The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), home to 170,000 Freemasons, opened its doors to Metro, allowing a rare glimpse inside a building long shrouded in secrecy. Located near Covent Garden, the headquarters features marble lobbies, sweeping staircases, and mosaic floors, serving as a filming location for blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. Visitors can enjoy one of the cheapest pints in London or a coffee with latte art depicting the square and compass.
Initiation Rituals Described as Amateur Dramatics
Freemasons Nando Caicedo and Mitch Bryan guided the tour, explaining that initiation ceremonies are akin to plays. New members experience a prepared show, and if they return, they begin participating in these performances. Nando, a director at a national charity who joined six years ago, said: 'It's like almost like a play. People learn their parts and you need to know your part in order to deliver something well. Each one of those parts has a different teaching within it, like morality and values.' Mitch, 36, who works for a renewable energy company, rehearses his parts while walking the dog or commuting by bus.
Secret Handshake Dismissed as 'Really Dull'
When asked about the infamous secret handshake, both Freemasons appeared exasperated. Mitch said: 'The secret handshake is one of the dullest things in Freemasonry. Back in the day, it was a way of just communicating your skill and ability in medieval stonemasonry. There's more than one handshake, but it's really boring, really dull.' Nando added that curious individuals can look it up online, but cautioned: 'If you want to become a Freemason – don't – because it's like skipping to the end of the movie, and that would be boring.'
Membership Drive Targets Younger Generation
The Freemasons are actively recruiting younger members through social media ads on Facebook and Instagram, capitalizing on the Gen Z loneliness crisis. UGLE Grand Secretary Adrian March told Metro: 'There's quite an issue at the moment with loneliness or lack of social interaction. People join because they want to do something and be involved in something.' Nando, who moved to the UK from Colombia at age 8, said: 'London is one of the loneliest cities in the world to live in. But I am not alone because of the Masons. That social connection.'
Costs and Charity Contributions
Membership fees cost around £200 annually, with dining at the Grand Lodge adding £50 per event, typically attended at least four times a year. Lodge meetings occur up to seven times annually and serve as fundraising events. In 2020, the Freemasons contributed £51.1 million to charitable causes, often through raffles, curry nights, and barbecues. There are over 7,000 lodges across the UK, including geographic and hobby-based ones like Formula One or Rock Music lodges.
Secrecy as Allure
Despite conspiracies, secrecy remains part of the appeal. Mitch said: 'People just constantly take the mick out because they think it's weird. We get ripped apart all the time for being involved in this, that, and the other, but it's just untrue. It's nice to be a part of something bigger, something that you can always learn from. But more importantly, we're carrying on what our forebears started.' New members receive gloves, papers, and a white apron, progressing through three degrees: Enter Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. No politics or religion is discussed at gatherings, though belief in a higher power is required.
