This chronology presents key events in the development of the historical Golden Dawn tradition from its foundation in 1888 to the closure of the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple in New Zealand in 1978.
Early Period (1888 – 1900)
1888 – Golden Dawn Formed
The Isis-Urania Temple No. 3 was formed in London, England by three high ranking members of the masonic Societas Rosicrucian in Anglia. The founders were: 1
• Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
• William Wynn Westcott
• William Robert WoodmanThe Warrant was undated, but Westcott later claimed that it was signed 1 March 1888.2
The Osiris Temple No.4 (closed 18953) in Weston-super-Mare 4 and the Horus Temple No. 5 (closed 1902) in Bradford 5 received a Warrant and began initiating shortly after.
1890 – John Williams Brodie-Innes Initiated into the G.D.
Brodie-Innes was initiated into the Isis-Urania Temple in August. He later transferred to the Amen-Ra Temple in Edinburgh as its first Imperator. 6 Brodie-Innes progressed to the Second Order three years later in April 1893. 7 He was an important figure in the continuation of the Order. He was head of the Sun Order 8 (see below), and of the A.O. after the death of Mathers.
Brodie-Innes initially sided with the Stella Matutina as one of its Chiefs, but in 1910 he started to work with Mathers again. 9
Circa 1890 – Holy Order of the Sun Emerges
This is the earliest known date for a document from this Order. 10 Prominent early members included Brodie-Innes, Mathers, Felkin and the Carnegie Dicksons.
Brodie-Innes is the first known head of this Order. It was closely connected to Mathers’ A.O. , and with the Smaragdum Thalasses from the 1960’s when the Io-Ana Temple was authorised by the then head, Edith Carnegie Dickson (see below).
1891 – Arthur Edward Waite Initiated into the G.D.
Waite was initiated into the Isis-Urania Temple in January 1891. He entered the Second Order in March 1899. 11 He went on to lead one of the splinter groups, the Independent and Rectified Rite (see below). He was a prolific esoteric author, and produced the Waite-Rider tarot deck.
1891 – R.R. et A.C. Established
In December that year the first advancement into The Inner or Second Order of the Golden Dawn, the R.R. et A.C. , took place. 12 Prior to this, members of the Order could only progress ceremonially as far as the 4=7 Grade of Philosophus. The 5=6 was conferred on passing a series of examinations. 13
1893 – Amen-Ra Temple No. 6 Consecrated
The Amen-Ra Temple No. 6 operated in Edinburgh, and formed from a core of existing Golden Dawn members that petitioned for the establishment of a Scottish Temple. 14 It had two prominent members that were to go on and influence the continuation of the Order – Brodie-Innes and Dr Robert Felkin.
It closed in 1902 when the then Temple Chief, William Peck, destroyed all its equipment. 15
1894 – Dr Robert William Felkin Initiated into the G.D.
Felkin joined the Amen-Ra Temple in March 1894, and entered the Second Order in December 1896. 16 He was thrust into leadership after the Morgenrothe period as head of the Stella Matutina17. He also became head of the Order of the Table Round after the death of Neville Meakin (see below), when he then moved to New Zealand taking both Orders with him.
1894 – Ahathor Temple No. 7 Established in Paris
The Mathers’ moved to Paris and set up the Ahathor Temple, beginning initiations in June 189418. The Ahathor Temple remained loyal to Mathers after the schism of 1900, and ceased activity circa 192319.
1897 – Two American ‘Temples’ Established
The Thme Temple No. 8 appears in Chicago, and the Thoth-Hermes Temple No. 9 is established in New York, although it was not consecrated until 1904 20. This possibly indicates it was not very active before this time. It is into this Temple, under the A.O., that B.O.T.A. founder Paul Foster Case is initiated. It was the mother temple to the American A.O.
Circa 1897 – Order of the Table Round Appears
This is the date of a formal letter sent to Neville Meakin 21, the contemporary ‘founder’ of the Order, conferring this right from his father Henry. Felkin later became its head when Meakin died in 1912, and from 1916 onwards it was specifically associated with the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple, with many a cross over of members and leadersship between the two orders. Neville Meakin likely wrote the ceremonies used by the Order (and was the hand behind the Stella Matutina Portal ceremony22).
