Until I went past this old building in Regent St, Chippendale, which was being gutted, I had never heard of Co-Freemasonry. It turns out it is a form of Freemasonry admitting both men and women, and so not recognised by most Orders and Grand Lodges. Apparently it originated in France in the late nineteenth century, during a period of strong feminist and women's suffrage campaigning. Co-founders were a Senator, Dr Georges Martin, and a feminist author and politician, Maria Deraismes. Given that the building is gone, and the contact phone number decades out of date, I wonder if they still exist?
Philanthropist Edith Cowan, on the fifty-dollar note, was a Co-Freemason. As far as I know there is a lodge in each state. The NSW one is at Victoria St., Beaconsfield.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed Le Droit Humain is alive and well. LDH tends to be a more essoteric order and embraces equality in the Lodges. They are represented in many countries, including the United States.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Sally, If you or any of your readers want more information about CoFreemasonry in Sydney please contact me at: ricthomas_70@yahoo.com.au or check out my profile on face book. I use the following name there.
ReplyDeleteRic Thomas
an officer of Le Droit Humain, Sydney 404
"I am very pround to stand on equal ground with women in Freemasonry. A society who does not equally value its mothers, daughters and sisters is as good as dead. We do not seek women as members for their gender but for the quality of their character and their willingness to serve G-d and humanity."