Men’s and women’s orders unite for an evening of greater understanding
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In a first for Freemasonry in Lincolnshire members of the men’s and women’s orders have united for an event to show a shared pride in our organisations, which is expected to be the first step on a journey to greater co-operation.
After a meeting of the Lincolnshire Bicentenary Lodge of Installed Masters, members and visitors were joined in our Louth centre by members of several Woman’s Lodges led by Gina Lapworth, the Grand Inspector for Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire in the Order of Women Freemasons. Also present were John Thompson, UGLE’s newest Assistant Grand Master, Lincolnshire’s PGM Dave Wheeler, and members of his team taking part in the fourth team visit since Provincial Grand Lodge in May.
Gina said the evening had been a long time in the planning, and had grown from informal discussions in February last year. She said the ladies had been given a very warm welcome, adding: “Our newly-installed Grand Master would be encouraged by the collaboration between ourselves. We look forward to working together in the future.”
John Thompson, keen to forge links between the Provinces and London, added: “I am sure the Pro Grand Master and Grand Master would be keen on what we are doing tonight. Freemasonry is a strong organisation we should be proud of.” He said he’d been impressed with the Louth building. “I was very keen to see this building,” he said. “It’s a revelation, and you are blessed.” He was also impressed by the enamel badges worn by Lincolnshire’s Royal Arch reps, and ‘acquired’ the one from Simon Noden’s lapel to take away.
During an evening in which everyone in the room learned something new about Freemasonry, Jill Boyington, who looks after the OWF’s web site, marketing and publicity, explained the history of Women’s Freemasonry.
She said Freemasonry for Women had come to UK from France in 1902 in the form of mixed Lodges, but in 1908 some Co-Masons, objecting to control from France and to some of the ritual and influences found in Co-Masonry, broke away to start a new Order. They wanted to practise Freemasonry on the same lines as the United Grand Lodge of England. Its Lodge meetings continued to be mixed, but since 1912 all the Grand Masters had been women, and meetings became exclusively for women in 1935.
