Joining

How Do I Apply?

Membership is open to people from all backgrounds and the organisation’s aim is to empower members to be the best they can be – it’s about building character, supporting members as individuals and helping them make a positive contribution to society.

We have more than 7,000 Lodges, comprising about 175,000 members with any man over the age of 18 welcome to join, irrespective of their race or religion. 

There are several ways to become a Freemason. If you don’t know anyone who is a member and that you can talk to, then your first step is to contact your nearest Lodge.

All you need to do is simply register your interest by contacting the Secretary of Loyd Lindsay Lodge. You will then be contacted by the Lodge Membership Officer who will provide all the information you need. This usually takes place during an informal meeting over a coffee or a pint of beer to explain the procedure in joining and to give you a chance to ask any questions. They will also arrange a date for you to meet the Lodge Committee where you will be asked a few simple questions. 

The Steps To Becoming A Freemason

Once you have met the Lodge Committee, the Secretary will explained and help you complete the application process. He will then give you a date when you will be initiated into the Lodge. Our Lodge meets on the 2^nd Monday of the months of October, November, December, February, March and April.

The Secretary will also give you full instruction on how to conduct yourself at that meeting, what to wear, your time of arrival and any other relevant information. Please be assured that you will be assisted at every stage so there is nothing to be concerned about.

On the evening of your Initiation you should arrive at the Masonic Hall at the appointed time where you will be met by one of our members. There will also be an experienced Freemason by your side for the whole of the Initiation Ceremony who will guide you through the ceremony. You need to nothing apart from listen to, and follow, his instructions. It would be easy to tell you exactly what happens in an Initiation Ceremony, but that would spoil the occasion for you, but what I can say is that the evening is about you, there is nothing to be concerned about and that I’m sure you will look back on your Initiation fondly. All the Masons attending on the evening of your Initiation will have gone through exactly the same ceremony and probably exactly the same emotions.

Once the business of the Lodge has been completed we adjourn to the bar for a drink before going into the Dining Room for the traditional meal which is known as the Festive Board. At this meal you will sit next to the Worshipful Master of the Lodge and, again, you will be instructed on how to conduct yourself. Apart from the meal, there are various toasts and short speeches, as well as a raffle for a charitable cause. The Festive Board and the evening generally finishes around 9.30 pm.

How Much Does It Cost?

When you join any organisation there are costs to consider. At Loyd Lindsay Lodge these cover all sorts of things like membership administration, subscriptions to the United Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Lodge charges that relate to the buildings for heating, lighting, cleaning and maintenance and so on.

There is a one off joining fee to become a Freemason and this is generally paid immediately before your Initiation ceremony. At Loyd Lindsay Lodge this is an amount of £108.20 made up of fees due to United Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge.

Then each future year you are a member, the annual fee is in the region of £185 but if you join part way through the year a pro rata rate is applied.

When you attend any meetings you will probably want to eat at the Festive Board and the price of this varies depending on what is served. You do not have to stay for dinner, but you would be missing out on a great part of the evening if you didn’t. The Dining Secretary will contact you to give you the opportunity to join the Permanent Dining list and will inform you each month of the cost of the meal and what’s on offer. Unless you have any special dietary requirements the menu is set for the evening and is generally three courses, plus coffee and currently costs around £25.00. 

At the end of every meeting there is an alms collection called the Broken Column where you give whatever you can afford. Some contribute £5 or more, but many donate loose change, the choice is yours and it’s confidential in any case! If you are a UK tax payer, this donation to the Broken Column donations can be done using Gift Aid.

At the Festive Board there is a raffle where members donate the prizes – wine, chocolate, whisky, gin etc. Tickets, which are sold at the Festive Board, usually cost £5.00 for a strip of five and all the money goes to charity.

It is important to understand that becoming a Freemason implies that you will support Charity, but it’s also important to know that no-one is expected to contribute beyond their own means and you donate what YOU think is right for YOU.

What Will Be My Commitment?

Lodge Meetings

Loyd Lindsay Lodge meets on six occasions a year, always on the second Monday of the month. We meet in October, November, December, February, March and April with all the meetings, apart from the October meeting, starting at 6.15 pm. The October meeting is a slightly longer one as it’s our Installation Meeting where the new Worshipful Master is appointed, so this starts at 5.15 pm. All the meetings generally finish around 9.30 pm to 10.00 pm

Lodge of Instruction

In addition to the six main Lodge meetings we also have what is called the Lodge of Instruction. These are held, where the dates allow, on the first and third Wednesday of the month – September to April. They start at 7.15 pm and finish around 8.30 pm and are informal meeting so there is no Masonic clothing and members wear casual clothes. The purpose of the Lodge of Instruction is for newer Masons to become more familiar with the ceremonies and along with more experienced Masons to have the opportunity to practise the duties of the office they will occupy in the Lodge during the following year. At the end of the Lodge of Instruction many members usually adjourn to the pub or even enjoy a curry together!

Lodge Rehearsals

These are held on the Wednesday before the main Lodge meeting, giving the Worshipful Master and the Lodge Officers taking part in the Monday ceremony an opportunity to practice the ceremony. All Lodge Officers taking part in the planned main Monday meeting are expected to attend this rehearsal, if possible.

What Do I Wear?

At all the regular Lodge Meetings you would be expected to conform to the required dress code. Much of this you may well already possess, but it comprises of a dark suit, a white shirt with a black tie, black shoes and a pair of white gloves. As a part of your Initiation ceremony you will be presented with a Provincial Tie which you should wear at subsequent meetings.

As someone who is new to Freemasonry, the Lodge will provide you with the regalia you would use for your first couple of meetings. Once you attain the status of a Master Mason you would be expected to purchase the necessary regalia for that rank. This regalia can be bought from a variety of sources and the Lodge Secretary will be happy to supply you with the contact details of these Masonic shops. Alternatively a cheaper source would be to use the regalia of a Mason who has gained promotion and no longer requires it. This may be someone you know and therefore perpetuates the legacy of the previous owner, or the Lodge may be able to help with regalia which has been donated to the Lodge and is in perfectly good condition. The Lodge Secretary will be happy to advise you when this arises

If you are interested in finding out more please contact us directly