Women and Freemasonry
Encyclopedia
The subject of women and Freemasonry is complex and without an easy explanation. Traditionally, only men can be made Freemasons in Regular
Freemasonry. Many Grand Lodges do not admit women because they believe it would break the ancient Masonic Landmarks
. However, there are many non-mainstream Masonic bodies that do admit both men and women or exclusively women. Furthermore, there are many female orders associated with regular Freemasonry, such as the Order of the Eastern Star
, the Order of the Amaranth
, the White Shrine of Jerusalem, the Social Order of Beauceant and the Daughters of the Nile.
(UGLE), and others concordant in that regular tradition, do not formally recognize any Masonic body that accepts women. The UGLE has stated since 1998 that two English women's jurisdictions are regular in practice (The Order of Women Freemasons
and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons), except for their inclusion of women, and has indicated that, while not formally recognized, these bodies may be regarded as part of Freemasonry, when describing Freemasonry in general. In North America
, neither "mainstream" Freemasonry nor Prince Hall Freemasonry accept women, but rather have associated separate bodies, which are "Masonic" in character, but not Masonic in their content.
"It was in 1902 that the first lodge of Co-Masons was formed in London and that importation from France soon snowballed. But within a few years some of its members became uneasy regarding the course being taken by the governing body in Paris. They felt that their ancient forms were in jeopardy and a departure from their traditional style was taking place; history was being repeated, for it was a similar state that had arisen in regular Freemasonry in the mid-18th century. Various members resigned from the Order and formed themselves into a Society from which was to emerge the Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry, but still as an association for men and women. On 5 June 1908 a Grand Lodge was formed with a Reverend Brother as Grand Master. He was the first and only male Grand Master and held that office for four years before retiring through ill health. His successor commenced the continuing line of female Grand Masters. Approximately ten years later it was decided to restrict admission to women only but to allow existing male members to remain. Within a very short period the title was changed to the Order of Women Freemasons but the form of address as ‘Brother’ remained, the term ‘Sister’ having been discontinued soon after the formation in 1908 as it was deemed unfitting for members of a universal Brotherhood of Freemasons. It is also of some interest to note that history was repeated again, in that the Royal Arch became the subject of a division in their ranks, rather on the lines of the Antients and Moderns years before the Union in 1813. A group of its members wished to include the Royal Arch in the system but failed to obtain authority from their Grand Lodge, which caused them to secede and form the first Lodge of yet another Order - The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons, two Grand Lodges running in parallel was almost a carbon copy performance, but in this case the time for a Union, similar to that which took place in 1813, is yet to come."
The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons was founded in 1913 and the first Grand Master was Mrs Elizabeth Boswell-Reid who held that Office from 1913 to 1933 ; she was succeeded by her daughter Mrs Seton Challen.
(born St Leger), who is reported to have surreptitiously viewed the proceedings of a Lodge meeting held at Doneraile House, the private house of her father, first Viscount
Doneraile, a resident of Doneraile
, County Cork
, Ireland
. Upon discovering the breach of their secrecy, the Lodge resolved to admit and obligate her, and thereafter she proudly appeared in public in Masonic clothing. In the early part of the 18th century, it was quite customary for Lodges to be held in private houses. This Lodge was duly warranted as Lodge number 150 on the register of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
.
The Regius Manuscript, dating from about 1390, is the oldest manuscript yet discovered relating to Masonry. Two extracts are of particular interest:
However, it should be noted that not everyone agrees with these interpretations of the Regius Manuscript. The following examples were recorded by Enid Scott in her pamphlet, "Women and Freemasonry:"
The Masons’ Court Book records the names of two widows in 1696.
In 1713-14, we find the unusual instance of Mary Bannister, the daughter of a Barking
barber, being appointed to a mason for a term of seven years, the fee of five shillings having been paid to the Company.
Several instances of male apprentices being assigned to work under female masters during the period 1713-1715 appear in the records of the "Worshipful Company of Masons" in MS 5984 of the Guildhall Library
in London
.
It should be remembered that all these instances occurred before the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London in 1717. In 1723 the Rev. James Anderson was given the task of issuing a set of Constitutions, which were revised in 1738, when he introduced the idea that women were prohibited from becoming masons
in 1882 with the initiation of Maria Deraismes
into the Loge Libre Penseurs (Freethinkers Lodge), under the Grande Loge Symbolique de France. In 1893, along with activist Georges Martin
, Maria Deraismes oversaw the initiation of sixteen women into the first Lodge in the world to have both men and women as members, from inception, creating the jurisdiction Le Droit Humain
(LDH). Again, these are regarded by "Regular" Freemasonry as irregular bodies.
