Provincial Grand Lodge of Guernsey & Alderney
Data Privacy Policy

This notice is for all candidates for, and Freemasons of, the Province of Guernsey and Alderney and should be read in conjunction with the Data Protection Policy of the Province of Guernsey and Alderney.

It sets out the procedures for the processing of Personal Data by the Province and its Lodges and Chapters. All personal data will be processed and retained by the Province of Guernsey and Alderney as the data controller, with each individual Lodge and Chapter as data processors. 

Section 1 sets out how your personal data will be used if you make an application to join a Lodge or Chapter.

Section 2 sets out how your personal data will be used once you are a member of a Lodge or Chapter.

1.    Application for initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining.

As a candidate, you consent to the processing, retention and sharing of your personal data submitted on or with your application, including details of criminal convictions if applicable, for the purpose of assessing your membership application and any other membership applications you may make to Masonic entities.

The assessment of your application will include the announcement of your intended application at a meeting of each of the ten Lodges in the Province, and review by a duly constituted Committee of senior Freemasons of the Province, for the purpose of verifying whether you’re a ‘fit and proper’ person to become a Freemason. Some of your personal details will be printed on the summons which is sent to all members of the Lodge or Chapter to which you are applying. Those details are your full name, age, place or places of abode, profession or occupation (if any), employer and names of your proposer and seconder.

You can withdraw your consent and request erasure of your application data at any time prior to your initiation, exaltation or re-joining by notifying your proposer and seconder that you wish to cancel your application.

2.    Use of your data when you are a Freemason

As a Freemason your data will be processed, retained and shared for any reasonable purposes required by the By Laws of both the Province and each individual Lodge and Chapter you join. These purposes include, but are not limited to, the following purposes:

1.    Assessing any Masonic applications you make;

2.    Registering you as a member of Freemasonry;

3.    Receiving communications to which you are entitled as a Mason;

4.    Recording the progress of your career in Freemasonry;

5.    Masonic disciplinary processes;

6.    If you resign or are expelled from membership, maintaining records to prevent you from improperly re-applying for membership; and

7.    Maintaining records of your career in Freemasonry for archive and historical purposes.

You may stop your data from being used for all purposes except 6 and 7 above by resigning from your Lodge or Chapter by using the process prescribed by the respective Constitutions and By Laws. If you resign or are expelled, personal data relating to your membership will normally be retained and processed by the Province, Lodge and Chapter for 100 years for purpose 6 and indefinitely for purpose 7. If you wish to object to the processing of your data for purposes 6. and 7. then please contact datapr.pga@gmail.com.

Please note Lodges and Chapters keep historic records, for example once you cease to be a member of a Lodge or Chapter your personal details will remain in Minute books which cover the period in which you were a subscribing member.

Your data may also be used within one year of your resignation from a Lodge or Chapter to contact you for the purpose of understanding why you resigned and if applicable to assist you in finding an appropriate Lodge or Chapter to join.

Please contact the Lodge Secretary/ Chapter Scribe E by post or email if you wish to:

1.    Object to the processing of your data (which would require you resigning your masonic membership)

2.    Request access to your data; or

3.    Request rectification of your data.

The legal bases on which your personal data will be used in accordance with this Section 2 are:

a.        the legitimate interests of Masonic entities as not for profit membership organisations; and

b.    The fulfilment of contractual obligations owed to you by the Province and your Lodge or Chapter supported by affiliated Masonic entities.

Further, we may also process your data for our compliance with a legal obligation which we are under, in this respect:

To meet our compliance and regulatory obligations, such as with the Office of Data Protection Authority, and

Any properly appointed Officer or Representative of a Court of Guernsey and Alderney.

We may amend this Privacy Notice from time to time, to reflect any changes in the way that we process your personal data.

Contact details for the Province’s Responsible Officer for Data Protection is by email to: datapr.pga@gmail.com