The Woman Freemason Triannual Magazine 1938 - 1946

Various

Published by London 1938 - 1946, 1938

About this Item

The Original Pioneer All-Women's Masonic Fraternity. The only Masonic fraternity organised by women, for women. Small quarto, bound in green cloth boards with title to spine in gilt. Corners and spine ends bumped, slightly rolled but remains tightly bound. Twenty-four editions of The Woman Freemason magazine (HFAF) complete with full page portraits of members, and advertisements. Issue numbers 41 (Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition) through 64, minus 57. All editions were published in February, May and November, excluding issue 56, which was printed in October, with no explanation for this held within the following edition. Each edition begins with the Grand Lodge update, followed by News from the Lodges. News from the Provinces, and a number of short articles on the subject of Masonry in relation to science, literature, and the arts submitted by members. Despite being written for women, by women, the entries almost exclusively use male pronouns - and the pro-suffrage articles within have done little to update everyone's title from Brother to say, sister; a tradition that remains within Women's Freemasonry today. However, two of the three tenements of Freemasonry are easily applied to feminist principle - those of Brotherly (eh, sisterly) Love, and Relief. Predominantly a charitable organisation for the upper and middle classes, each magazine details the maternalistic social efforts of women Freemasons throughout WWII, as well as their commentaries on contemporary events. Formed in 1908, the Order of Women Freemasons is the oldest and largest Masonic organisation for women in this country and works in much the same way as male Freemasonry. Originally for both men and women, the Order became exclusively female in 1935. Strangely, the Museum of Freemasonry does not hold the Women's Freemason Magazine online. I have been unable to identify any other issues of this magazine available for purchase or at auction. Seller Inventory # 6708

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Woman Freemason Triannual Magazine 1938 ...

Publisher: London 1938 - 1946

Publication Date: 1938

Edition: 1st Edition