Le Droit Humain and a number of other "irregular" masonic organisations have a presence in North America which are open to women either in an androgynous or wholly feminine manner. These orders work similar rituals to regular Freemasonry and their work contains similar moral and philosophical content to regular freemasonry.
In the Netherlands
, there is a completely separate, although Masonically allied, sorority for women, the Order of Weavers (OOW), which uses symbols from weaving rather than stonemasonry.
The rite of adoption
for female lodges originated in France. The Grand Orient of France and other Masonic bodies in the Continental European tradition fully recognize Co-Freemasonry and women's Freemasonry.
Regular Masonic jurisdictions
Regularity is the process by which individual Grand Lodges recognise one another for the purposes of allowing formal interaction at the Grand Lodge level and visitation by members of other jurisdictions.-History:...
Freemasonry. Many Grand Lodges do not admit women because they believe it would break the ancient Masonic Landmarks
Masonic Landmarks
Masonic Landmarks are a set of principles that many Freemasons claim to be "both ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry". Issues of the "regularity" of a Freemasonic Lodge, Grand Lodge or Grand Orient are judged in the context of the Landmarks...
. However, there are many non-mainstream Masonic bodies that do admit both men and women or exclusively women. Furthermore, there are many female orders associated with regular Freemasonry, such as the Order of the Eastern Star
Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is a fraternal organization that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Rob Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from the Bible, but is open to people of all...
, the Order of the Amaranth
Order of the Amaranth
Order of the Amaranth is a Masonic-affiliated women's organization founded in 1873. As in the Order of the Eastern Star, members of the Order must be age 18 and older; men must be Master Masons; and women must be related to Masons as wives, mothers, daughters, widows, sisters, nieces, aunts, et...
, the White Shrine of Jerusalem, the Social Order of Beauceant and the Daughters of the Nile.
Recognition
The United Grand Lodge of EnglandUnited Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
(UGLE), and others concordant in that regular tradition, do not formally recognize any Masonic body that accepts women. The UGLE has stated since 1998 that two English women's jurisdictions are regular in practice (The Order of Women Freemasons
Order of Women Freemasons
The Order of Women Freemasons is a fraternal organisation based in the United Kingdom and is the larger of the two Masonic bodies for women only. Its headquarters is at 27 Pembridge Gardens in London.-History:...
and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons), except for their inclusion of women, and has indicated that, while not formally recognized, these bodies may be regarded as part of Freemasonry, when describing Freemasonry in general. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, neither "mainstream" Freemasonry nor Prince Hall Freemasonry accept women, but rather have associated separate bodies, which are "Masonic" in character, but not Masonic in their content.
Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons
The history of the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons in particular cannot be described without reference to the history of the Women’s movement in Masonry in general. Quoted from a pamphlet published in 1988 by Enid Scott, a former Assistant Grand Master of the Order, entitled "Women in Freemasonry:""It was in 1902 that the first lodge of Co-Masons was formed in London and that importation from France soon snowballed. But within a few years some of its members became uneasy regarding the course being taken by the governing body in Paris. They felt that their ancient forms were in jeopardy and a departure from their traditional style was taking place; history was being repeated, for it was a similar state that had arisen in regular Freemasonry in the mid-18th century. Various members resigned from the Order and formed themselves into a Society from which was to emerge the Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry, but still as an association for men and women. On 5 June 1908 a Grand Lodge was formed with a Reverend Brother as Grand Master. He was the first and only male Grand Master and held that office for four years before retiring through ill health. His successor commenced the continuing line of female Grand Masters. Approximately ten years later it was decided to restrict admission to women only but to allow existing male members to remain. Within a very short period the title was changed to the Order of Women Freemasons but the form of address as ‘Brother’ remained, the term ‘Sister’ having been discontinued soon after the formation in 1908 as it was deemed unfitting for members of a universal Brotherhood of Freemasons. It is also of some interest to note that history was repeated again, in that the Royal Arch became the subject of a division in their ranks, rather on the lines of the Antients and Moderns years before the Union in 1813. A group of its members wished to include the Royal Arch in the system but failed to obtain authority from their Grand Lodge, which caused them to secede and form the first Lodge of yet another Order - The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons, two Grand Lodges running in parallel was almost a carbon copy performance, but in this case the time for a Union, similar to that which took place in 1813, is yet to come."
