What is Freemasonry

What is Freemasonry

There are 250,000 Freemasons belonging to 8,000 lodges throughout England, Wales and districts overseas. Worldwide, the figure rises to 6 million Freemasons, all with their own special reasons as to why they enjoy Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations. For many, its biggest draw is the fact that members come from all walks of life and meet as equals no matter their race, religion or socio-economic position in society. Its values are based on integrity, kindness, honesty and fairness. Freemasonry does not discriminate on grounds of race, colour, religion, political views or social standing.

Freemasonry provides a unique environment for people from all backgrounds to learn skills, make lasting friendships, achieve their potential and, above all, have fun. What is more, the organisation provides a valuable forum for discussion between members in an open environment, helping to build trust.

Freemasonry prides itself on its transparency. Not only are Freemasons completely free to acknowledge their membership, but they are also encouraged to do so.

INTEGRITY: BUILDING GOOD PEOPLE

Freemasons are encouraged to strengthen themselves as individuals by developing their knowledge & integrity; membership of Freemasonry provides structure to help achieve that goal.​

Friendship: Building together

Freemasonry provides a common interest and foundation for friendships between members to flourish, many of which will last for life.

Respect: Building unity

Freemasonry brings people together irrespective of their race, religion, or any other perceived differences strengthening our communities.

Charity: Building compassion

Kindness and charitable giving are deeply ingrained within the principles of Freemasonry and the organisation provides the structure for members to make positive contributions to their communities and various causes.

Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with the mutual improvement of moral and spiritual values which its members are encouraged to put into practice in their daily lives.  Membership of the Craft is open to every respectable man who believes in his personal Supreme Being – usually known in Masonic terms as the Great Architect of the Universe, Grand Geometrician of the Universe or Most High.  These descriptive names show the importance the Freemason places on his Supreme Being in the order of things in Life.

There are three great principles of Freemasonry that have endured for many years and, whilst they may seem old fashioned, are still as relevant today as they were when first conceived:

// Brotherly Love
Characterised by tolerance and respect for others and their opinions and behaving with kindness and understanding towards all people with whom we come into contact throughout life.

// Relief
Practising care and charity towards our own members and the community as a whole; giving some of our time and attention to care for those who are less fortunate and for the good of our communities; and personal charitable giving, without detriment to our families.

// Truth
Freemasons believe in Truth in all things, in honesty and integrity in his personal, business and public life, in fair dealings and in firm standards of decency and morality.

As every man progresses in Life by education so every Freemason is taught how he can be a better Man. This is done by a series of degrees – each degree educates him and answers some questions but leaves a door beyond. When the candidate has grasped the teaching of one degree, that door is opened by his progress to the next degree. Freemasons believe that through the daily practice of these three great principles, men may achieve self-improvement and higher standards in life.

For more information on Freemasonry, please follow this link to the UGLE Video Hub.

Provincial Masonry took its rise in the mid eighteenth century, a few years after the formation of Grand Lodge in 1717. The original Grand Lodge was based in London and comprised entirely of London lodges. Gradually however, its authority spread throughout the country. For the efficient regulation and administration of the Craft in the provinces, it was necessary for the Grand Master to have local representation. The first Provincial Grand Master was appointed for Cheshire in 1725.
 
The Masonic Province of Hampshire came into being on February 28th 1767 with the appointment of the man who must surely be the most famous Provincial Grand Master of them all, Thomas Dunckerley. An enterprising and resourceful fellow from his earliest days, he ran away to sea at the age of ten. He saw twenty-six years service in the Royal Navy, and took part in the siege of Quebec in 1759. He left the Royal Navy at the age of 39 in 1763 to become a barrister and was later commissioned into the South Hampshire Militia. Reputed to be the natural son of George II, Dunckerley was eventually granted an allowance from the Privy Purse. This enabled him to devote himself to his great passion in life, Freemasonry. He had been initiated into the Three Tuns Lodge No. 35 (later known as the Lodge of Antiquity No. 28) in Portsmouth at the age of 29 and it was to be only fourteen years later the Grand Master appointed him as the first Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Hampshire.
 
