Frank Bennett (occultist)
Encyclopedia
Frank Bennett was an Australian disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley
and founder and head of the Ordo Templi Orientis
(O.T.O.) in that country.
He was a member of Crowley’s A∴A∴ and is often referred to by one of the magical names that he used in that Order: Frater Progradior, (Progradior is an approximation of the Latin for "I advance").
, England. He worked variously as a builder, industrial chemist, and factory manager, and in later life, as a caretaker and maintenance supervisor. During his earlier years he was involved in a number of esoteric movements, including the Theosophical Society
and Universal Co-Freemasonry
(now known as Co-Masonry: a mixed-sex version of Freemasonry
). He had gotten in touch with Crowley in 1909 through The Equinox
, asking for information on the Abramelin operation. Not long after he joined Crowley’s A∴A∴ and later the O.T.O.
In spite of his interest in Crowley, Bennett kept his ties with Co-Masonry and in 1911 emigrated to Australia, with the specific purpose of assisting in the foundation of Co-Masonic Lodges, a task he undertook with some success. He eventually settled in Sydney, where he was joined by his wife and children. Frank Bennett’s interest in Co-Masonry
waned, and he resigned from the Sydney Lodge, of which he was Past Grand Master, after a dispute over its management.
In 1914 he renewed contact with the O.T.O. and after lengthy negotiations he received a charter for to run the first O.T.O. Lodge in Australia in November 1915. The lodge was named ‘Sydney Rosicrucian Lodge,’ and for technical reasons was listed as ‘Lodge No. 2 on the Register of the National Grand Council of the Ordo Templi Orientis
for the Union of South Africa.’
Throughout the years of the First World War Bennett sought to grow the O.T.O. and the A.’. A.’. in Australia, holding regular lectures which he advertised in newspapers. He corresponded regularly with Crowley and Frater Achad (Charles Stansfeld Jones
) who supervised his studies in the A.’. A.’. It was as a Neophyte under Achad’s mentorship that he adopted the name "Progradior" – which would become the best known of his magical names.
In July 1921, Bennett traveled to the recently founded Abbey of Thelema
in Cefalù
where he began personal studies under Crowley. There he joined a small number of Thelemic luminaries including Leah Hirsig
, Cecil Frederick Russell, Jane Wolfe
, and others. Crowley was greatly impressed with Bennett’s enthusiasm and aptitude, and specifically rewrote an initiatory text: Liber Samekh, a ritual for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, for Bennett to use during a magical retreat ("magical retirement.") Frank Bennett kept a detailed account of his experiences during this retreat which has since been published as The Magical Record of Frater Progradior.
Crowley was immensely impressed with Bennett’s achievements, and came to consider him as a star pupil. He formally admitted Bennett to the Ninth Degree of the O.T.O. and officially appointed him as his "Viceroy in Australasia." Crowley also advanced Bennett rapidly through the grades of the A.’. A.’., with Bennett taking the Oath of an Adeptus Minor in October 1921.
When Frank Bennett returned to Australia in December 1921 he was ill with malaria
and had also acquired a heroin addiction. He also returned to domestic troubles: his wife was on the verge of leaving him, and when she did so his son, Frank Bennett Jr. sided with her, and never reconciled with his father. For a time Bennett lost contact with Crowley and the Thelemites, but eventually recommenced his correspondence with Crowley and his Scarlet Woman, Alostrael (Leah Hirsig) and renewed his attempts to spread Crowley’s teachings (the Law of Thelema
). In 1924 a Sydney newspaper, Smith’s Weekly, ran a series of scandalous exposés on Bennett and the O.T.O. Under pressure from family, and afraid of losing his job, Bennett withdrew from the public gaze, and the Sydney
O.T.O. and A.’. A.’. groups – which had probably only ever attracted a tiny membership - appear to have dissolved. Following the closure of the Abbey of Thelema
in Cefalù Aleister Crowley
, Leah Hirsig
and the other members of the small core group of Thelemites dispersed, and Frank Bennett slowly drifted out of contact with them. He died in November 1930, following a short illness.
and others in his circle has also been published as The Progradior Correspondence.
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
and founder and head of the Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
(O.T.O.) in that country.
He was a member of Crowley’s A∴A∴ and is often referred to by one of the magical names that he used in that Order: Frater Progradior, (Progradior is an approximation of the Latin for "I advance").
Biography
Bennett was born in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. He worked variously as a builder, industrial chemist, and factory manager, and in later life, as a caretaker and maintenance supervisor. During his earlier years he was involved in a number of esoteric movements, including the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
and Universal Co-Freemasonry
Co-Freemasonry
Co-Freemasonry is a form of Freemasonry which admits both men and women. It began in France in the 1880s with the forming of Le Droit Humain, and is now an international movement represented by several Co-Masonic administrations throughout the world...
(now known as Co-Masonry: a mixed-sex version of Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
). He had gotten in touch with Crowley in 1909 through The Equinox
The Equinox
The Equinox is a series of publications in book form that serves as the official organ of the A.'.A.'., a magical order founded by Aleister Crowley...
, asking for information on the Abramelin operation. Not long after he joined Crowley’s A∴A∴ and later the O.T.O.
In spite of his interest in Crowley, Bennett kept his ties with Co-Masonry and in 1911 emigrated to Australia, with the specific purpose of assisting in the foundation of Co-Masonic Lodges, a task he undertook with some success. He eventually settled in Sydney, where he was joined by his wife and children. Frank Bennett’s interest in Co-Masonry
Co-Freemasonry
Co-Freemasonry is a form of Freemasonry which admits both men and women. It began in France in the 1880s with the forming of Le Droit Humain, and is now an international movement represented by several Co-Masonic administrations throughout the world...
waned, and he resigned from the Sydney Lodge, of which he was Past Grand Master, after a dispute over its management.
