Resignation

A member of a Lodge may at any time resign his membership (either immediately or as from some later date specified by him at the time), by notifying such resignation either by a written notice to the Secretary or orally to the Lodge at a regular meeting. If the resignation be so notified to the Secretary, he shall (unless it had in the meantime been withdrawn by a further written notice to him), communicate it to the Lodge at the next regular meeting thereof. The resignation, if notified to the Secretary and reported to the Lodge, takes effect from the time such notification in writing was received by the Secretary, or, if communicated orally to the Lodge, takes effect forthwith, or (in either case) as from such later date (if any) as has been so specified as above-mentioned. No acceptance of the resignation is necessary, and, subject to the following provisions, it is, after notification or communication to the Lodge, irrevocable. Provided first that if, when the resignation is notified or communicated to the Lodge as aforesaid, the member be desired by a majority of the members present and voting to withdraw his resignation, it shall, if within sixty days thereafter he does so withdraw it, be considered cancelled; and, secondly, the resignation of a Brother notified or communicated to a Lodge after a notice has been served upon him, in accordance with Rule 181, that a resolution is to be proposed to exclude him from the Lodge, cannot be withdrawn, and such resignation does not prevent the Lodge considering and voting upon such resolution if it so desires, but, unless the Lodge has resolved that the Brother shall be excluded, it may in such a case proceed in the manner indicated in the first proviso of this Rule. *Until the Board of General Purposes has given a direction in relation to any particular area, the current Rule (above) will continue to apply. Rule 183 (Amended): A member of a Lodge may at any time resign his membership (either immediately or as from some later date specified by him at the time), by notifying such resignation either by a written notice to the Secretary (which may be sent by electronic means) or orally to the Lodge at a regular meeting. If the resignation be so notified to the Secretary, he shall (unless it had in the meantime been withdrawn by a further written notice to him), communicate it to the Lodge at the next regular meeting thereof. The resignation, subject to the first proviso below, if notified to the Secretary and reported to the Lodge, takes effect from the time such notification in writing was received by the Secretary, or, if communicated orally to the Lodge, takes effect forthwith, or (in either case) as from such later date (if any) as has been so specified as above-mentioned. No acceptance of the resignation is necessary, and, subject to the following provisions, it is, after notification or communication to the Lodge, irrevocable. Provided first that from the time when the resignation is notified to the Secretary or communicated to the Lodge as aforesaid the member shall have a period of sixty days in which to withdraw his resignation, which shall, if within that period he does so withdraw it, be considered cancelled; and, secondly, the resignation of a Brother notified or communicated to a Lodge after a notice has been served upon him, in accordance with Rule 181, that a resolution is to be proposed to exclude him from the Lodge, cannot be withdrawn, and such resignation does not prevent the Lodge considering and voting upon such resolution if it so desires, but, unless the Lodge has resolved that the Brother shall be excluded, the member shall nevertheless have a period of sixty days in which to withdraw his resignation. *The above and amended Rule has been applied to the following area(s): Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumberland and Westmorland, Cyprus, Derbyshire, Dorset, Eastern Archipelago, Essex, Gloucestershire, Guernsey and Alderney, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Hong Kong and the Far East, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leicestershire and Rutland, Lincolnshire, Middlesex, Monmouthshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, South Wales, Suffolk, Warwickshire, West Wales and Wiltshire. Rule 183A: Resignation from Craft (a) A Brother may at any time resign his membership of the Craft by notifying such resignation to the Grand Secretary in writing on such form or forms as may from time to time be prescribed for such purpose by the Board of General Purposes, accompanied by the Brother’s Grand Lodge Certificate and, if he is a Royal Arch Mason, by his Grand Chapter Certificate. Such form or forms shall include inter alia a statement that the Brother (i) has ceased to belong to all of the Lodges under the United Grand Lodge of England and Chapters under the Supreme Grand Chapter of England of which he has at any time been a member; (ii) resigns any Grand Rank, or Metropolitan, Provincial, District or Overseas Grand Rank or Rank which he holds; and (iii) no longer considers himself, or wishes others any longer to consider him, a Freemason. (b) The Grand Secretary may in his discretion (and on such conditions as he shall impose) on the written request of the Brother direct that the delivery of any such Certificate, or compliance with any other requirement imposed under this Rule, be waived, and shall have power to communicate to any Lodge or Chapter of which the Brother may be still a member his immediate and irrevocable resignation (which shall, as between the Brother and such Lodge or Chapter, take effect in accordance with the provisions of the first paragraph of Rule 183). (c) Resignation from the Craft shall take effect from the date on which the Grand Secretary shall receive notice under paragraph (a) of this Rule or the date on which all such action as is required or permitted under the provisions of paragraph (b) shall have been taken whichever is the later. The Grand Secretary shall send to the Brother written acknowledgement that he has effectively resigned from the Craft. (d) A Brother who has resigned under this Rule shall remain bound by the various Masonic Obligations entered into by him, but shall not be subject to any of the duties imposed, or entitled to any of the rights and privileges conferred, on a Freemason either under the provisions of the Book of Constitutions or in accordance with the general practice of the Craft. (e) A Brother who has resigned under this Rule shall not be entitled to resume any of the said rights and privileges of a Freemason unless he shall again become a subscribing member of a Lodge. For such purpose he shall first complete such form or forms, and produce such documents, as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board of General Purposes as a condition for the return of his Grand Lodge Certificate and, if he is a Royal Arch Mason, his Grand Chapter Certificate. The Grand Secretary, if satisfied that the application is in order, shall return such Certificates to the Brother in order that he may be duly proposed and seconded as a joining or rejoining member of a Lodge. (f) See now the Schedule of Disciplinary Provisions