Edward VII’s jewels to cast new light on secretive Freemasons
WITH their secret ecret handshakes and passwords, the Freemasons have long been a byword for a shadowy world of intrigue. Now the brotherhood is to provide a rare glimpse of its inner workings as it lifts fts the lid on its proud ties to the Royal family with the largest exhibition of their eir jewels ever staged.
The Museum m of Freemasonry will put jewels owned ed by Edward VII, who was Grand Master ter before he ascended to the throne, on n display, explaining in detail for the first st time his relationship with the brothers. others.
His personal jewels, which were left to the museum after his death, will be put on display to the wider der public for the first time, in n an effort to tell the story of how he used his membership to mix more widely with society iety than he could in royal life. ife. Around
150 jewels, including uding those once owned by the Duke of Connaught, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling, will also feature.
Mark Dennis, curator, said the collection was “probably one of the largest bodies of male jewellery anywhere”.
Earlier this year, the Freemasons went public in trying to overcome their “undeserv- edly stigmatised” secretive reputation, with the United Grand Lodge of England offering to hold public open evenings.
The Bejewelled: Badges, Brotherhood and Identity exhibition aims to reveal the meaning behind the emblems signifying the lodge or rank a freemason belongs to, or a special event or a charitable act they have performed. The star objects when the exhibition opens next month will include jewels belonging to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who was initiated into Freemasonry in a lodge in Stockholm by King Oscar II of Sweden. While a Prince, he was a prominent Freemason, joining and founding many lodges and serving as Grand Master before having to take a step back when he became King in 1901 and taking the title of Protector of the Craft in England, Ireland and Scotland.
A star-shaped jewel marking his installation as Grand Master in 1875 will be included, along with a commemorative piece for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
Mr Dennis said: “This was a time when members of the Royal Family didn’t take on roles in civil life as much as they do now, but here was a man who wanted to mix much more widely with his subjects.”
The Freemason ties with the Royal family continue, with the Duke of Kent currently Grand Master.