Freemasons hope to dispel its image of 'secret society'

They are joining Freemasons from across the country hoping to make local communities aware of what Freemasonry is all about, particularly with respect to their charity efforts.

Exhibitions are currently being staged in Evesham and Pershore Public Libraries, where members of the public can learn more about Freemasonry and see a selection of interesting articles and regalia.

An invitation has gone out to notable figures in the community to visit the Masonic Hall in Swan Lane, Evesham, which is open between 11am and 5.30pm Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30. Guests will be shown round the Lodge Room where ceremonies are held, and members will be on hand to explain some of the furnishings and regalia and to answer questions.

The Worcestershire Province of Freemasonry possesses the best Masonic museum and library outside the association's United Grand Lodge headquarters in London, and is providing some prize exhibits from its artifacts for the exhibitions. The Rainbow Hill premises houses a treasure trove of Masonic jewels, medals, jugs, ceramics, glassware and historic hand-written manuscripts, the oldest and certainly the most valuable dating from 1610.

Mr King, deputy curator at the museum and library, explained that the prime aim of "Freemasonry in the Community" exercise was to dispel misconceptions about the association. "It is no a secret society," he said, "but a private body, and its membership and and meeting places were not surrounded by any secrecy whatsoever."

He added: "The end of June events nationwide will emphasise the three main guiding principles on which Freemasonry has been founded down the centuries - 'Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.'

"The spotlight will certainly be thrown on the 'Relief' aspects of those principles, in other words, relieving the plight of people world-wide suffering or in need."

Masons, said Mr King, had donated very considerable sums to charities over the years. It was part of the constitution that at every lodge meeting a collection of "alms" was made. A collection box was passed round, the contents being distributed to local charities, in the case of Worcestershire Masons nowadays to such worthy causes as the County Air Ambulance, hospices, the Poppy Day appeal, the Acorns Trust, Friends of Hospitals, Scouts, the RNLI and the Stroke Association among others.

Masons stress that they do not go round "rattling collection boxes" in the streets. All the money they give is from their own pockets. The Worcestershire Province sponsors a stone mason in Worcester Cathedral's maintenance and restoration work team, and the year 2000 saw the spectacular end of a fund-raising appeal by Masons of the Worcestershire Province which raised a staggering £2.3 million in aid of a central fund, money from which is dispersed to victims of disasters and charities having nothing at all to do with Freemasonry.

There have been many high-ranking Provincial Grand Masters in Worcestershire during the 270 years history of Freemasonry in the county. A very notable Grand Master of the 20th century was the much-decorated General Sir Francis Davies, who lived at Elmley Castle, and was at the helm of Freemasonry in the county from 19919 until the 1940s.

He was a member of the Avon Lodge which then met at the Three Tunds, Pershore, but is now based at Evesham. He became Deputy Grand Master f the United Grand Lodge of England during the time that the Grand Master was the Duke of Connaught, the last surviving son of Queen Victoria, and for some years Aide de Camp to King George V.

The General had an astonishing military career and was copiously decorated with honours. He was in virtually every significant military campaign between the 1880s and the end of the First World War. He was at the Western Front, Galipoli and Egypt during the Great War and had previously fought in the Sudan and Nigeria.

As well as the Avon Lodge, St Werstan Lodge, Elmley Castle Lodge and Evesham's own Abbot Lichfield Lodge meet at the Masonic Temple in Swan Lane.