The secret world of female Freemasons - BBC News

they're one of the most secretive organizations in the world there are certain secrets that you have to earn famous for unexplained rituals where were you first prepared to be a freemason in my heart describe the mode of your preparation my right hands left breast and he made there has been this notion that we somehow use goats in our rituals because we somehow satanic and they face regular accusations of corruption there are people who are genuinely afraid to declare that they are freemasons there no more corrupt than anybody else whenever anything bad happens there are a

whole horde of people who know digging to see whether Freemasonry was involved all the men in my family are freemasons I'm the only girl to go into masonry if a man can do it so can I for the first time we've been given access inside this highly secretive society to find out the truth behind the intrigue we have nothing to hide that sinister we're not trying to take over the world despite all these conspiracy theories [Music] the Freemasons are a secretive society that practice rituals in a temple and promotes brotherly love although they have always

been associated with men we've gained access to the two female Freemason groups in the UK the order of remove Freemasons and the Honourable fraternity of ancient Freemasons this looks like any other leafy street in central London but this is the international headquarters of one of the most secretive and mysterious organizations in the world and for the first time they're exclusively opening the doors to us [Music] this is the order of women freemasons there's a meeting today for the quarterly communication of Grand Lodge where only members of a certain rank can attend the most worshipful debrand

master kristene Chapa and this is the second group we've been given access to the honorable fraternity of ancient freemasons right worshipful assistant Grand Master whom do you represent Hiram Prince of architects most worship for the Grand Master and your duty to lay plans draw designs and assists the most worship for the Grand Master in the execution of her work at Christine Chapman a former bookkeeper is hoping to be re-elected for the top job of Grand Master for another four years the Grand Master has to lead and guide the fraternity and she has to provide direction

she is the person with whom the buck stops there's any problems she takes ultimate responsibility for everything and she's the head of the fraternity the female Freemasons were formed in 1908 their male counterparts have been meeting for at least 300 years their practices involve secret handshakes rolling up their trouser legs wearing blindfolds and even nooses around their necks they're currently headed up by the Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent but Freemasons have been accused of favoritism helping each other rise up the career ladder and covering up each other's mistakes Home Affairs Committee have already called

for greater openness in 1997 there were calls from former Home Secretary Jack Straw for offices and judges to make voluntary disclosures about their membership by 2009 he scrapped the rule after the Masons threatened to take the government to court there are people who are genuinely afraid to declare that they are Freemasons because of the public perception that that somehow means that there are corrupt individual or that they're somebody who is a little bit dodgy and that's category categorically not the case I would say quite the opposite is true over the years I sort of there's

been a negative reputation that's been around Freemasonry specifically male Freemasons abouts of corruption and maybe favors going on you scratch my back I'll scratch yours what would you say to that does that still happen I would say that you are categorically not allowed to use your membership of Freemasonry for either financial advantage or personal advantage in that way it's very much found upon by us it's something which we do not tolerate at all within our organization I've been a freemason for over 40 years and nobody's ever offered me a favour and I've never offered anybody

else a favor you hear the stories certainly I've not come across it in Freemasonry at all we've had the odd person that we've had to ask to leave us since I've been Grand Master any one person where their behavior was not suitable for a freemason so what did they do for them behavior not to me they were convicted in court of a criminal knockout many people associate Freemasonry with secrecy and mystery why do you think that is if it was all written out and published sighs for everybody to read there would be no point in

anybody joining it there was to be nothing special left for them to discover you say it's to ensure that it it feels special yes but people could view that as their being something to hide yeah this is a problem but we have nothing to hide that sinister we're not trying to take over the world despite all these conspiracy theories on the Internet and we're not trying to overthrow the government or anything like that do you think if it comes down to it that it might be better to remove that element of surprise no I don't

think so even if it might mean a bad reputation for Freemasonry we need to preserve an element of secrecy for that reason only because that's what makes it special has Freemasonry helped your career know I work to earth in accounts departments whose bookkeepers and so on you know a bookkeeper no no chance the police in particular have been heavily linked with Freemasonry is there any truth in police officers who are Freemasons helping people get away with crimes not that I've ever seen we don't have many police officers in the order of women freemasons we do