The following period traces the successor Orders that emerged from the divisions of the original Golden Dawn, with particular attention to those lines that contributed to the establishment and continuation of the Stella Matutina and Smaragdum Thalasses in New Zealand.
Later Period (1900 – 1978)
1900 – The Golden Dawn Splinters
After Mathers’ expulsion by the senior members in London, the original Order split into two camps.- both retaining the name ‘Golden Dawn’ for a couple of years. The first branch composed the large majority of members who rejected Mathers’ claim to autocratic authority. They retained the Isis-Urania Temple in London.
The second branch, containing a small number of members still loyal to Mathers, formed under the new London temple – the Isis Temple (later A.O. Temple No. 1 – closed 1914). Westcott initially assisted this temple for a few years, and then took no further part.
In 1902 the London Adepts renamed their branch The Order of the Morgenrothe (1902–1903), and the Mathers branch changed theirs to the Rosicrucian Order of the A.O. (1900–1939).
1903 – The Morgenrothe Splinters
Further disagreements about the direction of the fledgling Order saw it split into the Stella Matutina under Felkin, and the Independent and Rectified Rite under Waite.
1903 – The Order of the Stella Matutina and the Amoun Temple No. 21 Formed
The Order was led by Dr. Robert Felkin. It largely continued the activity of the original Golden Dawn and Morgenrothe, using the same instructional material, but with some minor changes to the ceremonies (with the exception of the Portal which was re-written). When Waite took control of the original Isis-Urania Temple for his Independent and Rectified Rite, Felkin established the AmounTemple No. 21 as the mother temple of the Stella Matutina.
1903 – The Independent and Rectified Rite Formed
A. E. Waite, pressing for a more religio-mystical interpretation of the Golden Dawn, attracts the remaining members of the Morgenrothe to join his newly established Order. It closed its doors in 1914 after internal disagreements.
1907 – Crowley’s A.A. Formed
Aleister Crowley and fellow Golden Dawn member George ‘Cecil’ Jones establish a new Order, based on the Golden Dawn and Thelema. Alister Crowley was rejected by the senior members of the Isis-Urania Temple. Crowley later fell out with Mathers and published Golden Dawn ceremonies in The Equinox from 1909, contrary to the obligations of secrecy undertaken by members.
1909 – Dr William Elliot Carnegie Dickson Initiated into the S.M.
Carnegie Dickson joined the Amoun Temple of the Stella Matutina in July 1909. His father, Dr George Dickson, had been a prominent member of the Amen Ra Temple in Edinburgh. He helped revive the Amoun Temple after it closed in 1920. When Brodie-Innes died he chose Carnegie Dickson as his successor in both the A.O. and the Sun Order. At the time Carnegie Dickson was also a Chief of the S.M. in Britain.
1912 – Smaragdum Thalasses Temple No. 49 is Established in New Zealand
Dr, Mrs, and Ms Felkin visit New Zealand to oversea the formation of the first daughter Temple of the Stella Matutina. A Warrant, surviving only in transcript, was issued in 1913 for its formal establishment. The Smaragdum Thalasses Temple (or better known as Whare Ra) played a pivotal roll in the Golden Dawn revival at the turn of this century – see below. The Temple operated continuously until 1978.
1913 – A.O. Temple No. 2 Established in Edinburgh
Brodie-Innes, now loyal to Mathers, resurrects the Edinburgh Temple as the A.O. Temple No. 2.
1915 – Formation of the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross
Waite re-wrote the Order’s ceremonies, and the Order continued until 1943. It was later revived from members of the Sociatas Rosicruciana in Anglia. It had moved a considerable distance from its Golden Dawn roots.
1915 – Westcott Receives 6=5 in the S.M
Westcott was advanced to the S.M. 6=5 by Felkin, Hammond and Cadbury-Jones (the later two senior Adepti in the S.M.) in June. In January 1916 he received the 7=4, and in July the 8=3 – before Felkin emigrated to New Zealand.
