The Grand Lodge of British Columbia Bulletin November 1978

Dear Editor:
I enclose an article which I have written for my own amusement but is an attempt to correct some of the stories told about Mrs. Aldworth, known as the Lady Freemason.

I have tried to avoid any comment of my own which would confuse the issue and have kept close to the facts as related in 1895 at the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, which I am sure you will agree is not likely to go far wrong when it comes to craft matters.

The subject has interested me for a long time as many years ago my Father obtained a portrait of a lady with the title underneath "Mrs. Aldworth". My father believed that it was the lady who was made a freemason. But comparing it with the one in Mackey's I have my doubts, as my Father's copy was of a very attractive young woman who bears little resemblance to the copy which was done in later life.
Fraternally yours
W. Bro. Robin P. Davis,
Worshipful Master, Euclid Lodge No. 158

MRS. ELIZABETH ALDWORTH --A FREEMASON

There are very few brethren who have not heard of Mrs. Aldworth who was made a Freemason in Ireland early in the 18th Century. Unfortunately, many of the facts have been distorted and variations of them have cast doubt on the truth of the story. I do not wish to add anything new to the story but instead want to try and settle some of the confusion about this remarkable lady.

The most authoritative story appears to be that which appears in Volume VIII of "Ars Quatuor Coronatorum" of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge of London, issued in 1895. This article is a report on the research by Brother Edward Conder together with comments by other learned Brethren who listened to his lecture and discussed it following his presentation.

Several Lodges in Ireland claimed the honour of being the one where the incident is alleged to have taken place. Brother Conder logically disproves any of these claims. The most authentic story is the one that relates that as a young girl, before her marriage which took place in 1713 she accidentally witnessed the meeting of a Masonic Lodge held in Doneraille House. This was the home of her father, Arthur St. Leger, 1st Baron Kilmayden and Viscount Doneraille. Bro. Conder states that the condition of speculative Masonry at the beginning of the 18th Century was such that nothing was either improbable or impossible. In spite of the many different versions of the story there is no doubt that Mrs. Aldworth was initiated before 1713--the year of her marriage. At that time she was about 20 years old. An engraved portrait of Mrs. Aldworth was made in 181 I from a picture of her painted long after her marriage. The engraving shows a rather serious matron wearing a small masonic apron. It has a rounded flap with a fringe around the flap and apron. There are no other ornaments on it. Her right hand is bent at the elbow and lies across her chest so that a large ring on her second finger is prominently displayed. There is a copy of this engraving in "Mackey's Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry" and although the ring can be seen, it is impossible to examine it closely but it appears to represent a rising sun.

In 1895 Mrs. Aldworth's apron was in possession of one of her descendants and Bro. Conder described it as being of a remarkable size. The flap was 21" deep, width 21 " at the top and 23" at the bottom and long enough to reach to her knees. This differs very much from the one displayed in the portrait, which is quite small.

At the time of Bro. Conder's lecture there were two jewels belonging to Mrs. Aldworth in existence. One was in the possession of a member of her family and the other was in the possession of Lodge No. 1 in Cork, Ireland.

It is an established fact that Mrs. Aldworth was initiated and she is known to have taken her Masonic duties seriously. At the beginning of the 18th Century, Speculative Freemasonry was not as well organized as it later became. A Lodge was an assembly of Freemasons and in most cases did not have a permanent home but met at any suitable location which explains why Freemasons were meeting at Viscount Doneraille's home. Many Brethren did not advance to Master Masons and Apprentices and "Fellows" were much more numerous and influential. So that it is quite probable that Mrs. Aldworth did not advance beyond the degree of Entered Apprentice.

There are many stories to explain the reason who it was necessary to initiate her. The story that she hid in the clock or the Library with the express intention of eavesdropping can be discounted according to Bro. Conder. In any case her subsequent behaviour as a Freemason is hardly that of a mischievous and irresponsible girl. The only facts that do seem to stand up to scrutiny and are hard to dispute are that she was in the library of her father's house when the meeting took place. She was discovered by the Tyler. She did hear enough of the proceedings to cause the assembled brethren to take some action and she was initiated. Beyond these facts one can only speculate as to the actual sequence of the events that took place that day, and how the ceremony was conducted. History is silent on this.

Many stories have been written about this famous lady which are patently the result of hearsay and a fertile imagination. This is a great pity as they do nothing that reflects credit on her or the craft.

Mrs. Aldworth died in 1773 at the age of 80. She was buried in a vault in the old St. Finnbar Cathedral, Cork. A mural tablet to her memory was placed in the parish church at Doneraile. The stone slab which covered the vault was later moved to the new St. Finnbarr Cathedral and placed on the floor of a small chamber in the great tower.

Written by:
W. Bro. Robin P. Davis, M.W.,
Euclid Lodge No. 158, A.F. & A.M. Port Alberni, B.C.
