Freemasonry in Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Now in 2013

Our Province, in its current form, was founded in 1869 when the independent Provinces of Hampshire (founded 1767) and Isle of Wight (founded 1772) combined. We therefore trace our history back almost 250 years. The Province consists of 11,500 Brethren (in 2013) each of whom will be a member of one or more of the 253 Lodges in the Province.

Each Lodge is an autonomous body run by its members and headed by a Worshipful Master. He is supported by various administrative officers together with others who support him in undertaking in the ritual side of proceedings. Lodge membership varies enormously from, say 30 to 100, or even more; the number of meetings which a Lodge holds each year can likewise vary enormously from two or three, to ten or even one a month.

Some Lodges were founded because of a common interest amongst brethren in a particular area or field of activity. And so within the Province we have military Lodges (some for a particular service, others for combined services), Old School Lodges, University Lodges, and professional Lodges. Usually these Lodges will accept members from all walks of life, provided they uphold the ideals for which the Lodge was founded originally.

Once a man has been initiated into a Lodge he becomes a member of a worldwide fraternity, he can join Lodges in other areas, subject of course to being proposed and seconded and will know that wherever he travels in the world there will be a Masonic presence, with Lodges for him to visit and therefore instant friendship and fellowship.