The 3rd Degree is the most powerful of all Masonic rituals – a candidate is confronted with his own death. It is only once you have passed through this degree that you can become a Master Mason.
This is the moment Garry Hacking from Bolton has been looking forward to for years. As a nurse in search of male company – he works alongside 50 women – Garry can’t wait to become a Master Mason and fully-fledged member of the brotherhood.
Built on the principle that all men are equal in the Lodge, brotherhood is woven into the fabric of Freemasonry. The Widows Sons, named after the central character in Freemasonry’s elaborate building analogy, may look like a bunch of hairy bikers but when their leader, Peter Younger, tragically lost his wife in 2015, the Sons were there to support their biking brother and help him get back in the saddle.
Freemasons’ Hall is a monument to brotherhood, originally built as a peace memorial to honour the English Masons who fought and died in WW1. Grand Director of Ceremonies and ex-army officer, Oliver Lodge, explains that Masonic membership peaked when soldiers returned from the front in search of the camaraderie they had experienced in the trenches.
Like many leaving the armed services, painter and former Lance Corporal Dave Stubbs struggled to adjust to life on Civvie Street but found comfort in Freemasonry’s rules, ranks and regalia. Now, he’s been nominated by his Brethren to become the Worshipful Master (the boss) of his Lodge. It’s the first time that part of the Installation ceremony has been filmed and proves to be an emotional day for Dave, who’s determined not to let his brothers down.