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.
RWM Bro. Douglas Abercrombie, receives a ‘local hero’ award
RWM Bro. Douglas Abercrombie, receiving a ‘local hero’ award for his fund raising efforts on behalf of Kilmaron School in Cupar
WBro Raymond Macaree PJGD receives 60 year long service certificate
WBro Raymond Macaree PJGD received his 60 year long service certificate from the Provincial Grand Master.
Masonic Casual Classics – Official UGLE Licensed Merchandise
To help celebrate 300 years of Freemasonry in England and Wales United Grand Lodge of England has licensed the production of polo shirts and caps bearing the special Tercentenary branding.
Teddies help youngsters face time in hospice
Tom Davies, a member of Planet Lodge of Freemasons, has been a great champion of the Helen and Douglas House Hospice and has donated £,2000 to the charity that he raised from the sale of second-hand masonic regalia to Freemasons in Bucks.
Downton Masonic Lodge helps local primary school
300 hours for 300 years is the initiative launched by Bro Stephen Bridge APrGM in support of the Tercentenary of United Grand Lodge and When members of Downton Lodge Lodge No. 9064 heard that a local primary school
Freemasons give £300 cheque to St Mary’s Lifeboat Scilly
Five inshore lifeboats were given money at an annual Charity Presentation Day by Freemasons of the Province of Cornwall, which saw more than £42,000 presented to local Cornish Charities. This brought the total to £118,000 over a six-week period. As no-one from the islands could attend the Presentation Day on the mainland, the cheque to St Mary’s Lifeboat was presented locally by Godolphin Charity Steward W Bro Ian Wrigley.
Group of lodges build masonic temple on side of local cricket club
When a group of lodges in Kidderminster wanted to relocate from the cellar of a hotel, joining a local cricket club proved to be the perfect solution
In December 2015 the Membership Focus Group launched a strategic paper that identified masonic centres as a key area for improvement in the organisational development of Freemasonry. With many centres not considered fit for purpose by the members who meet in them, the challenge for lodges is how to turn a legacy problem into an opportunity.
Freemasons donation supports Stoke Mandeville renal unit
Master of Aylesbury Lodge of Freemasons, Malcolm Summers, has presented a cheque for £1,060 to senior consultant Dr Richard Haynes and consultant Dr Naim Ahmadouk in support of the life-saving work of the Stoke Mandeville renal unit.
Foundation for the future
Northumberland Provincial Grand Master John Craigs rededicated the replacement stone at the ceremony, also attended by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Assistant Grand Masters, the Provincial Chaplain, Provincial Secretary and representatives from each of the Masonic lodges and orders which meet at the hall.