# Visiting UGLE in 2017



## Devyn (Oct 24, 2013)

Brethren:

As many of you may know, 2017 will mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of UGLE. 

I'm wondering if anyone is planning to Visit for this auspicious event. Me, I'm hoping to plan a group trip among those in my lodge.

D. Christopher Gillete (EA)
Lodge of Fellowship No.702
Ontario, Canada

My Freemasonry HD


----------



## Sandip (Oct 26, 2013)

Will definitely try to visit UGLE in 2017.
/G\
Sandip Mukherjee
Lodge Star in East, No. 67 E. C.

My Freemasonry HD


----------



## Brother JC (Oct 26, 2013)

UGLE is beginning preparations for the tercentenary celebration, but nothing has been announced yet.
It would certainly be memorable to be in London that Saint John's Day.


----------



## Mike Martin (Oct 29, 2013)

First a correction, we will not be celebrating the 300th Anniversary of the founding of the UGLE but of the first Grand Lodge of England that went on to be one of the unified Grand Lodges that became the UGLE in 1813. 

If you Gents actually mean attending the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge, I am afraid that unless you are the Grand Master of your Grand Lodge you won't get very close to it. I am sure that you will understand that many of our own membership (220,000 Masons) are quite interested in attending the events and entry to such events is ticket only.


----------



## KSigMason (Oct 30, 2013)

I am making plans as well to attend in 2017.


----------



## Devyn (Nov 1, 2013)

Oh, that's tragic. I would have imagined that for such an auspicious anniversary, something extraordinary might be planned, and that brothers from everywhere might be welvome to attend. Not so, then?

My Freemasonry


----------



## Mike Martin (Nov 2, 2013)

It's a lovely thought but to be honest just a tad unrealistic. 

Once our Local Grand Lodges (Ireland & Scotland) are taken into account we have over 300,000 local Masons who may want to take part, that's without including the deputations that will attend from the Grand Lodges around the world that we recognise.

In 1967 (the 250th) the Quarterly Communication was held at the Royal Albert Hall it had 6,500 Masons present, as you can imagine many, many of our own members were unable to be present.

In 1992 (275th), the Quarterly Communication was held at Earls Court and 12,500 Masons were present again, less than 10% of our membership.


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 2, 2013)

Brother Mike,
The UGLE website states that preparations are being made to celebrate the occasion, but little else, so you might imagine how those of us far and away could get the impression it's going to be something worth trying to attend.


----------



## Mike Martin (Nov 2, 2013)

trysquare said:


> Brother Mike,
> The UGLE website states that preparations are being made to celebrate the occasion, but little else, so you might imagine how those of us far and away could get the impression it's going to be something worth trying to attend.



Well not really no. I peruse the websites of many foreign Grand Lodges and it has never cropped up in my mind that I could try and pop along to the events that they organise for themselves. As I mentioned previously, the UGLE will extend an invitation to those who it wishes to invite who are not actually a part of the celebrations. However it is just not actually possible to arrange such things as a free-for-all because of the numbers involved.


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 2, 2013)

I see your point, Brother, and it makes complete sense, but there has never been a tercentenary before.

No matter, it would take nothing short of a miracle to get me there, and I would plan it around my lodge rather than the Grand Lodge.


----------



## Mike Martin (Nov 3, 2013)

When you talk to the Secretary of 9659 he will tell you that attendance to the main event will be nigh on impossible especially as I suspect you are not eligible to attend Grand Lodge anyway. To attend QC you must either be a sitting Warden or Master of a Lodge or a Past Master of same or have applied for permission. 

However, it is possible that either 9659 itself or the Province of East Lancashire will be arranging events during 2017.


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm sure you're correct in that, Brother Mike, no arguments here.

I think one of the issues for American Freemasons is scope. Some of us recognize over 100 GL's here in our country, and visiting the Annual Communication of one other than our own is fairly simple and quite common. I don't think we have a complete grasp on the scope of having the Masters and Wardens of 8,000 Lodges under one roof. I know I didn't.


----------



## dfreybur (Nov 4, 2013)

Mike Martin said:


> I peruse the websites of many foreign Grand Lodges and it has never cropped up in my mind that I could try and pop along to the events that they organise for themselves.



