Interesting item on BBC breakfast news about Freemasons. They interviewed a bloke who boasted about how it is not secret and raises millions for charity. He was asked about the handshake and if it was secret, he said it was not secret but refused to show it because he took a vow not to show it.

Anyone on here prepared to declare they are Freemasons?

I'm very interested in the whole concept, but haven't yet dared to spend time reading up and digging into it yet, but it is certainly something I will take interest in when time allows.
Even if it's just to confirm all the rumours one way or another.

My Grandad is a freemason, went through all the degrees, has been a Worshipful Master at a few different lodges. I went along to a few open door things to get a feel for it at Roses Lodge in Colne, wasn't for me. Nice people who do a lot for charity but it's a bit weird and I don't believe in god.

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Sounds very odd.

My dad was worshipful master at the Burnley lodge in 1988. I went to the ‘ladies evening’, quite a big event in the Masonic calendar, and a rare occasion where family are allowed. Thought it was a bit odd when all these friends of my dad whom I’d met many times were referring to each other as ‘brother then surname ‘. Asked my dad about the handshake many times but he never let on. As far as I can make it out it’s just a fancy boys club, but I do know they do a lot of good work for charities.

I have not been a freemason my self but my father was so was both my mother and father inlaws.
At 17 II chose Rotaract,then Roundtable myself mainly at the time the people in Rotaract were 18 to 28 year olds as against the ones in Freemasons were 40- 80 yr olds.
My own understanding is that they are not a secret society but a society with secrets. They give millions to charity every year and up until recently never talked openly about who money was given to as in a lot of cases it would be to people or organisations who were possibley to proud or not able to get funds from the state or banks.
They used to have there own hospitals bit like bupa but free to people with out money charges to people with own funding.
Lat year they gave an additional £3 million openly to several charitys.
n Rotaract, Round table and Rotary quite often when they give money they do it openly and often is in the press.

The negative side like with any organisation/Religion or culture is that people may have in the past got favors, jobs for being in one of these groups.
London met were once accused of freemasons being in the top jobs, I argued this with my father who said that in Burnley police most of the top positions were Catholics (this was when you had different police forces like county police and town police)

My dad and uncle loved it....myself and my brother joining although after my dad died in 1998 I gave up going mainly because it always felt like dad should be there. Members at a Lodge in Padiham.

All I can say is that it was generally a good bunch of blokes who enjoyed a night together. The concept is a bit strange and certainly needed modernising a bit as it was dominated by an older group, but all I can say is that I saw nothing untoward, no bent coppers, no people murdered for having broken secrets or promises! Certainly nothing like the media from time to time plays it. I’d guess in the day you were equally as likely to run into corrupt people etc at The a Golf Club, Rotary, Round Table and so on.

They did do a lot for charity and in some ways it was good that they’d hand donations over without wanting all the publicity ie they didn’t do it for any personal thanks/face in the paper etc. I was also in Round Table which was a younger membership and all I can say is that the behaviour and standards by a few there left a lot to be desired even though, again they do a lot for the community but publicise it.

I’d be surprised if Masonary didn’t fizzle out anyway having had its day and not attracting new members - other organisations like RT, Rotary etc all struggling as life styles have changed, younger generation simply not committed to the community type of organisations. Shame really.

I had a neighbour who was a Mason, and he was a really nice bloke but didn't like to talk about it too much.

I also had a boss who was a Mason, and I ended up being sacked from the organisation for a security breach (as in they framed me), I suspect it was due to my ill health at the time (I was diagnosed with IBD and was off for 3 months including hospitalisation). I took it to Employment Tribunal in Manchester - I knew it wasn't worth it when the judge met with my former boss and they shared a certain handshake on the steps outside. Suffice to say I lost my case and had to start my career all over again.

Although I'm not a Freemason, I know a number of people who are. When I was asked to help fundraise some money, for a terminally ill persons family, I contacted one of them. After they'd held a meeting, a generous amount was given to make the dying persons wish come true. It was made clear that no reference of who gave the gift should be made.

My old man (RIP) was in various lodges and was Worshipful Master of a lodge in Garstang which gave him great honour. Like others on here I used to take the micky out of it when I was younger and but I did go to various events and again like others found it to be generally just a group of good blokes from all walks of life/religion etc who enjoyed a night out.
It is fair to say that Garstang is not the most militant place and I did not witness any hangings or religious floggings at the hands of masons.

