Author Topic: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?  (Read 12651 times)

Offline thehibberds

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Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« on: Friday 02 May 08 00:01 BST (UK) »
I am wondering if it is possible to find out if an ancestor (he died in 1950) was a Freemason.  Any advice would be appreciated.

all the best

David
Hibberd's in Hove, Sussex and Wiltshire
Campain's in Lincolnshire

Offline willow154

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #1 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:03 BST (UK) »
Sometimes it mentions this in the person's obituary, in the local newspaper.
Paulene :)

Offline thehibberds

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #2 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:17 BST (UK) »
Thank you Paulene.

The death was in England where they tend to be quite secretive - especially as compared to Scotland.

all the best

David
Hibberd's in Hove, Sussex and Wiltshire
Campain's in Lincolnshire

Offline willow154

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #3 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:20 BST (UK) »
Not always - I found one of my husband's ancestor's obituaries. who died in 1934, and it added that bit of information at the end.
Paulene :)


Offline willow154

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #4 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:30 BST (UK) »
David,
Just had a thought - there's a book available:
My Ancestor was a Freemason by Pat Lewis.
If you look on National Archives 'booksonline' section it gives a brief description - it also for sale on amazon, etc.
Might be available in the library, too.
Anyway - good luck.
Paulene :)

Offline thehibberds

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #5 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:31 BST (UK) »
Please excuse my ignorance Paulene as I am new to this but how would I go about tracking down his obituary please?

all the best

David

Hibberd's in Hove, Sussex and Wiltshire
Campain's in Lincolnshire

Offline willow154

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #6 on: Friday 02 May 08 00:55 BST (UK) »
Hi David,
We're all learning all the time!
Do you know where he lived and died?
Paulene :)

Offline thehibberds

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #7 on: Friday 02 May 08 01:00 BST (UK) »
I do Indeed Paulene - He died at his home in Hove in December 1950 and my mother who was a nurse laid him out.

Many thanks Paulene

David
Hibberd's in Hove, Sussex and Wiltshire
Campain's in Lincolnshire

Offline willow154

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Re: Can I find out if my ancestor was a Freemason?
« Reply #8 on: Friday 02 May 08 01:10 BST (UK) »
Hi David,
Well there are two ways you could try:
First, contact the local studies library at the library in that area - in some they have a person's index and he might be listed in there. They go through newsapers, etc and if someone has an article written about them sometimes it's put in the index. Often people who go down that route freemasonary) are usually prominent in business, or some other area.
They will also be able to tell you what newspapers were available to search though for 1950s in that area.
If you're lucky they might do a search for you if you can give them the date of death - which you obvioulsy know if you rmum nursed him. The obituary should be within a few days of the death, so this narrows down the search. They might charge for doing this, but some only charge for photocopying, etc.
I'll let you digest this while i write the second option, David.
Back shortly.
Paulene :)