One of the lessons I learned after being raised is every Master Mason in the world is welcome at ever GL meeting in the world.  Just like we're supposed to visit lodges.  Thanks for pointing out that the 300th anniversary meeting will be so popular that only GMs will be able to get tickets.  I've read that lodge meetings in UGLE require reservations be worked out in advance so it follows that GL meetings require that as well.


----------



## Mike Martin (Nov 4, 2013)

Hi Doug,

What you have been told is not accurate here in the British Isles and definitely not here in England. Quarterly Communications (meetings of Grand Lodge) here are not open to Master Masons unless they have applied to Grand Lodge in advance for permission to attend. Those eligible to attend (by right) are Grand Officers, Past Grand Officers, Past Masters of our Lodges, Installed Masters and current Wardens of our Lodges.

Although you are right that Visitors (whether foreign Masons or not) cannot just turn up unannounced at a Lodge meeting where they are not known, it is the protocol here that the Secretary of the Lodge (at least will be aware of such a visitor in advance). Here, no Mason has the "right" to visit a Lodge as every Master has the "right" to turn away an unknown brother to protect the harmony of his Lodge.


----------



## dfreybur (Nov 5, 2013)

Mike Martin said:


> Here, no Mason has the "right" to visit a Lodge as every Master has the "right" to turn away an unknown brother to protect the harmony of his Lodge.



The right to attend your own lodge is a landmark.  The privilege to attend other lodges is a landmark.  The right to object to block a brother from visiting is a side effect of those two parts of the landmark.  Sometimes it's explicit in the rules sometimes not.

At GL the objection would be simple - It's our GL so we need enough room for our own members to attend.  After that, guests are okay to the extent they fit without interfering with our own members.

I've hardly ever seen a visitor refused admission but I've also never been to an event where thousands might show up unannounced.


----------



## Mike Martin (Nov 5, 2013)

dfreybur said:


> The right to attend your own lodge is a landmark.  The privilege to attend other lodges is a landmark.  The right to object to block a brother from visiting is a side effect of those two parts of the landmark.  Sometimes it's explicit in the rules sometimes not.


I'm sorry but when it comes to the UGLE you are incorrect, just for clarification. While it may be that your own Grand Lodge has defined a Landmark(s) to do with visiting other Lodges within its own jurisdiction and its communications I can tell you without any possibility of contradiction that my Grand Lodge has not. So although you are probably dead right for your own jurisdiction you are not for mine.

It would be peculiar to say a Freemason has a right to attend his own Lodge as he is expected to because he is a member of it. However, the Master of that same Lodge may tell him that he can not attend. 

Here. a Freemason does not have the right to attend any Lodge of which he is not a member but he may attend if invited by a member of that Lodge or if he seeks an invitation from a member of the Lodge who will vouch for him.

I have already stated above who is and is not entitled to attend the Quarterly Communications of the UGLE.


----------



## Stephen Maizels GS (Aug 15, 2015)

Devyn said:


> Brethren:
> 
> As many of you may know, 2017 will mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of UGLE.
> 
> ...



I have it on good UGLE (direct) authority that attendance at the main event of the 300th Anniversary of the Premier Grand Lodge will be restricted to the Grand Master and one other only from each Daughter Grand Lodge / District. It is to be held at the Royal Albert Hall which only seats about 4,000.

 The 200th Anniversary of UGLE in 2013 was held at Earls Court which seats over 20,000 and many more guests were accomodated. UGLE has "direct relationship" with over 190 Jurisdictions so that accounts for about the first 400. It seems that UGLE Lodges will need the rest of the places.

At the local level in Toronto some of us had been talking about attending but instead are now talking about creating our own event in which a lot more Ontario brethren can participate. We have not yet spoken to our own Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario as to any considerations that they may be considering already.

Stephen Maizels      Grand Steward Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario
Past Master The Heritage Lodge #630
Mosaic Lodge #559
Grey Lodge#589
Patterson Grey Lodge #265


----------



## MaineMason (Dec 9, 2015)

We will acknowledge the anniversary here in Maine, having been chartered by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts under UGLE and of course now an independent body. I would suspect our Grand Master might be travelling but we will stay here and be with that celebration in spirit.


----------



## dfreybur (Dec 9, 2015)

MaineMason said:


> ... we will stay here and be with that celebration in spirit.



I plan on celebrating in a party.  ;^)


----------



## MaineMason (Dec 9, 2015)

dfreybur said:


> I plan on celebrating in a party.  ;^)


Seems like a Table Lodge would be in order.


----------