My dad never tried to coerce me to join and indeed did say that it probably was not the thing to do as a young bloke with a family as it could be quite invasive into your time. He loved it and he was a good man so that is fair enough by me.

I won a competition as a teenager and it involved going to Bristol to receive an award. The local rag ran the story on the front page and a few days later, I received a letter from the 'Mysterious Curry Club' with some money for travel expenses. I did wonder if they were Freemasons. Regardless, was very kind of them as I was but a poor student at the time.

I was a Freemason but have since resigned. I joined because of a friend but it just wasn't my thing.

It is harmless and they do a lot of good for charities. Yes you can make business contacts when joining but I never saw anything corrupt.

I'm a mason but I charge so I'm not a Freemason utc

pureclaret wrote:
The negative side like with any organisation/Religion or culture is that people may have in the past got favors, jobs for being in one of these groups.
London met were once accused of freemasons being in the top jobs, I argued this with my father who said that in Burnley police most of the top positions were Catholics (this was when you had different police forces like county police and town police)

The last 20 years of the Burnley Police force allowed Catholics to rise through the ranks before that it was a closed shop for Freemasons, when the forces were combined into Lancashire the Freemasons closed it up again for the next 20 - 30 years

Chester Perry wrote:The last 20 years of the Burnley Police force allowed Catholics to rise through the ranks before that it was a closed shop for Freemasons, when the forces were combined into Lancashire the Freemasons closed it up again for the next 20 - 30 years

Either way doesn't sound like an open shop for an atheist copper.

I know the handshake but I am not a FM.
Interesting how often one gets that shake too.
It is quite a secret soc. A very good friend of mine who has sadly passed on had a party and I came along and met all these people. Afterwards I commented to him that he knew a lot of masons-having been introduced and shaken hands with about 10 blokes.
His wife interrupted our banter by telling my friend "you are going to have to tell him' and he did. For the few years I had known him then, he had kept his FM status to himself until this party

I knew a Free Mason unfortunately he looked at Medusa he's now a Stone Mason.

One question really. Why do it's rituals, membership etc. have to be secret? Something they don't want people to know obviously.

I have a lot of friends who are Freemasons but personally it isn't for me. My own take on Women filling a lot of the top jobs in the Police was to break the stranglehold held by the Masonic brethren. Not a fact, as I say my own take.

Kenneth Noye was a Freemason, he wasn't a very charitable person though.

I was led to believe the handshake originally allowed travelling mason to prove their quality/position to new employers before cvs and references.

I have a few friends who are masons and have been to numerous ladies nights, done the tours of a couple of lodges. What I have noticed is they are a great bunch who do a lot for charity, if you enjoy socialising meeting likeminded people then it might be something for you plenty of meals and nights out. What people need to know is a lot of studying to do to get through the various degrees. What I did notice at these events is a lot are local business owners, small enterprises, Plumbers Builders electricians etc. I am sure there are/were lodges with institutional orgnisations like the police , lawyers etc in the big city's.
Unfortunely like churches and pubs they are very much in decline, numbers have dwindled the average age appears to be over 60 with very few younger members. From my experience at local lodges around here quite a few have closed and merged together. Like churches/pubs they struggle to keep the lodges open and maintained. Times have changed we no longer spend every night in pubs and clubs and its just the same people have other things they would rather do.

Ime a master mason.
Done the tyler you get to stab folk if they try to enter with a big sword inner guard no weapons drat junior wardon senior wardon thats as far as ive got for now.
Theres three handshakes one for each degree.
You can become a knights templar as well plus theres loads of other side degrees it would cost a bomb though in fees.
Theres no jam involved and we dont bum each other.

I’ve been a Freemason for around 20 years and went through all the offices to the Masters Chair in 5 years but work and family commitments mean I don’t attend regularly.

Masonic Lodges in East Lancs raise a huge amount of money for local charities and quite a lot of money goes to local individuals in need of support. Some of the charitable work is publicised, and a lot more goes un-publicised.

A mate of mine's daughter,who was involved in a serious car accident when a toddler causing serious brain injury,was raped in her own bed by a lad who ended up staying the night after my mate had invited him in for a nightcap.

