Member Lodges & Chapters

For more than a century, the Anglo-Foreign Lodges Association (AFLA) has been a unique feature of London Freemasonry: a fellowship of Lodges and Chapters under the United Grand Lodge of England bound not by geography, but by the international character of their membership and the languages in which they work. From its earliest beginnings in the cosmopolitan bustle of Edwardian London, AFLA has been a meeting point for brethren from across Europe, the Mediterranean, the Americas, Africa, and beyond, united by the conviction that the principles of the Craft transcend national borders.

The Association’s origins lie in 1903, when W. Bro. Major John W. Woodall, then Grand Treasurer, met with senior brethren from four foreign-language Lodges in London: Pilgrim Lodge No. 238 (German-speaking), La France No. 2060 and L’Entente Cordiale No. 2796 (French-speaking), and Italia No. 2687 (Italian-speaking). Their vision was simple but ambitious: to create an International Masonic Club where the different linguistic and cultural traditions working under the English Constitution could meet on common ground, strengthen their mutual ties, and maintain contact with recognised Lodges abroad.

The Club was formally launched at the Café Royal in Regent Street in March 1904. It quickly prospered, drawing members from the diplomatic corps, merchant communities, the arts, and the professions, and by 1910 it counted more than 200 members. That year, under the patronage of the Pro Grand Master, Lord Ampthill, and the Deputy Grand Master, Sir Frederick Halsey, the International Masonic Club adopted a new and enduring name: the Anglo-Foreign Lodges Association. Its purpose? To strengthen bonds of friendship between English Freemasonry and its international brethren. A goal which has remained constant ever since.

Over the decades, AFLA has welcomed Lodges reflecting the rich and intricate life of London’s immigrant and expatriate community: America Lodge No. 3368 for the transatlantic community; Deutschland Lodge No. 3315 and Helvetica Lodge No. 4894 for German- and Swiss-born brethren; Anglo-Dutch Lodge No. 5862 for the wartime partnership between Britain and the Netherlands; Hellenic Lodge No. 7270 and Kypros Lodge No. 8595 for the Greek and Cypriot diasporas; and many more. Today, its membership extends to Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters with Italian, French, German, Greek, Cypriot, Turkish, Brazilian, American, Swiss, and Anglo-Colonial traditions, as well as those whose identity is rooted in a spirit of cross-cultural fellowship rather than a single nationality.

Throughout its history, AFLA has not only celebrated the diversity of its constituent Lodges, but also provided a platform for them to work together; hosting biennial Reunions, visiting each other’s meetings, and on occasion presenting ceremonial workings from their respective traditions in English. In doing so, the Association has remained true to the vision of its founders: to uphold the landmarks of the Craft while allowing each Lodge the freedom to express its heritage, language, and culture within the brotherhood of English Freemasonry.

Today, the Anglo-Foreign Lodges Association stands as a living proof to the belief that Masonry’s cornerstone of brotherly love is strongest when it binds together brethren from many lands. AFLA continues to foster friendships that cross frontiers, languages, and generations: a strong and lasting link between London and the wider Masonic world.