years.
Towards the end of his school life, Tom also attended night school which resulted in an increase from bottom grades at Preston to top of B stream at Blackpool. Gaining an A in English and maths which helped him to go on to attain City and Guilds and Higher National Certificate class in electrical engineering at technical college.
Leaving school at aged 15, Tom worked initially for a local electrical firm, obtaining the job primarily due to having delivered papers to the boss’s house, often chatting to his wife and helping on occasions with menial tasks. Without knowing it, that definitely paid dividends, however, he was summoned to the front room of the house and told that he would start work on the Monday immediately after school finished on the Friday. This resulted in no summer holidays at all.
Tom started work as an apprentice electrician but also continued with his paper round as money at home was tight. The apprenticeship finished at aged 19 upon gaining full craftsman status. Tom joined British Aerospace as an instrument apprentice but was appalled and driven crazy by the bureaucracy, so he decided to go back into the private sector, working for another local electrical contractor where he was involved in re-wiring shops. This gave Tom a wide range of experience and also his first attendance at Blackpool Masonic Hall sorting out light fittings where it transpired that his boss was a Freemason. Tom moved employer once again, installing automatic boiler stokers in commercial greenhouses which led him to join Blackpool Corporation Electrical Services working in schools, swimming pools and public buildings.
Being highly charged at the tender age of 23, Tom decided to go solo and set up his own business which would subsequently employ 10 other electricians. As an instinctive person by nature, this led Tom to purchase a failing rock factory. Tom had some time on his hands and the rock factory was on the same site where his team were working, Tom wandered in where he was taken by the smell of sweets and the processes by which they were made. His sweet tooth got the better of him and The Blackpool Candy Company was born. Things were going really well until a fire struck and a loop-hole in insurance resulted in a shortfall to restart the business.
Tom married his first wife, who he had known from school and whose father was the Mayor of Blackpool and subsequently his proposer into Freemasonry. They had a son and daughter from that marriage of 21 years; but a mutual split would result in yet another change in direction when Tom took on the tenancy of a public house at Blackburn. The large music driven pub was great fun for a few years and that is where Tom met his second wife. It would be 16 years later however before Tom was actually married for the second time and then only due to being challenged to do so by some close friends. A move to another public house at Preston was the start of a new world for Tom’s family and over recent years the family has expanded even further with grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even great-great grandchildren!
Five years after taking on the second public house, his impetuous desire for a new challenge took him back into the building industry where he worked with his son for eight years. Buying a run-down block of flats which they gradually repaired. It was a quirk of fate and further evidence of Tom’s propensity to give service before self that led him to design the flats for the use of alcoholics in the Alcoholics Anonymous programme.
On a whim, Tom went to look at a boat, buying a 30-foot motor sailor which he kept for six years resulting in him passing his international sailing certificate qualification. Sadly, due to his wife’s health and difficulty in her being able to board and alight the vessel, Tom sold the boat.
Tom’s original father-in-law invited him to consider becoming a Freemason and he was duly seconded. The interview took place at Lytham Green Drive Golf Club where his entry into Freemasonry almost came to an abrupt end before it had even started. Tom had attended straight from work and 30-foot was prevented from entering the golf club until he had changed into a jacket and tie. All subsequently went well and Tom was initiated into Lytham Lodge No 6915 in 1966.
The lodge subsequently moved to the Palace Masonic Hall in St Annes. Tom recalled that there were always about 40 members at every lodge meeting. The festive board at that time included all beers in the meal ticket price. There were ceremonies regularly held and Lytham Lodge always took pride in opening and closing in full from the third degree down.
Having progressed through all the offices Tom became WM in 1976. Following his year as immediate past master, he took on the position of assistant director of ceremonies and through circumstances out of his control he was put into the director of ceremonies position for the installation meeting. Tom completed 11 years as director of ceremonies.
Tom has been a stalwart of Lytham Lodge having been assistant secretary from 1998 to 2000, group representative from 1987 to 2013, almoner from 2009 to 2015, treasurer from 2015 and also director of ceremonies from 2019, holding both roles until the lodge sadly handed in its warrant in 2023. Tom briefly joining Lodge of Triumph No 1061 and in November 2024 he joined Foxhall Lodge eventually becoming an honorary member of the lodge.
Tom’s commitment to Freemasonry was recognised by the appointment to Past Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1987, a promotion to Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works in 1993 and further promotion to the high rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2001.
Tom was exalted into Clifton Chapter No 703 in April 1968 and joined Semper Fidelis Chapter No 4428 in 1998, becoming first principal in 2009. Appointment to Provincial Grand Chapter came in 1997 as Past Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies and promoted in 2004 to Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer and promoted again in 2013 to the exceptional rank of Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah.
Michael informed Tom that the Provincial Grand Master, Mark Matthews is aware of the celebration today and he sends his personal greetings in the form of a certificate. Michael called upon the group vice chairman, Ian Park, to read aloud the certificate. Ian also had the honour of presenting Tom with a 60 years lapel badge on behalf of the South Fylde Group.
Tom was then presented with the framed certificate commemorating his 60 years of service to the fraternity by Michael, who concluded the proceedings in the lodge room by offering Tom his warmest personal congratulations on achieving this wonderful milestone in his Masonic career.
The festive board was a delight to be a part of, Tom was showered with gifts and cards from the brethren of the lodge, the food was superb, the company was excellent, the toasts equally as good as the company and it was an amazing afternoon and a great pleasure by all present to celebrate Tom’s remarkable achievement.
