Masonic Heraldry

Freemasonry makes extensive use of symbols, including coats of arms. Four constitutions - Netherlandic, English, Scottish, and Irish - are active in South Africa, each with its own heraldic customs.

Grand Lodge of South Africa (Netherlandic)

Originally the South African chapter of the Netherlands Grand East Constitution, which was established in the Cape Colony in 1772. The lodges broke away from the parent organisation in 1961 and became the Grand Lodge of South Africa, which has its own arms: Or, a square with corner baseward surmounted by a compass Gules; on a chief Azure a sun in splendour Or (BoH 1973).

The five provincial grand lodges within the GLSA have their own arms, or pseudo-armorial devices, which are displayed on gonfalons.

United Grand Lodge of England
Freemasonry under the English Constitution was established at the Cape in 1811. Evidently, the local districts bear the arms of the parent Grand Lodge (which were granted in 1919), differenced by means of bordures. The Western District arms, for instance, have a bordure based on the old Cape of Good Hope arms, while the bordure of the Kimberley District arms (BoH 1968) bears charges from the old Kimberley municipal arms.

The UGLE arms themselves are a combination of the 15th-century "modern" lodge arms (dexter) and the 18th-century "antient" lodge arms (sinister).

Grand Lodge of Scotland

Scottish Constitution freemasonry was established in South Africa in 1860. It has four local districts, of which at least two are armigerous. The Western Province District arms marshal the arms of Scotland, the parent Grand Lodge of Scotland arms, and the arms of the Cape of Good Hope. The Central District arms (BoH 1987) impale the GLoS arms - which resemble the "modern" English arms, but in different tinctures - with Argent, in chief a lion rampant Gules and in base a protea flower slipped and leaved proper all within a bordure per bordure Or and Vert, overall a fess wavy Azure.

Grand Lodge of Ireland
Irish Constitution freemasonry was established in South Africa in 1896. Its provinces appear to use the parent Grand Lodge arms, which date from 1806 and closely resemble the "antient" English arms. At least one individual lodge - Hibernia, in Durban - has its own arms, depicting an Irish harp.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn