Laurence Dermott facts for kids
Laurence Dermott (born 1720 – died June 1791) was born in Ireland. He became a Freemason in 1741. He held many important positions. On June 24, 1746, he became the Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 26 in Dublin.
In 1748, he moved to London. He might have worked as a painter. He later became a wine merchant, just like his father. Dermott married three times. His first wife, Susanna Neale, died in 1764. He married Mary Windell in 1765, but she passed away after only three months. In 1766, he married Elizabeth Merryman. They had a son named Laurence, but he did not live past infancy.
Dermott lived in different parts of London. He was the Grand Secretary of the Ancient Grand Lodge of England from 1752 to 1771. He wrote and published a very important book for this Grand Lodge. It was called the Ahiman Rezon. Dermott's strong leadership helped turn a small group of six lodges in 1751 into a large and successful Grand Lodge. This group had lodges all over England and in other countries.
Contents
Early Life of Laurence Dermott
Laurence Dermott was born around 1720. His father, Thomas Dermott, was a successful merchant. Thomas and his brother traded many different goods. They were also wine merchants and owned ships. The family did business from Dublin. However, Laurence was probably born at their home near Strokestown, County Roscommon.
He officially joined Freemasonry on January 14, 1741. This early start might mean that joining Freemasonry was a family tradition. In 1746, he became the Master of Lodge 26 in Dublin. Also in 1746, he became a Royal Arch mason. This would later have a big effect on English Freemasonry. He moved to London in 1748. Many history books say he worked as a "Journeyman Painter." Since he later became a successful wine merchant, he might have moved to England for family business.
Dermott's Role in Freemasonry
When Dermott arrived in London, he first joined a lodge connected to the Premier Grand Lodge of England. This group was often called "the Moderns." But he soon found a place in one of the Irish lodges that were not connected to the Moderns. His important role in Freemasonry began on February 5, 1752. This happened at a tavern in Holborn called the Griffin. The Grand Committee of the new Grand Lodge chose him as their second Grand Secretary.
At the next meeting, Dermott questioned two men, Thomas Phealon and John Mackey. These men were called "Leg of Mutton Masons." Dermott found out they were making people Freemasons for the price of a leg of mutton. They also pretended to teach secret rituals. They even claimed to teach a way to make men invisible! On April 1, Dermott convinced the committee to use the rules from his own lodge in Dublin. These rules replaced the ones written by the first secretary.
The Ahiman Rezon Book
In 1756, Dermott finally printed the rule book for the new Grand Lodge. He called it the Ahiman Rezon. He probably finished writing it two years earlier. But he waited to publish it until the group found a noble person to be their Grand Master. After some tries, the Earl of Blessington agreed to take on this role. So, the book was dedicated to him.
The rules in the book were based on Irish rules. Those Irish rules were themselves based on Anderson's Constitutions. Anderson's book was written for "the Moderns" about 30 years earlier. Like Anderson's book, Dermott's book had a section of songs at the end. Many of these songs were written by Dermott himself.
At the beginning of the book, Dermott included a funny story. It was about his own attempt to write a better history of Freemasonry. He described a vision that stopped him. He also wrote about a puppy that ate his manuscript! The book also explained the difference between his Grand Lodge and the older Grand Lodge of England. The older group was called "the Moderns." This name was used even before Dermott, and it is still used today.
In later versions of the book, Dermott argued that people should not join the Moderns. He said their changes to the rituals meant they would not be recognized by other Freemasons. The book also had more jokes and teasing about the Moderns. It even said their biggest symbols were the knife and fork! This teasing was removed from books published after Dermott's death. The book sold very well. It helped make the new Grand Lodge famous across the country. It allowed them to start lodges in other countries and in the Army.
Dermott's Later Life and Impact
A strange note in the meeting minutes from July 1753 was found. It said that the Grand Secretary asked the lodge to find someone else to deliver messages. He said he had to deliver them himself or pay for delivery for months. This was because he had to work 12 hours a day for the Master Painter who hired him. Some historians thought this meant Dermott was poor. The "Master Painter" might have been James Hagarty. He was in charge of the lodge meeting where Dermott was chosen as Grand Secretary. After this, the Grand Tyler and Grand Pursuivant were given the job of delivering messages. Dermott did not complain about this.
Dermott remained Grand Secretary until 1771. At that time, he was made Deputy Grand Master. The Grand Master was mostly a symbolic leader back then. So, Dermott was the one who led meetings and truly ran the Grand Lodge. Towards the end of his time as secretary, he was often absent because of gout. His last appearance at a lodge meeting was in 1789. He was clearly in poor health. He died in 1791. The exact place where he is buried is not known.
Laurence Dermott was a strong and determined person. He made some enemies because of his forceful personality. Once, he had to defend himself in the Grand Lodge. Someone accused him of not being a proper Freemason. His accuser was later removed from the group. Dermott was also a talented writer, speaker, and teacher of Freemasonry. He was also the administrator who helped the "Ancients" Grand Lodge survive and grow for most of its history as an independent group. Thanks to him, the United Grand Lodge, which exists today, uses the structure of the Moderns but follows the rituals of the Ancients.
Sources
- Laurence Dermott
- Albert Mackey, Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, pp. 275–276.
- W. M. Bywater, Notes on Laurence Dermott G. S. and His Work', Kessinger reprint (originally London 1884)
