Lady Freemason

Old Lodge Meeting

Early Initiation and Tracing Cloth

The Anglo-Norman House of St. Leger has perhaps one of the best authenticated pedigrees of any
of the old families and their pride in the family name and the fact that they are descended from
one of the companions in arms of the Conqueror, make the name of St Leger a famous name even
today.

From the British Museum Library, Philpott's MSS., and the Stemmata St. Leodegaria, I find that Sir
Robert St. Leger, Knight, obtained from William I. the Manor of Ulcombe in Kent, where the family
flourished for many generations.

Sir Antony St. Leger, Knight of the Garter, a lineal descendant of the above Sir Robert was
appointed by Henry VIII. to be one of his commissioners for letting the Irish Crown lands, and on
July 7th, 1640, he was constituted Lord Deputy of Ireland. It is from this Sir Antony St. Leger that
the Right Hon. Arthur St. Leger, 1st Baron Kilmayden, and Viscount Doneraile, father of the lady,
an episode in whose interesting life I am now about to discuss, was descended.

The initiation of the Hon. Miss Elizabeth St. Leger, afterwards the wife of Richard Aldworth, Esq.,
has long been a recognized fact in the history of Freemasonry in Ireland.

Several accounts, more or less differing in detail, and generally remarkable for their want of
accuracy, have already been published. The most authentic appears to be the one issued at
Cork, with the authority of the family, in 1811. Although these different accounts vary
considerably in the description of the manner in which Miss St. Leger witnessed the secret
ceremonial carried on in the Lodge, the main fact of her being made a Mason remains
undisputed.

If more proof were required than the well-known tradition, the fact of her portrait in Masonic
clothing, her apron and jewels being still in existence, would satisfy the most exacting enquirer.
The tradition, as we have it, is sufficiently circumstantial; if we consider the condition of
speculative Masonry at the beginning of the last century, it contains nothing either improbable
or impossible. By the kindness of Lord Doneraile, Lady Castletown of Upper Ossory, Colonel
Aldworth of Newmarket Court, Mr. James St. Leger, and other members of the family, I have
fortunately been able to piece together all account of the incident which, although it may differ
in some few particulars from those already printed, may fairly, as I hope to make clear on the
present occasion, be accepted as the most authentic account of what transpired.

It would appear that the father of Miss St. Leger, Arthur St. Leger, 1st Baron Kilmayden and
Viscount Doneraile, together with his sons and a few intimate friends, were accustomed to open
a Lodge and carry on the ordinary ceremonies at the family mansion, Doneraile Court, County
Cork. (Pictured above)

On one occasion, during a period when the house was undergoing certain internal alterations,
Viscount Doneraile, with others, met for Masonic purposes. The Lodge was held in a large room on
the ground floor of the house, and in front of this room was a small library, divided from the back
room by a partition wall. From a plan of Doneraile Court kindly sent to me by a member of the
family, it is evident that the rooms to the right, on entering the hall, are probably the ones in
question, the doors of these two rooms both open into the entrance hall, and are not far apart.
The alterations having required the removal of some of the panelling from the larger room, the wall
was in places undergoing repair; a portion of this had been taken down, and the bricks loosely
replaced, without mortar, in the position they were ultimately to occupy. Against these loose bricks
the oak panelling had been temporally reared. On this particular afternoon Miss St. Leger had been
reading at the library window, and the light of the winter afternoon having failed, fell asleep. The
sound of voices in the next room restored her to consciousness, and from her position behind the
loosely placed bricks of the dividing wall, she easily realized that something unusual was taking place
in the next room. The light shining through the unfilled spaces of the temporary wall also attracted
her attention. Prompted by a not unnatural curiosity, Miss St. Leger appears to have removed one or
more of the loose bricks, and thus was easily enabled to watch the proceedings of the Lodge.

For some time her interest in what was transpiring was sufficiently powerful to hold her spellbound;
the quietness of her mind remained undisturbed for a considerable period, and it was not until she
realized the solemnity of the responsibilities undertaken by the candidate, that she understood the
terrible consequences of her action. The wish to hide her secret by making good her retreat took full
possession of her thoughts. For it must be fully understood that although she was perfectly aware
that her father's Lodge was held at the house, she had no idea, on entering the library, that on that
evening a meeting was about to be held in the adjoining room.

