Letter ; Be fair to the Freemasons

M. B. S. Higham
Monday 23 December 1996 19:02 EST
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Sir: May I correct some statements in the article "Masons linked to bullion heist" (19 December)?

Kenneth Noye, who was involved in the Brinks-Mat bullion robbery, was expelled from Freemasonry in 1989. No one else involved in this robbery was a Freemason. The Grand Lodge of Scotland has repeatedly denied that Thomas Hamilton was a Freemason.

There are no Lodges in the House of Commons. There are two Lodges primarily, but not exclusively, for MPs or people who work in and for Parliament, but they meet at Freemasons' Hall. One of them, New Welcome, was founded in 1929 partly because it was felt that the Labour MPs of the day might appreciate the chance of becoming Freemasons in a London Lodge.

It is ironic that some of their successors feel that they may be deselected if they are Freemasons, because their constituents misunderstand Freemasonry and do not care to be told anything good about it.

M B S HIGHAM

Grand Secretary

United Grand Lodge of England

London WC2

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