The stonemasons Guild St Stephen is inviting applications for new membership until Thursday 30th May 2024 at Corpus Christi Common Hall, when full memberships will begin.

The Guild recognises no personal factor (gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, background or politics) which would preclude an individual from Guild Membership. 

There are three main levels of entry available;

Stonemason membership.

This membership is free and open to Banker Masons, Fixers Masons, Stone Carvers/Sculptors, Stone Conservators, Letter Cutters, Monumental Masons and Stonemasons Mates.

Craft membership.

This membership is free and open to crafts and  trades we as stonemasons work alongside. Carpenters, blacksmiths, stained-glass workers and trades from the building and crafts sectors.

Redemptive membership

Redemptive membership is open to all who have an interest in the craft, our history and culture.

If accepted, membership is secured by payment of an annual fee or service to the Guild.

Benefits of Membership.

Being a member of the Guild allows you to gain many experiences that you might otherwise not enjoy. 

• Help for those planning a traditional journey.
• Able to sit on committees as diverse as stonemasonry training, protecting our culture and international initiatives.
• You are afforded privileged access to Lodges and other premises by special invitation.
• You can participate in activities organised by special interest groups within the Guild.
• A full programme of social events, ranging from events of historical interest, dinners and receptions in historic locations, to an Annual feast.
• Invite to all social events
• Behind the scenes access to and an invitation to participate in certain Guild events, ceremonial and cultural events.
• Help with research into areas of Guild expertise.
• Limited chance to carry out scientific, technical and historical research and study using The Guild collection and expertise.
• Information regarding Guild related global events and travel.
• Behind the scenes access to and an invitation to participate in most of the Guild ceremonial and cultural events.
• The vitally important benefit of joining a community of your peers.
• Invitation to educational events
• Limited use of all guild facilities.
• Limited access to stone collection
• Limited access to library
• Limited access and information about the Guilds affiliations with other crafts organisations and journeyman associations.

What is expected of a member?

We always would like all members to attend all meetings and events  but we realise our members are mainly working people, we use modern technology to help keep committee meetings to a minimum, in this way we get the best advice and expertise from members Nationally and Internationally without taking too much of their precious time. There are four main meetings a year, if you can not attend, the minutes will be emailed to you where you will have your chance to comment and contribute. 

A full calendar of events and meetings  will be posted and, as a member, you will be welcome to attend.

Petitioning and Lobbying

The Guild has a long history of lobbying and petitioning on behalf of its members, locally, nationally and internationally; governments, councils, heritage bodies, colleges etc. Historically, this has resulted in support for the French Revolution, the 888 movement, early workers' rights etc. 

More recently, our members have been concerned with issues regarding upholding the quality of training in colleges and keeping courses from closing, professional certification, free movement of journeymen internationally, proposal of exhibitions regarding our craft in renowned museums and galleries and the preservation of our culture. The proposition can sometimes be in support of an action, as in the case of the UNESCO statement of intangible heritage of women being trained as stonemasons in Syria, which the Guild supported.

Any member can propose an issue to the court and, if accepted, and it doesn’t go against guild rules, i.e., must be non partisan, be relevant to our aims, not adversely affect the reputation of other members or of the Guild itself and be legal.  The proposition  will go to the court membership to vote whether they support this cause.

A 70% for,  must be achieved before either lobbying, petitioning or both are decided on and, in the case of a petition, it will be sent to all members to consider signing. This process can take as little as 14 days.