DOWN   MASONIC   WIDOWS’   FUND
Founded 1893
Registered with the CCNI NIC100079



The objective of the fund is to afford assistance to deserving widows and families, including mothers and sisters of freemasons who have been a member of a lodge in the Province of Down outside a six mile radius of Belfast. The inclusion of mothers and sisters  is there to cover the case of a  bachelor Brother who lives with his widowed mother or unmarried sister.


The fund covers the District Charity Committees of Banbridge, Bangor, Downpatrick, Newry and Newtownards. Within these districts there are 80 lodges with a total membership of over 2500 brethren. We currently have 120 widows on the fund. Bereavement Grants are also available


Assistance is by means annual means tested grants as the Committee may find best suited to the necessities of the applicant.


Applications should be completed by the Lodge in the first instance and these will then be forwarded to the District Charity Committee where they will be ratified and then sent to the Fund secretary for consideration by the Trustees.


A leaflet with full details is available by clicking here

If you wish to support the work of our charity and make a personal donation please forward cheques, made payable to  “Down Masonic Widows’ Fund”  to the Secretary.  Thank you.

You can download a Gift Aid declaration by clicking here. This will allow us to claim Gift Aid.


The Annual General Meeting of the Fund was held in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel on Monday 26th February 2024.

In excess of 110 Brethren were in attendance and the guest for the evening was the Most Worshipful The Grand Master M. W. Bro. Rodney L McCurley. Also present was The Provincial Grand Master of Down R. W. Bro. Brian Gardner, M. Ex. Companion Roy Humphries and The High and Right Eminent Prior of the Provincial Priory of South Ulster Frank R. L. Arnold GCT. An excellent set of accounts was presented by R. W. Bro. David Woodrow, Fund Treasurer and the meeting was chaired by the Fund Chairman R. W. Bro. Ian Ritchie.

At the close of the meeting a collection in aid of our widows was taken up and resulted in  over £910 including Gift Aid. Thanks to all who attended and made the evening special.