How The Order of Women Freemasons came to Yorkshire!
Posted on 9th January 2025 at 19:15
The Order of Women Freemasons is the oldest and largest Masonic organisation for women in the United Kingdom working along the lines of regular male Freemasonry. Lodges are also located in Australia, Canada, South Africa and Spain and members are encouraged to join the further and higher degrees from the Mark Degree through to Rose Croix.
The Order was formed in 1908 and called The Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry and the three lodges consecrated in the same year still meet today. The first lodge in Yorkshire was in consecrated in 1948 in Bradford.
The Order of Women Freemasons was formed at a time when women were fighting for recognition in many spheres of society and there were close ties to the suffragette movement. In 1902 a group of English men and women travelled to Paris to be initiated into Freemasonry and subsequently the first lodge of Co-masons in England was consecrated - Lodge of Human Duty led by Annie Besant, a prominent activist.
Following discontent with the government and hierarchy of Co-masonry a group of dissidents, led by Rev Dr William Cobb, set out to establish a new order for “men and women following the ancient masonic teaching and taking as a model the United Grand Lodge of England”. Dr Cobb was a passionate believer in equality and the rights of women doing much for suffrage and divorce law reform.
In 1908 the Order was born. Dr Cobb and a mixed group started The Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry to follow the principles, ceremonies and structure of UGLE, stressing the spiritual side of Masonry and also to admit women.
At the first meeting of the Grand Lodge meeting Grand officers were appointed, a draft Declaration of Principles was agreed, petitions to warrant three lodges were presented and these lodges were consecrated. All in one day!
Dr Cobb served as Grand Master for four years and was succeeded MW Bro Marion Halsey, Over time membership was restricted to women and MW Bro Halsey vision to spread freemasonry into the provinces for women came to fruition by the consecration of Lodge Mercury No 11 in 1928.
Lodge Mercury No 11 was consecrated as a travelling lodge “for the sole, specific and particular purpose of enabling its officers and members to journey to the provinces to make Freemasons, with the final objective of founding provincial lodges”. After setting up Lodges in Scotland, the North East and the Midlands the Lodge’s focus was on Yorkshire and by 1955 four lodges had been consecrated – Lodge Argosy No 27 in Bradford (1948), Lodge Constancy & Faith No 33 in Sheffield (1949), Lodge Mystic Tie No 47 (1952) in Leeds and Lodge de Laci No 74 (1955) in Elland.
Today in Yorkshire the Order of Women Freemasons’ lodges are divided into three areas – West Yorkshire with eight lodges, North & East Yorkshire with four lodges and the area of South Yorkshire / Lincolnshire with seven – and each area is looked after by a Grand Inspector. Members of all ages and backgrounds base their lives on the traditional values and fundamental principles of freemasonry – friendship, kindness, charity, integrity and respect – alongside learning ritual, making life-long friends and having fun!
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