Her passage into the hall was easy, but it unfortunately happened that the doors of the two rooms
were close together. Outside in the ball the Tyler was on guard, and from this point her retreat was
cut off. Miss St. Leger, realizing that the Tyler, Lord Doneraile's butler, well knowing the condition of
the temporary wall, would at once, grasp the situation from her frightened appearance, she
screamed and fainted.

This old and trusted family servant, divided between his affection for his young mistress and the
duties he owed to the Lodge, hesitated whether be should call for aid from the household, or alarm
the Lodge. Fearing, however, to leave the door unguarded, be decided to summon his master. This
course brought Miss St. Leger's father, with her brothers, and other members of the Lodge, into the
hall.

Having carried the young lady back into the library, and she being restored to consciousness, they
earned what had occurred. Leaving her in charge of some of the members, they returned to the
Lodge, and discussed what course, under the circumstances, they had best pursue. The discussion
was prolonged for a considerable time, after which they returned, and having acquainted Miss St.
Leger with the great responsibilities she had unwittingly taken upon herself, pointed out that only
one course was open to them. The fair culprit, endowed with a high sense of honour, at once
consented to pass through the impressive ceremonies she had already in part witnessed.

All traditions, as well as the accounts kindly supplied to me by various members of the family, are
unanimous in stating that the circumstances, as above recorded, took place at a time when Miss St.
Leger was a young girl, and unmarried. As will be seen, from the accompanying pedigree [omitted],
compiled from information supplied to me by her descendants, Miss St. Leger was born in 1693, her
father having married in 1690. It is of course difficult to decide the exact age referred to by "a young
girl." When considering the pedigree it will be seen that the maximum age is clearly fixed at 1717-18
(if not much earlier) when Miss St. Leger would be twenty-four years of age.

At 17 she might fairly be called "a young girl" and this would be in 1710. This fact is beyond dispute,
and at once destroys any argument that may be advanced concerning her initiation in any Lodge after
its constitution by the Grand Lodge of Ireland.

Elizabeth St Leger

Doneraile Court

Elizabeth's Apron

In the Freemasons Quarterly dated 27th August 1842, p288, a Brother enclosed the sketch of the
square, with the following words;

To The Editor.
Masonic Relic

Sir and Brother, I beg leave to forward you a fac-simile sketch of a very antique brass square, presented
to me this day by Brother Paine, Provincial Grand Architect. He was a contractor in 1830 for rebuilding
Baals Bridge a very ancient one in this city which he has replaced with a very beautiful structure, and on
taking down the old one, the period of the erection which is unknown (though noticed in records in 1558,
at the proclamation of Queen Elizabeth), he discovered under the foundation stone at the English town
side, this old brass square, much eaten away; but I have traced the shape, size and formation of the
engraving on both sides and marked the holes (I suppose for suspending it to the collar); the most
illegible character is the figure 5, which might be a 3, but history proves it must have been before 1558
at all events; a heart is in both angles- In haste, but ever ready to give information, I am yours,
M Furnell, High Sheriff, Limerick.

I photocopied the square myself, from the original document converted to pdf, I have cleaned the area
around the squares, and the marking inside, the square is as it was presented in the article.

In the Freemasons Quarterly dated Nov 20th 1842, p406, another letter to the editor was recieved
with reference to the square. Printed in the December edition.

To the Editor
Sir. In your September Number I percieve an account of a curious Masonic Relic, Lately found in
Ireland.I beg to say that those relics are by no means uncommon; the writer has seen many, and
has two in his possesion at present, selected from a batch of twelve or fourteen. I am not able to
give you the inscriptions on each, as they are not by me, having left them in Ireland; but the words
are of the same import as those of the square described by your correspondant. I have also seen
rules and plumbs, as well as squares, of like antiquity of a large size, from which i conclude that
such of the Brethren as were tradesmen were in the habit of decorating their working tools with
Masonic devices and emblems.

I am Sir your obedient servant.
London; Nov 20 1842
Antiquarius

Antiquarius certainly did us no favours if his letter is accurate, going to the trouble of writing to the
Freemasons Quarterly he must have realised how important these relics were, one can surmise
only on the accuracy of his submission and rue the loss of the two in his possesion, he was not a
Freemason! that is evident in his signing, possibly an Antique dealer, we can only wonder what
happened to him, and his Masonic relics.