Lyn,
I would be interested in the answer to your question. Could you please
post
to the list?

Thanks,

Glad to.  I received many wonderful replies.  The following 2 contain
all the information

A brick mason is a craftsman who lays brick. A Free Mason is a lodge
member to a fraternal organization hundreds of years old and when they
began to admit non-bricklayers into the Craft (Speculative Masons), they
continued to include the working tools of a mason as symbols.   Like
the  square and compass, the level, the plumb, the apron, etc. I am a
Master Mason with the 32nd degree.  I am also a Shriner, and you must be
a Master Mason to be eligible to enter the Shrine.
No one ever told me I could lay bricks well.  I have an oven in my
backyard
to back this statement up!   Regards, E. C.

and this one:

 I happen to be a brickmason----a bricklayer---a brick contractor but am
retired now.  A brick mason cover a number of the different fields of
brick masonry.   You have brick masonry; block masonry, stone masonry,
concrete masonry; tile masonry, etc. except that tile is considered a
separate as is concrete.
 Brickmasonry is one of the oldest crafts in the world.  Brickmaking is
not done by masons.   Masons lay the brick...  masons also set stone.
They also cut brick and cut stone.    Many tombstones are done by
masons.
      Today's brickmasons are also stone masons, tile masons and some do
concrete work and plastering along with.  They are all allied trades,
but today mostly learn only the one phase of masonry.  I began my career
many years ago with a four year apprenticeship.  I startead over 50
years ago. ...D.H.

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