At the time of his appointment, Dunckerley presided over eight lodges:
  • Three Tuns No. 35, Portsmouth
  • Royal Oak No. 242, Portsmouth Common
  • Red Lion No. 278, Gosport
  • Kings Arms No. 291, Portsmouth
  • Havant No. 298
  • Stubbington No. 302
  • Ringwood No. 318
  • Hilsea No. 323

Of these only Ringwood No. 318 is still working today, as Lodge of Unity No. 132. The first new lodge consecrated by Thomas Dunckerley was New Inn Lodge No. 405 at Christchurch which is known today as Hengist Lodge No. 195.

Observant Hampshire masons may well be asking “But what of our other venerable lodges, Lodge of Economy No. 76 and Royal Gloucester No. 130? Surely they must have been in existence at that time?” The answer is that there were two Grand Lodges established in England in the eighteenth century, the Premier Grand Lodge (sometimes known as the “Moderns”) and the Antients Grand Lodge. It was not until 1813 that unification took place to form the United Grand Lodge of England. Both Economy and Royal Gloucester had been warranted under the Antients and did not initially form part of Dunckerley’s Province of Hampshire.

On the Isle of Wight, old lodges still working are Medina Lodge No. 35, which moved to Cowes from London in 1761, followed a little later by “Antient” lodges Albany No. 151 and East Medina No. 175.

In those days the Isle of Wight was a separate Masonic province in its own right. Thomas Dunckerley became its first Provincial Grand Master in 1772. It remained a separate, if small, Province for almost a hundred years until it was amalgamated with Hampshire on the appointment of W.W. Bramston Beach as Provincial Grand Master in 1869.

Thomas Dunckerley was a tireless promoter of Freemasonry and Grand Lodge, also becoming at one time or other Provincial Grand Master of Essex, Dorset, Wiltshire, Bristol, Gloucester, Somerset and Herefordshire. He was one of the prime architects of the Provincial Grand Lodge system we know today. He died at his home in Portsmouth in 1795.

Dunckerley was followed by a succession of distinguished brethren who have been appointed as Provincial Grand Master for this Province.

The Province has now been in existence for well over two hundred years and much has happened in that time. Brethren who are interested in learning more are recommended to read “Freemasonry in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight” by W. Bro. F.D. Laugharne P.P.S.G.W which was published in 1991. Copies may be purchased at a cost of £6.50, including p & p, from the Provincial Offices, 85 Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, Hants, SO53 2GG. This web page is based on the information contained in that book.

Provincial Grand Masters of the Province

ProvinceYear
HAMPSHIRE (1767)
Thomas Dunckerley1767
Lord Charles Montague1776
Captain Michael Henry Pascal1784
Thomas Dunckerley1786
Colonel Sherborne Stewart1795
Sir William Champion de Crespigny, Bart1819
John Storey Penlease, M.P.1832
The Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Lucius Curtis, Bart. K.C.B.1840
ISLE OF WIGHT (1772)
Thomas Dunckerley1772
Sir Leonard W. Holmes, Bart1812
Charles, 1st Earl of Yarborough1826
John Simeon1847
Thomas Willis Fleming1852
HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT (1869)
Rt. Hon. William Wither Bramston Beach, M.P.1869
Sir Augustus F. Webster, Bart1901
The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Malmesbury1923
W. Attenborough, M.B., B.S.1950
Maj. Gen. R.L. Bond, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., Hon. F.R.A.M.1964
Rt. Rev. J. L. Phillips, M.A., D.D.1974
T.B. Langton, M.C.1978
James E. Bullen1986
Alan D. Chun, M.B.E.1991
Ernest F.R. Moss1998
Brian C. Bellinger2003
Michael J. Wilks2010
Jonathan C. Whitaker2021