| Elizabeth
Aldwort lived in County Cork in the eighteenth century, she was
born the Hon. Elizabeth St. Leger, daughter of Viscount Doneraile
of Doneraile Court in County Cork, she holds the distinction of
being the only woman ever to be accepted into Freemasonry.
Her father was a mason and the
lodge meetings were held in his house, one day in 1712 she became
overcome with curiosity as to what went on in the meetings, and
decided to hide in a grandfather clock case, the meeting was in
progress when she was discovered.
After no doubt initial anger
it was decided the only way to ensure her silence was to initiate
her as a member. In 1713 she married Richard Aldworth, Esq., she
died in 1773 and is buried in St Finbarr's cathedral.
|
