Social Victorians/Golden Dawn/Smaller Groups

Smaller Groups and Organizations within the Golden Dawn

Adepti Litterati

Logistics

• Of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
• After the 1900 reorganization
• Also called the April 1900 Executive by Gilbert (86 28)

Members

The Adepti Litterati were the seven "Instructors" of

1. Divination
2. Clairvoyance -- H. Dorothea Hunter in the April 1900 Executive (Gilbert 86 78).
3. Tarot and Chess
4. Ceremonial
5. Symbolism
6. Mystical Philosophy
7. General Instruction

Warden — E. A. Hunter in the April 1900 Executive (Gilbert 86 78).

Timeline

1900 April 21, The Adepti Litterati were made part of the Golden Dawn leadership after the 1900 reorganization, defined in Resolution 3, which was "passed by 22 Members of the R.R. et A.C. on the 21st of April" 1900, and Resolution 4, which defines the Executive Body of the R.R. et A.C. (Harper 74 219).

Notes and Questions

1. Resolution 3 describes the Adepti Litterati as "7 Members who may or may not be amongst those most advanced but who shall as far as possible be specialists in the various studies of the Order" (Harper 74 219). The fact that an Adeptus Litteratus might "not be amongst those most advanced" is, clearly, language that would allow W. B. Yeats to hold office even though he could never successfully advance within the Order.
2. Resolution 4 says that the Adepti Litterati must each "first [be] nominated by the 12 most advanced members of the Order; then elected by the members of the R.R. et A.C. in London, and they shall stand annually for re-election" (Harper 74 219).

Stella Matutina

Logistics

• Of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
• Amoun Temple
• Founded at the end of 1903

Leaders

• Robert Felkin

Members

• Percy Bullock
• John Brodie-Innes

Timeline

1903, end of, Robert Felkin founded this branch of the Golden Dawn along with Percy Bullock and John Brodie-Innes (Harper 74 124). Those members of the Golden Dawn who kept the "magical ethos" of the Order "followed Dr Felkin ..., renamed their branch of the Order the Stella Matutina and set up the Amoun Temple" (Gilbert 86 41).

1910, John Brodie-Innes left the Stella Matutina "to refound Amen-Ra" (Gilbert 86 41).

Sword Visions Group

Logistics

• Of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Leaders

• H. Dorothea Hunter (Gilbert 83 132-34)

Talgarth Road Group

Logistics

• Of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
• Talgarth Road, West Kensington, London
• Beginning no later than 2 September 1897 (Howe)

Members

• Annie Horniman
• Frederick L. Gardner
• Wynn Westcott

Possibly this is the entire membership list of the group.

Timeline

No later than 2 September 1897, the Talgarth Road Group was meeting.

1901 February, The Talgarth Road Group was one of the groups or organizations within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn that was "advised and legalized" in the "Statement Issued to Adepti by the Majority of the Council Feb 1901," Appendix A of the Golden Dawn, (Harper 74 250).

Westcott wrote to Gardner about Horniman: "perhaps you will be able to keep on with her either at Talgarth Road or at her house. I am sad and upset about it, as I enjoyed the meetings very much" (Howe 183). Perhaps this is when he withdrew from the Golden Dawn?

Bibliography

• Gilbert 1986
• Harper 1974
• Howe
• Küntz