The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons was founded in 1913 and the first Grand Master was Mrs Elizabeth Boswell-Reid who held that Office from 1913 to 1933 ; she was succeeded by her daughter Mrs Seton Challen.
Justification for exclusion
Mainstream Masonic Grand Lodges justify the exclusion of women from Freemasonry for several reasons. The structure and traditions of modern day Freemasonry is based from the operative medieval stonemasons of Europe. These operative masonic guilds did not allow women to join, because of the culture of the time. Many Grand Lodges are of the opinion that altering this structure would completely change Freemasonry. Furthermore, mainstream Grand Lodges adhere to the masonic landmarks laid out in the early 18th century, which are considered unchangeable. One of these landmarks specifies that a woman is not to be made a mason. Finally, in many jurisdictions masons swear "not to be present at the making of a woman a Mason" in their obligations. Many masons believe that regardless of their opinions of women in masonry, they cannot break their obligation.Female Masons in Regular Masonic Bodies
There have been a few reported cases of a woman joining a regular masonic lodge. These cases are exceptions and are debated by masonic historians.Elizabeth Aldworth
One account of a woman being admitted to Freemasonry in the 18th century is the case of Elizabeth AldworthElizabeth Aldworth
The Honorable Elizabeth Aldworth , born the Hon. Elizabeth St...
(born St Leger), who is reported to have surreptitiously viewed the proceedings of a Lodge meeting held at Doneraile House, the private house of her father, first Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
Doneraile, a resident of Doneraile
Doneraile
Doneraile is a town in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is located on the R581 regional road 8 km east of the N20 road which runs from Limerick to Cork. It is about 12 km north of Mallow town...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Upon discovering the breach of their secrecy, the Lodge resolved to admit and obligate her, and thereafter she proudly appeared in public in Masonic clothing. In the early part of the 18th century, it was quite customary for Lodges to be held in private houses. This Lodge was duly warranted as Lodge number 150 on the register of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
Grand Lodge of Ireland
The Grand Lodge of Ireland is the second most senior Grand Lodge of Freemasons in the world, and the oldest in continuous existence. Since no specific record of its foundation exists, 1725 is the year celebrated in Grand Lodge anniversaries, as the oldest reference to Grand Lodge of Ireland comes...
.
Women as Operative Masons
It is not generally known, but researchers have shown that records do exist which confirm that women were in fact operative masons, and even presided over Lodges of Operative Masons.The Regius Manuscript, dating from about 1390, is the oldest manuscript yet discovered relating to Masonry. Two extracts are of particular interest:
Yn that onest craft to be parfytte; And so uchon schulle techyn othur, And love together as sister and brother
In that honest craft to be perfect; And so each one shall teach the other, And love together as sister and brother.
Articulus decimus. The thenthe artycul ys for to knowe, Amongst the craft, to hye and lowe, There schal no mayster supplante other, But be togeder as systur and brother, Yn that curyus craft, alle and som, That longuth to a maystur mason.
Tenth article. The tenth article is for to know, Among the craft, to high and low, There shall no master supplant another, But be together as sister and brother, In this curious craft, all and some, that belongeth to a master mason.
However, it should be noted that not everyone agrees with these interpretations of the Regius Manuscript. The following examples were recorded by Enid Scott in her pamphlet, "Women and Freemasonry:"
It is on record that a woman mason was responsible for the carving of the porch on the tower of Strasbourg CathedralStrasbourg CathedralStrasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely consideredSusan Bernstein: , The Johns Hopkins University Press to be among the finest...
. It was begun in 1277 by the Architect, Erwin of Steinbach, and his daughter SabinaSabina von SteinbachSabina von Steinbach was - according to legend - a female stonemason living in Alsace during the 13th century. She is said to have been the daughter of Erwin von Steinbach, architect and master builder at Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the cathedral in Strasbourg...
, who was a skilful mason, executed this part of the work herself
In the records of Corpus Christi Guild at YorkYorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, it is noted in 1408 that an apprentice had to swear to obey "the Master, or Dame, or any other Freemason."