1916 – Felkin Moves to N.Z. and Three S.M. Daughter Temples Established
Felkin issues a new constitution for the S.M., and the Hermes Temple No. 28 is established in Bristol. It was to last with variable activity until the 1963.
Two other temples were also formed – The Merlin Temple and The Secret College (S.R.I.A.). The Secret College closed in 1921, and Merlin was in abeyance by 1923. Neither had any bearing on the wider Order.
Felkin deputises the running of the English branch, but it soon runs into trouble. The New Zealand Temple, by comparison, flourishes from this point.
1918 – Death of Mathers
Mathers dies in November in Paris, and he is succeeded by Brodoe-Innes. Moina Mathers still functions as de facto co-head of the A.O.
1918 – Paul Foster Case is Initiated into A.O.
Paul Foster Case is initiated into the A.O. Thoth-Hermes Temple in New York, in November 1918. He rapidly progressed through the Outer Order, and was received into the Inner Order as a 5=6 in June 1920. Shortly after he became the Temple’s Praemonstrator for six months, before being removed from office. He resigned in December 1921, and was expelled by Moina Mathers in January 1922.
1919 – A.O. Ptah Temple No. 10 Formed
The Ptah Temple No. 10 is formed in Philadelphia in the United States.
1919 – Violet Firth (Dion Fortune) Initiated into A.O.
Violet Firth (Dion Fortune) was initiated into Brodie-Innes’ London branch of his A.O. Edinburgh Temple, but she soon transferred to another London A.O. Temple (No. 3) under the rule of a recently returned Moina Mathers from Paris. Mathers agrees to Firth’s setting up an outer court to the A.O. (see below), but subsequently finds reason to expel her from the A.O.
Firth then has a close association with the S.M. while continuing building her own occult organisation.
1920 – S.M. Amoun Temple Closes
Christina Stoddart, one of the Chiefs of the Amoun Temple, unilaterally closes the Temple amid increasing personal and internal difficulties. The Temple was later revived under W. E. Carnegie Dickson.
1920 – A.O. Atoum Temple No. 20 is Established
The A.O. Atoum Temple No. 20 is established in Los Angeles.
1922 – Builders of the Adytum Formed
Following his departure from the A.O., Paul Foster Case began the work that developed into Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.). His early correspondence work was known as The Ageless Wisdom, and subsequently as the School of Ageless Wisdom. B.O.T.A. continues to operate today.
1923- Brodie Innes Dies
Brodie-Innes dies in December, and he appoints S.M. Chief W.E. Carnegie Dixon as head of the A.O. and Holy Order of the Sun. This is significant in that Brodie-Innes’ last effort was to try and unify the splinter Temples in the U.K. into a unified informal body under the Sun Order.
1924 – Fraternity of the Inner Light
After being expelled from the A.O., Firth focuses on setting up a functioning initiatic fraternity, initially based on the A.O. As time went by, and leadership changed, the Fraternity (now called Society) morphed from its Golden Dawn roots. Fortune became one of the most widely read occult authors of the twentieth century, and her writings exercised a lasting influence on later Western esoteric movements.
1925 – Death of Westcott
Westcott had already moved to South Africa for health reasons and had ceased active involvement in Golden Dawn affairs. His death therefore produced little immediate organisational change among the surviving Orders.
1926 – Death of Felkin
Dr Robert Felkin dies in December of 1926. Reginald Gardener, Imperator from the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple, is appointed as Chief in both the Stella Matutina and the Order of the Table Round (which Felkin had brought with him to New Zealand).
1933 – Francis Israel Regardie Intiated into the S.M. Hermes Temple
With the assistance of Violet Firth’s contacts within the G.D., Regardie is initiated in January into the Hermes Temple of the S.M. in Bristol. He rapidly progressed through the Outer Order, but without taking any office, nor did he attending ceremonies other than as a candidate. He was advanced to the Second Order in November 1934, and resigned his membership a month later.
