But surely Freemasons are all men? No, that’s not actually true. Women Freemasons have also been meeting for over 100 years, and they actually have TWO Grand Lodges with many lodges underneath those and in the UK alone, over 5000 female members.
The Order of Women Freemasons
The Order of Women Freemasons is the oldest and largest Masonic organisation for women in this country and works on the lines of regular male Freemasonry. It was constituted as the Grand Lodge of the Honourable Order of Ancient Masonry in 1908 and adopted the title “The Order of Women Freemasons” in 1958.
The Order originally included men and women but in the early 1920s a decision was made to restrict admission to women only and by 1935 it was an exclusively female organisation. The Order’s headquarters has been situated in Notting Hill Gate, London, since 1925.
Women of any race or faith can join – they should be 21 years or older, be of good character and believe in a Supreme Being. The Order have approximately 4,000 members in over 300 Craft Lodges spread throughout the UK and overseas which meet a minimum of four times a year. The Order also actively encourages all members to join the further and higher degrees.
For more information please visit https://www.owf.org.uk
Victoria Derbyshire in 2017 dedicated a programme in her excellent daily show looking into female Freemasonry
Click here to read her article
These are The Order of Women Freemasons and the HFAF – Freemasonry for Women. They both follow exactly the same ceremonies and wear the same regalia as male Freemasons, and they often work closely with community and charity projects.
HFAF – Freemasonry for Women
Freemasonry for Women, was founded in 1913 as The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons and have Lodges in the UK and overseas and around 800 members.
HFAF are a small but vibrant community of individuals with members of all ages and all backgrounds and all religious beliefs. Freemasonry for women, just like for men, has evolved over the centuries as a system of moral guidance and education, characterised by allegory and symbolism, enabling its members to follow a common purpose of living a moral life for the good of themselves and society.
HFAF promotes the ideals of masonic brotherhood with special emphasis on three particular benefits for women: friendship, inspiration and empowerment. Being members of a Lodge creates a special bond between women no matter what their background. Friendship is important in today’s increasingly online world where we can often feel isolated and lonely.
HFAF aim to inspire their members to become the best version of themselves possible and in turn inspire those who come after them. Everyone needs a role model in their lives.
HFAF believe that every woman should be empowered by increased self-confidence and belief in her abilities. Taking part in their Lodges and ceremonies provides many opportunities to discover both new and latent talents.
For more information, please visit https://hfaf.org