Women members were recorded in the Masons’ Company in the 17th century as being non-operative. Of course at this time ‘non-operative’ meant not being engaged in the physical work, but acting in the capacity of accepting orders for assignments, and not what we would now refer to as ‘speculative masonry’. Such women were called ‘Dames’ to distinguish them from Master Masons. Margaret Wild, a mason’s widow, was such a one and was made a member of the Masons’ Company in 1663
A minute dated 16th April 1683, from the Lodge of Edinburgh refers to agreement that a widow may, with the assistance of a competent freeman, receive the benefit of any orders which may be offered her by customers of her late husband, such freeman being prohibited from taking any share of the profits from such assignments.
One day later on 17th April, the records of St Mary's Chapel Lodge give an instance of the legality of a female occupying the position of 'Dame' or 'Mistress in a masonic sense. But it was only to a very limited extent that widows of master masons could benefit by the privilege.
From the manuscripts which make up the Old Charges, the York MS no 4(Grand Lodge of York) dated 1693 refers to the "Apprentice charge" and instructs that, "One of the elders taking the Booke and hee or shee that is to be made mason, shall lay their hands thereon, and the charge shall be given". Of course this has been disputed by some masonic historians who claim that the "shee" is a mistranslation of "they", but others including the Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, accept it as evidence of the admission of females into masonic fellowship, especially as many of the other guilds at this time were women as well as men.
The Masons’ Court Book records the names of two widows in 1696.
In 1713-14, we find the unusual instance of Mary Bannister, the daughter of a Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
barber, being appointed to a mason for a term of seven years, the fee of five shillings having been paid to the Company.
Several instances of male apprentices being assigned to work under female masters during the period 1713-1715 appear in the records of the "Worshipful Company of Masons" in MS 5984 of the Guildhall Library
Guildhall Library
The Guildhall Library is administered by the Corporation of London, the government of the City of London, which is the historical heart of London, England. It was founded in the 1420s under the terms of the will of Lord Mayor Dick Whittington...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
It should be remembered that all these instances occurred before the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London in 1717. In 1723 the Rev. James Anderson was given the task of issuing a set of Constitutions, which were revised in 1738, when he introduced the idea that women were prohibited from becoming masons
Co-Freemasonry
The systematic admission of women into International Co-Freemasonry began in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1882 with the initiation of Maria Deraismes
Maria Deraismes
Maria Deraismes was a French author and major pioneering force for women's rights.- Biography :Born in Paris, Maria Deraismes grew up in Pontoise in the city's northwest outskirts...
into the Loge Libre Penseurs (Freethinkers Lodge), under the Grande Loge Symbolique de France. In 1893, along with activist Georges Martin
Georges Martin (freemason)
Georges Martin was a French doctor, politician and Freemason.He was initiated on 21 March 1879 into the Union et Bienfaisance lodge of the Grande Loge de France. He was one of the founders of France's "Symbolic Scottish Grand Lodge". From 1890, he worked unsuccessfully for women's initiation...
, Maria Deraismes oversaw the initiation of sixteen women into the first Lodge in the world to have both men and women as members, from inception, creating the jurisdiction Le Droit Humain
Le Droit Humain
The International Order of Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain is a global Masonic Order, membership of which is available to men and women on equal terms, regardless of nationality, religion or ethnicity. The Order is founded on the ancient teachings and traditions of Freemasonry, using Masonic ritual...
(LDH). Again, these are regarded by "Regular" Freemasonry as irregular bodies.
Le Droit Humain and a number of other "irregular" masonic organisations have a presence in North America which are open to women either in an androgynous or wholly feminine manner. These orders work similar rituals to regular Freemasonry and their work contains similar moral and philosophical content to regular freemasonry.
In the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, there is a completely separate, although Masonically allied, sorority for women, the Order of Weavers (OOW), which uses symbols from weaving rather than stonemasonry.
The rite of adoption
Rite of Adoption
The Rite of Adoption was a Masonic rite which appeared in France in the 18th century. It was practised by women's lodges and represents the beginnings of Freemasonry for women....
for female lodges originated in France. The Grand Orient of France and other Masonic bodies in the Continental European tradition fully recognize Co-Freemasonry and women's Freemasonry.
External links
- The Compass and Square: For Women Only (1916) by Harriet L. Montgomery Henderson (of the Women's Order of Esoteric Masonry)