The most well-known female Mason is Elizabeth St. Leger, who was made a Mason in 1712 by the Grand Master of England, Lord Montagu. St. Leger was the daughter of the 3rd Viscount Doneraile. In 1705, she was married to the 3rd Baron Kingsale, who was a member of a lodge of Freemasons in Cork.
She requested to be initiated, and her husband arranged it with the Grand Master, Lord Montagu.
Elizabeth St. Leger was the first well-documented female Mason in England, and her initiation served as a precedent for other women to be admitted into Masonry. According to Freemasonry Today, St. Leger “was the first female Masonic initiate of whom we have the original handwritten documents and the authority of London Grand Lodge”.
St. Leger’s initiation was later accepted and ratified by UGLE in 1805.
In her lifetime, St. Leger was something of a celebrity due to her Masonic affiliations. She also wrote a book about her experience as a Mason, which she entitled Eudoxia, or the Secret History of Freemasonry.
As a result of her book, she became even more renowned in the Masonic community. Today, St. Leger is often remembered as the first female to break the gender boundaries of Freemasonry, paving the way for other women to become Masons.
Are any of the royal family Freemasons?
No, it is a widely held belief that none of the royal family are Freemasons. The United Grand Lodge of England, which is the oldest and largest of the Freemasonic lodges in the world, states that “it has long been decided that no member of the Royal Family should become a Freemason”.
The reasoning behind this decision is that it is believed to be inappropriate for a person of the royal bloodline to take part in a society which has elements of secrecy, and therefore it is not deemed appropriate conduct for them to participate in Freemasonry.
Furthermore, it has been unofficially stated by the Freemasons that in order to maintain the respect that is due to the Crown, it is best for members of the royal family to not become Freemasons. Despite this, there have been non-royal members of the British royal family who were Freemasons, including Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh – both of whom were sons of King George III.
How does a woman become an Eastern star?
In order to become an Eastern Star, a woman must first be a Master Mason in good standing or be related to a Master Mason in good standing (i.e. daughter, sister, mother, widow, etc.). Additionally, a woman must be at least 18 years old or older and believe in a Supreme Being.
If a woman meets these criteria, she can then pursue membership in an affiliated Eastern Star chapter.
Upon initial contact with an affiliated Eastern Star chapter, the prospective member will have to fill out a membership application and pay the necessary fee. After this has been done, the chapter’s committee will review the application and perform an interview of the prospective member.
Assuming all of the criteria has been met, the chapter’s committee may then vote to accept or decline the prospective member’s application. If the application is accepted, the new member will then undergo instruction and will be initiated as an Eastern Star member.
The three-fold initiation ritual consists of programs and instruction to teach new members about the teachings of the order. After the instruction ritual has been completed, the new member will receive her in-chapter badge and be welcomed as a full-fledged member.
From here, the new member will be subject to yearly dues and will be eligible to take part in all Eastern Star social, service and fund raising activities in her chapter and in her state.
How many 33rd degree Masons are there?
The exact number of 33rd degree Masons is unknown, as the organizations or associations related to Freemasonry do not typically release membership information. However, it is estimated that as of 2020, there are around 8,000–10,000 members of the Scottish Rite’s 33rd degree worldwide.
The 33rd degree is the highest level of membership within the Scottish Rite, which is an appendant body to Freemasonry. It is offered only to Masonic members who exemplify exceptional service within their Masonic lodges and who have maintained a high degree of involvement in Freemasonry.
To be accepted into the 33rd degree, Freemasons must first demonstrate a superior level of understanding of Masonic ritual, philosophy and tradition.
