Freemasons

Ancestry now has records on Freemasons. "Uncover the secrets of the Freemasons in our exclusive new Freemasonry Membership Registers for England and Ireland. These extensive and revealing records cover details such as name, profession, initiation date and other personal information. Find out more about your family’s secrets with our Freemason records." I'm not quite sure what they mean about 'secrets' but it's been interesting discovering how many of my ancestors were freemasons.

 

Interesting although the only Freemason in the family -as far as I know of course - is the spouse of a female Cousin but he is living and well outside the date range for the Ancestry Freemason Registers of 1751-1921. However I will have to take a peek to see if I can turn up others.

 

A fair number of my (living) relatives are Freemasons, particularly members of families who are also Methodists. Not knowing anything much about Freemasonry myself, I wonder if anyone knows if there's a connection between the two. In another forum some time ago I mentioned a charity (no religious affiliation) I support in Zimbabwe. The founder, a Finn, is a Freemason and he attracts an enormous amount of support from other Freemasons, notably in Scotland. They are very very generous.

 

According to two quite separate Freemasonry sources of my acquaintance (I am not myself a Freemason) Lodge members are mainly businessmen -Owners or Directors- with a fair sprinkling of high ranking dignitaries, especially policemen and circuit judges. I can echo one constant (alluded to by Gillian) that individual Lodges contribute a lot to charity (a requirement of membership and not voluntary although those that can afford to give more do so) and Lodges vie with one another to see who achieves the highest targets.

I have not heard about a high proportion of Methodists being Freemasons but as I have one or two Methodists in my own Tree I shall have to check these out. Mind you knowing one Methodist Ancestor was expelled from his Church for 'failure to attend on a regular basis' I think the chances are slim. Unless of course he was a better Freemason than a Church member?

 

The only freemason that I'm aware of in my family is my grandfather and he is too recent for Ancestry's database. But he wasn't a businessman or a high ranking dignitary - he was a coal miner.
No-one 'knew' that he was a freemason but after his death my grandmother received a Christmas hamper every year from an 'anonymous' source. And my mother now has his mason documents.

 

It didn't take long before Ancestry's release of Freemasonry members up to 1921 has made some headline news (particularly in America) regarding the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 which claimed the lives of some 1500 souls. Reports are apparently speculating that the secret society of Freemasons may have stunted the investigation into the Titanic disaster in order to protect some of their members.

Examination of the Freemasonry list reveals the then President of the Board of Trade (which the Senate of the time determined was at least party responsible for requiring such a small number of lifeboats on board the ship on its maiden voyage) was a Freemason. The 'Lord' overseeing the overall inquiry was also a Freemason, as was a naval architect and engineer (also a Lord) who provided expertise in the initial investigation and was involved with the companies that built and operated the ship. The inquiries at the time were described by some as a 'whitewash' because, strangely, no one was found to blame.

This Freemasonry speculation comes on top of a new revelation about a telegram sent from the ship and received by an executive with the ship's operator before it sank and advising: "We have struck iceberg. Sinking fast. Come to our assistance. Lat 41.46N.Lon 50.14 W" which he did not reveal at the time to the US Congressional hearing.

I personally think controversy surrounding the 'Titanic' will take its place in history alongside 'Jack the Ripper', the shooting of President Kennedy and similar. Going back even further (heard on TV this week) "How and why did the Romans suddenly abandon Britain"? It seems Historians cannot agree on the answer. The truth is everyone loves a mystery... speaking of which has anyone seen Elvis lately?

 

There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis. (Google it! )