have some I know but I've not seen anybody being helped in that way so I can only speak from my own experience have you heard of Freemasons doing favors for each other yes I have in the old days many many many many years ago but that was mainly in the men and they were routed out as corrupt what sort of favors would they be oh we would get the policeman and who were Freemasons doing favors for other members because there's this I see this and this view that sort of you scratch my back off no

it's not allowed it really isn't it's really really forbidden you know rituals not to do you mustn't do that and have you ever heard about that ever happening here not nothing women's Freemasonry no female Freemasonry began in 1908 does this semen working the same secrets mysteries degrees and written but the society separated creating the two groups that exist today we broke away from the main group in 1913 because of a difference of opinion and we have stayed separate ever since although we are now much more friendly terms in the old days they didn't even speak

to each other so with an aging membership the women returning to universities to bring in younger members I can't believe I'm doing this I can't believe on that days finally calm surreal [Music] after joining the Freemasons seven years ago today optician roshni Patel will have a ceremony to mark her reaching the rank of a Master Mason I actually don't know what happens I don't know what will happen I know at the beginning of the thorough and obviously the ending of the ceremony but as to me being put in the chair I don't know that's a

secret as a mystery despite opening the doors to our cameras they're not letting us film everything the order of women Freemasons have not allowed us to film inside roshni ceremony in the temple this is our grand temple tonight where there's obviously sailing with us going on that we can't get access to tell us why you wouldn't want us to see because you haven't earned it roshni has gone through all these offices all the way through the chair she's learnt pieces of ritual she's worked hard she must have been working for five or six years to

achieve the installation into this chair and her reward for that is to be given a beautiful ceremony so roshni will be sitting in this chair down here at the moment before she gets to progress up into that chair what does one need to do to prove themselves each degree is like a little play and so and it's all learned by heart and recited so you have to learn your part in it and do it well come to every meeting be there and be part of the team and do your part and if you're good then

you get moved on to the next step up in the lodge that's meeting tonight they will have a first degree a second degree and a third degree and a ceremony of installation so that's four rituals and then you can go on to other degrees 33 in all if you keep going into the very top at the honorable fraternity of ancient Freemasons deles asana kala is about to pass on to another rank in the society called the second degree I'm feeling very happy I feel confident I am excited I'm not nervous man I'm happy you'll be

hearing the questions and answers shortly now that I would say is the most secret thing that happens in our fraternity brethren but we're not allowed to see everything we've got a strict instructions on what we can and can't film me to open the lodge dear lazada is being asked a series of questions each answer provides an insight into this secret organization where were you first prepared to be a freemason in my heart way next and then coming in to whom a journey the lodge described the mode of your preparation I start listing all all monies

and they are valuables my right hand left breast and he made the my rightly slip shot and the cable tool and the running loose upon my neck is that what happens in the initiation yes it's a symbolic way of dressing someone for a degree and it has different meanings what it represents how do you demonstrate proof of your being a freemason to others by Sun token and the perfect point of interest what would a sign be I took that to be maybe a handshake no it says it's at a particular type of sign which demonstrates

you are one of those degrees that are described and the token is the special handshake that you would give to demonstrate that you have reached that degree so do you use secret ranks yes absolutely of course we do is the secret what happens and when did you do it it's a secret you have to join find out then I'll tell you all about it right and when would you use the special within the ceremonies there are some methods here crypts yeah they're called crypts but I wouldn't use it outside a lot room never why not

not necessary you're shaking hands is there that's nonsense that's silly that's the order of women freemasons it's a big moment for Roshini as one of their youngest members we've heard the ceremony is almost over and roshni is about to appear master thank you yeah thank you so lovely so cute I don't know how I feel I think I think I'm in shock I think it's a bit of denial going on but thank you the whole process of me being put into the chair that was that was very emotional especially by all my Lodge members who

I really care about so yeah at the Honourable fraternity of ancient Freemasons there's a problem with the ropes after fears some of the votes have been spoiled they've now been recounted and the new Grandmaster is about to be announced the result was close but I eventually came through and I'm now the next going to be the next grand master in other words I'm continuing as Grandmaster for another four years although we were given exclusive access we still only gained a glimpse of the workings of this secret society there was a lot that was off-limits to

us both groups of female freemasons dismissed all allegations of corruption but to shake this negative reputation and gain more members they may need to be more transparent in future you