Friendly, Fraternal and Freemasonic:

A useful starting point, written by Mark Dennis, Curator of the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, to the identification of objects in museum collections with links to fraternities (including friendly societies and the Freemasons).  The resource takes 21 different objects commonly found in local and social history collections, explains their use and purpose, while also detailing 21 of the main fraternal societies and organisations and explaining the significance of 29 of the most common symbols and imagery used within such objects.

The resource is downloadable below.

This resource was commissioned by SHCG as part of its Museums Association Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund funded project to redesign and add content to firstBASE.