For those of you hoping to take part in our plans for world domination, join the Illuminati, or get one of those high-income jobs that rely purely on Masonic membership; then I’m sorry to tell you that it’s all a fiction. But then, that’s exactly what you’d expect me to say, right?

Admittedly, it seems strange that an organisation could evolve from small groups of stonemasons into an international brotherhood with a membership containing the most powerful men in history. But, the simple truth is that lots of normal people like to spend time with other well-mannered people; and these people know other people, who know other people and the organisation grows and grows. Freemasonry has always been a place for networking and so it’s little wonder that influential people gravitate to it. Of course, in any large organisation there will be cliques (circles within circles as they say) but if you’re hoping to Masonic Handshake your way to power and fame, then you will be disappointed.

So why do the rumours even exist? It’s a fact that anti-mason propaganda has existed almost as long as masonry itself. I expect the very first person who was denied entry started the whole thing and it snowballed from there. Of course, the zealots who (mistakenly) believe it is a religion cause their fair share of fuss in order to “save” anyone who may be thinking of enquiring into the facts. These days, the internet trolls drive the bulk of the extreme accusations.

Freemasonry, like the Queen, does not bother to defend itself against moronic opinions.