In 1914 he renewed contact with the O.T.O. and after lengthy negotiations he received a charter for to run the first O.T.O. Lodge in Australia in November 1915. The lodge was named ‘Sydney Rosicrucian Lodge,’ and for technical reasons was listed as ‘Lodge No. 2 on the Register of the National Grand Council of the Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
for the Union of South Africa.’
Throughout the years of the First World War Bennett sought to grow the O.T.O. and the A.’. A.’. in Australia, holding regular lectures which he advertised in newspapers. He corresponded regularly with Crowley and Frater Achad (Charles Stansfeld Jones
Charles Stansfeld Jones
Charles Stansfeld Jones , aka Frater Achad, was an occultist and ceremonial magician. An early aspirant to A∴A∴ who "claimed" the grade of Magister Templi as a Neophyte. He also became an O.T.O. initiate, serving as the principal organizer for that order in British Columbia, Canada...
) who supervised his studies in the A.’. A.’. It was as a Neophyte under Achad’s mentorship that he adopted the name "Progradior" – which would become the best known of his magical names.
In July 1921, Bennett traveled to the recently founded Abbey of Thelema
Abbey of Thelema
The Abbey of Thelema refers to a small house which was used as a temple and spiritual centre founded by Aleister Crowley and Leah Hirsig in Cefalù, Sicily in 1920....
in Cefalù
Cefalù
Cefalù is a city and comune in the province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina...
where he began personal studies under Crowley. There he joined a small number of Thelemic luminaries including Leah Hirsig
Leah Hirsig
Lea Hirsig was a Swiss-American notably associated with the author and occultist Aleister Crowley.-Early life:...
, Cecil Frederick Russell, Jane Wolfe
Jane Wolfe
Jane Wolfe was an American silent film character actress and Thelemite.-Early life:A Pennsylvania Dutch, Wolfe was born in St. Petersburg, Pennsylvania on March 21, 1875...
, and others. Crowley was greatly impressed with Bennett’s enthusiasm and aptitude, and specifically rewrote an initiatory text: Liber Samekh, a ritual for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, for Bennett to use during a magical retreat ("magical retirement.") Frank Bennett kept a detailed account of his experiences during this retreat which has since been published as The Magical Record of Frater Progradior.
Crowley was immensely impressed with Bennett’s achievements, and came to consider him as a star pupil. He formally admitted Bennett to the Ninth Degree of the O.T.O. and officially appointed him as his "Viceroy in Australasia." Crowley also advanced Bennett rapidly through the grades of the A.’. A.’., with Bennett taking the Oath of an Adeptus Minor in October 1921.
When Frank Bennett returned to Australia in December 1921 he was ill with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and had also acquired a heroin addiction. He also returned to domestic troubles: his wife was on the verge of leaving him, and when she did so his son, Frank Bennett Jr. sided with her, and never reconciled with his father. For a time Bennett lost contact with Crowley and the Thelemites, but eventually recommenced his correspondence with Crowley and his Scarlet Woman, Alostrael (Leah Hirsig) and renewed his attempts to spread Crowley’s teachings (the Law of Thelema
Thelema
Thelema is a religious philosophy that was established, defined and developed by the early 20th century British writer and ceremonial magician, Aleister Crowley. He believed himself to be the prophet of a new age, the Æon of Horus, based upon a religious experience that he had in Egypt in 1904...
). In 1924 a Sydney newspaper, Smith’s Weekly, ran a series of scandalous exposés on Bennett and the O.T.O. Under pressure from family, and afraid of losing his job, Bennett withdrew from the public gaze, and the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
O.T.O. and A.’. A.’. groups – which had probably only ever attracted a tiny membership - appear to have dissolved. Following the closure of the Abbey of Thelema
Abbey of Thelema
The Abbey of Thelema refers to a small house which was used as a temple and spiritual centre founded by Aleister Crowley and Leah Hirsig in Cefalù, Sicily in 1920....
in Cefalù Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
, Leah Hirsig
Leah Hirsig
Lea Hirsig was a Swiss-American notably associated with the author and occultist Aleister Crowley.-Early life:...
and the other members of the small core group of Thelemites dispersed, and Frank Bennett slowly drifted out of contact with them. He died in November 1930, following a short illness.
Works
A collection of Frank Bennett’s writings, including his "Magical Record" has been published, and he is also the subject of the full-length biographical study Progradior and the Beast. Bennett’s correspondence with Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
and others in his circle has also been published as The Progradior Correspondence.
- Aleister CrowleyAleister CrowleyAleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
, Frank Bennett; Charles Stansfeld JonesCharles Stansfeld JonesCharles Stansfeld Jones , aka Frater Achad, was an occultist and ceremonial magician. An early aspirant to A∴A∴ who "claimed" the grade of Magister Templi as a Neophyte. He also became an O.T.O. initiate, serving as the principal organizer for that order in British Columbia, Canada...
; et al. The Progradior Correspondence, Letters by Aleister Crowley, Frank Bennett, C. Stansfeld Jones, & Others. Edited and Introduced by Keith Richmond. York Beach, Maine USA: The Teitan PressThe Teitan PressThe Teitan Press is a small publishing house specialising in books by and relating to Aleister Crowley, and to scholarly works on the occult.-History:...
, 2009 - Frank Bennett, The Magical Record of Frater Progradior & Other Writings by Frank Bennett. Edited and Introduced by Keith Richmond. London: Neptune Press, 2004.
- Keith Richmond, Progradior and the Beast: Frank Bennett & Aleister Crowley. London: Neptune Press, 2004.