Incredible story of WWII fighter pilot Len Thorne
Flying as one When fighter pilot Len Thorne saw one of his squadron shot down in World War II, little did he think that more than forty-five years later…
Freemasonry
Freemasonry consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. The degrees of freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. These are the degrees offered by Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry. Members of these organisations are known as Freemasons or Masons. There are additional degrees, which vary with locality and jurisdiction, and are usually administered by different bodies than the craft degrees.
The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry is the Lodge. The Lodges are usually supervised and governed at the regional level (usually coterminous with either a state, province, or national border) by a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient. There is no international, world-wide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry; each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognise each other as being legitimate.
HRH The Duke of Kent on the importance recruitment and retention
Good examples HRH The Duke of Kent explains why recruitment and retention should be your responsibility, whatever your rank Whether you…
John Hamill on the value of masonic artefacts
What’s heritage worth? While historic masonic items may not have huge monetary value, Director of Special Projects John Hamill explains why they are…
Woodsmoke Lodge No. 9317 hosts additional Prestonian Lecture
Scouting and masonic parallels Mirfield Masonic Hall in West Yorkshire was packed to capacity when Woodsmoke Lodge, No. 9317, which is a…
Peter Lowndes on how the English Constitution is working together
United we stand Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes considers how the future of Freemasonry depends on every part of the organisation working together For…
Address to Provincial Grand Lodge May 2014
As this is my first time addressing the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, I think it appropriate for me to ask all those to stand who are…
Grand Master’s address – April 2014
Craft Annual Investiture 30 April 2014 An address by the MW The Grand Master HRH The Duke of Kent, KG Brethren, I want to start by saying…
The University Scheme
The scheme was established in 2005, its objective being “to establish arrangements and opportunities for undergraduates and other University members to…
Spreading the Wings of Freemasonry
It is with a degree of envy that I listen to and read the exploits of those Freemasons who belong to an Association that supports, encourages and shares…
Whom Have You There? Biographies of the men behind the Portraits Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire
The biographies reflect the changing socio-economic status of these men from wealthy land owning members of the nobility to middle class business men and professionals. It is set in a period of immense change in Freemasonry with the expansion of Lodges and growth in membership.