Genesis of Freemasonry - Softcover

David Harrison

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0853184992 ISBN 13: 9780853184997

Publisher: Lewis Masonic, 2014

Synopsis

This book is a revealing but thoroughly enjoyable journey through the intricate history of English Freemasonry. Historian Dr. David Harrison reconstructs the hidden history of the movement, tracing its roots through a mixture of mediaeval guild societies, alchemy and necromancy. He examines the earliest known Freemasons and their obsessions with Solomon s Temple, alchemy, and prophecy, to the formation of the Grand Lodge in London, which in turn led to rebellions within the Craft throughout England. Harrison also analyzes the role of French immigrant, Dr Jean Theophilus Desaguliers in the development of English Freemasonry, focusing on his involvement with the formation of the mysterious modern Masonic ritual. All Freemasons and more general readers will find much of interest in this fascinating exploration of the very beginnings of Freemasonry, still one of the most mysterious brotherhoods in the world.

About this title

From the Author:

This book was the culmination of my PhD work at the University of Liverpool, which I submitted in December 2007, and successfully defended in March 2008.  A year later, the thesis was published as The Genesis of Freemasonry by Lewis Masonic.  It was suggested by Dr. William Ashworth, my supervisor during my PhD research that the thesis would perhaps find a more suitable home with a popular publisher, or a publisher with a Masonic background, and when Lewis Masonic became interested, that suitable home was found.  The book was first published in March 2009, and despite the controversy that surrounded it, the book was a success.
The work can be found in many Masonic and University libraries around the world, and demand has led to the publication of this revised second edition.  It has allowed me not only to correct grammatical errors that existed from the original Lewis Masonic edition, but to extend the bibliography and index, and to add more references which can act as a guide to the reader.  I wanted the work to reflect the original thesis as much as possible, so resisted altering too much of the writing and faithfully kept to the essence of the original work.  Additional photos and illustrations were also added.
This book launched my career as a Masonic historian, researcher and author.  I hope it goes on to inspire further Masonic research and continues to stir passions.

About the Author:

Dr David Harrison is a UK based Masonic historian who has so far written three books on the history of English Freemasonry and has contributed articles on the subject to various magazines which deal with the topic of Freemasonry around the world, such as the UK based Freemasonry Today, MQ Magazine, the Square, the US based Knight Templar Magazine, Philalethes and the Australian based New Dawn Magazine. Harrison has also appeared on TV and radio discussing his work.
Having gained his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 2008 which focused on the development of English Freemasonry, the thesis was subsequently published in March 2009 entitled The Genesis of Freemasonry by Lewis Masonic, and his second work entitled The Transformation of Freemasonry was published by Arima Publishing the following year. Both works received critical acclaim. His work on The Liverpool Masonic Rebellion and the Wigan Grand Lodge was published by Arima in October 2012, which was followed by A Quick Guide to Freemasonry in 2013 and The York Grand Lodge in 2014. His latest work Freemasonry and Fraternal Societies is published in July 2015.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lewis Masonic
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0853184992
• ISBN 13: 9780853184997
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240