After resigning from Hermes, Regardie began publishing Stella Matutina rituals and instructional papers in The Golden Dawn from 1937, despite the obligations of secrecy attached to his membership. This seed set in motion the Golden Dawn ‘revival’ that occurred later in the century, particularly in the United States.
1936 – Francis Gilbertson Salt Initiated into the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple
Frank Salt followed his siblings and father in joining the Order in New Zealand, and held the grade of 7=4.
He was an experienced Hierophant and Chief Adept, and eventually became the Order’s Demonstrator. He was offered the role as Order Chief, but declined in favour of remaining as Demonstrator.
After the closure of the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple in 1978, Salt worked during the 1980’s to train students and carry on the Order in a new Temple.
1954 – Carnegie Dickson Dies
His wife, Edith Carnegie Dixon, is appointed Chief of the S.M. Hermes Temple and head of the Sun Order.
1963 – Warrant Issued for Io-Ana Temple of the Sun Order in New Zealand
The Holy Order of the Sun was largely in abeyance by 1960, as was the S.M. Hermes Temple.
Charles and Beryl Wren, members of both, travelled to New Zealand so that Charles could receive the 7=4 (Mrs Wren was 5=6). The Wren’s reporting on the health of the Smaragdum Thalasses, Mrs Carnegie Dickson issued a Warrant to establish the Io-Ana Temple of the Holy Order of the Sun in New Zealand. The temple was consecrated the following year.
The Wrens were given a very large truck full of original Golden Dawn and Sun Order papers and rituals from Mrs Carnegie Dickson, including much of the original Cromlech equipment.
All members of the Io-Ana Temple were members of the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple also. It was closed a few short years later after difficulties arose between members.
When Mrs Carnegie Dickson dies, Mr and then Mrs Wren becomes head of the Sun Order in quick succession due to the death of the former.
1965 – Revival of the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross
The F.R.C. had lain dormant for 20 odd years when several older members of the Societas Rosicrucian in Anglia started working the rites again., bringing it out of abeyance by their efforts. It continues to this day, and is open to both men and women.
1978 – The Smaragdum Thalasses Temple No. 49 Closes
With declining numbers and no new members admitted since 1975, the three ruling Chiefs conclude that “the Divine Guardians have withdrawn from the Hermetic
Order 49, for the Ancient Wisdom requires to be expressed in new appropriate forms for the continuing enlightenment of humanity”23Temple’s particular method of working is no longer appropriate to the times. Smaragdum Thalasses closes in August 1978 after sixty-six years of activity.
Most members accept the closure, although some continue to meet and perform ritual. Frank Salt and Jack Taylor, in particular, subsequently take on students.
Bibliography
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion: A Guide to the History, Structure, and Workings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, The Aquarian Press, 1986
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, Holmes Publishing Group, 1999
- Fuller, Anthony Charles (Tony Fuller), Facebook Group: Universal Mysteries
References
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion: A Guide to the History, Structure, and Workings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, The Aquarian Press, 1986, page 31. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 31. ↩︎
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, Holmes Publishing Group, 1999, page 28. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, pages 33-34. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, pages 35-36. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 37. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 145. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 43. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 41. ↩︎
- Fuller, Anthony Charles (Tony Fuller). Facebook Group: Universal Mysteries, 25 March, 2020, incl. image of photocopy of original letter. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 146. ↩︎
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, page 22. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 98. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 37. ↩︎
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, page 39. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 129. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 41. ↩︎
- Gilbert, R. A.. The Golden Dawn Companion, page 39. ↩︎
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, page 46. ↩︎
- Greer, Mary and Kuntz, Darcy. The Chronology of the Golden Dawn, page 30. ↩︎
- Meaken, Henry Meyers (Tudor). Letter to Neville Gauntlet Meaken, November 29th, 1897, typed transcription in a private collection, New Zealand. ↩︎
- Fuller, Anthony Charles (Tony Fuller). Facebook Group: Universal Mysteries, 16 October, 2017. ↩︎
- Ceremony for the Closing of the Order of the Smaragdum Thalasses, dated 9 September 1978 and in the possession of ex-Chief Nancy Hobson. ↩︎
