Last updated: March 2026
The Lodge of Fraternity No. 1418 is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of its members, prospective members, and visitors. As a lodge operating under the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) within the Province of Durham, we adhere to the data protection policies established by UGLE and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
For enquiries regarding data protection, please contact:
Email: secretary@lodgeoffraternity.org.uk
Address: Lodge of Fraternity No. 1418, Stockton Masonic Hall, Wellington Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1RD
The UGLE Data Protection Officer may be contacted at: dataprotection@ugle.org.uk
Candidates expressing interest in joining Freemasonry provide personal data that is assessed for membership eligibility and lodge matching. This includes your name, contact details, date of birth, profession, and other details submitted on or with your application, including details of criminal convictions if applicable, for the purpose of assessing your membership application.
Religion and ethnicity responses remain hidden from assessors and are used only for equalities monitoring. Application details printed on the summons include: full name, age, profession, place of abode, business address, and the names of your proposer and seconder.
Your data is verified against current and former member records. Post-application communications about Masonic events and learning resources may be sent. The legal basis for processing is consent. Applicants may withdraw their application at any time prior to initiation. Unsubmitted applications are deleted after two years; data for candidates who are not initiated is deleted within ten years.
Masonic entities will never sell your data.
Personal data is processed for the following purposes:
The legal basis is the legitimate interests of not-for-profit membership organisations. Additional data (such as dietary preferences, photographs, religion, and ethnicity) is held on a consent basis.
Information is shared among relevant Masonic entities as necessary. Grand Lodge quarterly meeting proceedings are recorded in public minute books.
Members may stop most processing (except disciplinary records, reapplication prevention, and archival) through resignation in accordance with the relevant constitutions. Personal data relating to membership will normally be retained and processed by the United Grand Lodge of England for 100 years for purpose 6 and indefinitely for purpose 7. Data recorded in lodge minute books is retained indefinitely.
Members may request access to their data, correction of inaccurate data, or object to processing. Data held on a consent basis may be deleted upon request. The Lodge Secretary can provide details of the relevant data controller.
Data processed in connection with events includes names on seating plans, attendance lists, mobility needs, dietary preferences, and payment information. The legal basis is the organiser's legitimate interests, except for mobility and dietary preferences (consent) and payment information (contract performance, then legitimate interests). Data is retained for seven years following the event and may be shared with venues and caterers for service provision.
Masonic charities may access member name and address data for donor database verification on a legitimate interests basis. Relief applicants' data may be accessed for Freemason status verification. Charities use data only to the extent necessary for relief assessment.
Criminal conviction data is used only by the lodge, relevant geographic Grand Lodge, and UGLE for the purpose of determining suitability for membership, suitability for continued membership, and reapplication prevention records. Candidates must disclose convictions (except spent offences under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974). The legal basis is consent for candidates and legitimate interests for initiated members.
Masonic records are archived to the Library and Museum of Freemasonry (charity registration 1058497) for public interest and historical research. Access restrictions apply: 70 years for general records and 100 years for sensitive personal information. After restriction periods, academic researchers and others may access records.
All subscribing lodge members receive Freemasonry Today electronic access. Monthly First Rising newsletters are distributed to all members via Mailchimp (USA-based servers). Your name and email address will be sent to Mailchimp's servers for the purpose of sending the newsletter to you. The legal basis is legitimate interests. You may unsubscribe at any time via the links provided in the newsletter.
The Lodge of Fraternity No. 1418 and UGLE may monitor, record, and store telephone, email, and web form communications for the purposes of responding to queries, handling issues, verifying information, maintaining legal records, and improving service quality. The legal basis is legitimate interests.
Under data protection law, you have the right to:
Concerns should be addressed to the Lodge Secretary in the first instance. Unresolved complaints may be escalated to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
For the full UGLE Data Protection Notice, please visit: ugle.org.uk/data-protection-notice