Without going into all the evidence and sordid details,the perpetrators father was a member of the Freemasons.

Need I say more.

The English mafia?

I'm not a Freemason, no member of my family has been one and nobody I know well is one. Ive worked in a few places where some colleagues were obviously involved.
I don't like the idea of secret societies within society as a whole, especially when they are strongly connected in the police (and maybe judiciary and other important functions). I'm very suspicious of this organisation - no matter how much money they say they raise for charity.

All I've heard today on the news and radio from Freemasons is how much charity work they do.They never mention that it's a power pyramid system across the world and you only get in if you're not blackballed by the global mafia.

Deeply suspicious of how people get into power positions generally, like how a teacher can become a department head at a college only 3 years after starting out as a teacher. This individual I know to have connections with the 'underworld'..

Go on then, name and shame!

Im_not_Robbie_Blake wrote:Go on then, name and shame!

Not a chance. Value my neck to much..

Loyalclaret wrote:I was led to believe the handshake originally allowed travelling mason to prove their quality/position to new employers before cvs and references.

Arsen wengers hand shake with the referee at turf moor Burnley 1 Arsenal 0 looked a little suspect.

Any organisation that uses terms such as Worshipful Master , Black balling and having secret handshakes is ridiculous, it’s 2018 FFS about as relevant as the Royals.

I’ve been a mason since 2003 , and now a past master of royal Yorkshire lodge in Keighley ,I’m the only claret there and don’t them Leeds fans know it

I’ve been a mason since 2003 , and now a past master of royal Yorkshire lodge in Keighley ,I’m the only claret there and don’t them Leeds fans know it

cblantfanclub wrote:One question really. Why do it's rituals, membership etc. have to be secret? Something they don't want people to know obviously.

I may have missed this, but can somebody in the know, answer?

I saw a programme on it and I'll be honest, they all came across as doolally.

To me the secret bit isn’t about everything having to be kept private and secret from the outside world. Just the traditions are that if you do join you will be an upstanding chap of integrity who,s word you can trust. So the (rather silly) rituals are basically just plays, and at the start you promise to “keep them secret”...........so until you’ve had a few beers you do........it’s a bit like the old marriage ritual where “I promise to obey” and very few do!

All the rituals (plays) for what it’s worth can easily be accessed these days and as said before they’re probably a dying breed. Probably still more dodgy Catholic Priests alive than dodgy Masons.

It’s all weird as f*ck

Will die out soon

Do people actually join these organisations in this day and age,,?
If rotary clubs are anything to go by the average will be 80.

My Grandad was a Freemason and when he tried to get my father involved he refused, but he did become a Rotarian instead as he felt they did good work for various charirties, without the stigma/cloak and dagger stuff which surrounded the masons. I haven't been involved in either tbh.

I am not a mason but my Dad, father inlaw and mother inlaw were, My father inlaw died 12 years ago and through she is no longer a member gats support from them as she has not got a lot of money (my father in law had cancer and whislt the treat ments were NHS provided travet to and from christies on a daily basis and other associated costs menat they spent a lot of capital (they had to much to get benefit support from the state) they also had to much for help at the time from the masonic ( but they did provide brother drivers to take them and wait for them to provide mental and physical support when we were not able to do so) After wards she was told never to worry about money problems and since then has had her roof repaired a new boiler and a contribution to her yearly expenditure.
Within the community they do the same for both masonic familys and others, they have a hospital in London that is available for masonic familys and the wider community. Lats year they gave £3,000000 to 300 charities in the uk to celebrate 300 yrs of Freemasons in the uk.

No truck with them worked for one and some contractors I use are masons. Sound enough people and decent family men.

I do wonder what is the briefcases they all seem to carry to the meetings?!?!

I think the cases have the ceremonial robes in them. My dad had one, but I don’t think he took it to every meet.

Thanks hoskinsgoalatswansea

Whatever the influence of Masons is now I would not pretend to know.
In the 50's and 60's I can tell you they were not benign, particularly in areas of local government in Burnley and felt powerful enough to tell people they would not get on as they were not in the Masons. I hope this period of their influence is over but to pretend they are being discriminated against is frankly laughable as they actively discriminated against none Masons for so long.