Secret Handshakes

A while back I gathered all my late Uncle's Masonic gear together in an attempt to document it, using an Olympus OM-1 and standard 50mm lens.  FP4+ was the film of choice and of course none other than the current favourite paper, Foma 133.  According to the manufacturer's notes, ideal for portrait and retro-style photography.  

I've posted before about my Uncle, who lived and worked in Belfast pretty much all of his adult life.  In the 60s and 70s it was common for men to have their societies and for professionals who were also Protestants, that pretty much meant Freemasonry and similar, such as the Royal Black Preceptory.  There were probably others too - I'm not big up on these, having never personally felt the need.  I suspect that membership is falling but I've no evidence for that, it's just my haunch given that society today is a little more inclusive and the need for all-boys-clubs is perhaps less than it once was.  I could be wrong, of course.

Impressive certificate (on very heavy parchment)

My Uncle had a ton of gear - they seem to have been highly ceremonial and ritualistic Societies (and probably still are).  Aprons, badges, medals, certificates, rings, sashes - you name it, he had it.  My mother finds the whole thing a bit scary - she refused to have the stuff inside her house.  I don't know if 'Secret Societies' would be an accurate description, but certainly parts of the ceremonies are shrouded in mystery to the outsider and certain words are never written down but must be communicated verbally only.  And we all know about the secret handshake.  Fair enough - I don't judge and to be honest I don't really have that great an interest in the whole thing.  My Uncle never really spoke about them to any degree that I can remember, other than to say they were, on the whole, Charitable Organisations.  He rose to be quite high up in several of them, from what I can see.  I suspect part of the attraction was simply to 'get out of the house' for a while and enjoy a night out with the lads - good food, interesting company and almost certainly a glass or two as well. 

A fraction of the regalia gathered together in a rather random fashion. 
I've no idea if this stuff belongs together or not, by the way. I also hope I don't get visited by shadowy figures any time soon for revealing anything which should not be have been revealed, but I'm also sure there's a lot more information 'out there' than appears on this page.

In the early 1980s, when my Uncle would have been big into this, I was living in England and for a year I found myself working at the British Gas Research Station in Solihull. I was on a 12-month placement then from my undergraduate degree.  When my time was up, I made an appointment to see the Divisional Head - someone who I never really had any dealings with other than to say 'Good Morning' when our paths crossed.  We said the usual things in that situation (Thanks for the opportunity, Good work well done etc) and as I took my leave we shook hands.  That was, I think, the one and only time I experienced 'the handshake' but it was only as I exited his office I thought to myself, What the heck was that?