With the new book out on the Liverpool Masonic Rebellion, and another book coming out later this year with Lewis Masonic, I have a number of speaking engagements and book signings. One particular event is the 64th Midwest Conference, Winnipeg, where I will be a keynote speaker, on the 4th of May, at the Hilton Suits. I'll be talking about the Liverpool Masonic Rebellion, and how it developed into the Wigan Grand Lodge - the Grand Lodge assisting in the development of its local community. One of the themes of the talk will be how we can still learn from the Masonic rebellion today, and how it has effected modern Freemasonry. Here is the website for the Midwest Conference

for more details: http://www.midwestmasoniced.org/Speakers/speakers.html

New video regarding the new book on the Liverpool Masonic Rebellion

The Liverpool Masonic Rebellion

The Liverpool Masonic Rebellion of 1823 was partly a result of the changes that the new United Grand Lodge of England had made after the union of 1813, and was partly a result of the social changes which were happening at the time; the north-west of England becoming heavily industrialised, with growing radicalism and protests such as the Peterloo massacre, all occurring during this crucial period of social upheaval. The leaders of the lodges involved in the rebellion, were radical, charismatic, and powered a heady concoction of anger and ego, they led there lodges head first into a rebellion which would change the Masonic landscape in England for ever. Lodges such as the Merchants lodge, which had been founded by such local dignitaries as Thomas Golightly, a powerful Liverpool merchant and politician, led the way in the rebellion, which was to eventually create the Grand Lodge of Wigan, a seperate Grand Lodge which lasted until 1913.

David Harrison will be giving a talk at the Sincerity Lodge No. 3677, Bryn Masonic Hall, Wigan, Lancs.

David Harrison will be giving a talk on the Wigan Grand Lodge at the Sincerity Lodge No. 3677, at Bryn Masonic Hall, Wigan, Lancs, on Monday, the 28th of January, 2013. The Sincerity Lodge was the last surviving lodge under the Wigan Grand Lodge and re-joined the United Grand Lodge of England in 1913, the talk by Harrison being one of a number of events in celebration of 100 years since the lodge re-joined. Signed copies of Harrison's book on the Liverpool Masonic Rebellion and the Wigan Grand Lodge, which has recently been published by Arima Publishing, will be available at the talk. For more information on the talk please contact the author. The book is also available from the publishers website www.arimapublishing.com and on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

David Harrison to appear at the Massachusetts Lodge of Research

Taken from the Massachusetts Research Lodge website: Masonic History Day featuring Dr. David Harrison Saturday, May 18, 2012. About Dr. Harrison: Dr. David Harrison has written many articles and papers on the history of Freemasonry for a number of magazines and journals. He has worked as a history lecturer for over twelve years appearing at numerous conferences, and he has researched the complex and hidden history of English Freemasonry for his PhD at the University of Liverpool. His PhD was awarded in 2008, and was published in 2009 as a book by Lewis Masonic entitled 'The Genesis of Freemasonry'. Harrison has also appeared on various radio programs including the BBC and was a guest on the contraversial 'On The Level' program which featured on Sky TV, discussing his works. His follow up book 'The Transformation of Freemasonry' was published in September 2010 to great aclaim, and his third book 'The Liverpool Masonic Rebellion' was published in September 2012 by Arima Publishing. About the event: To be held at the Grand Lodge building, 18 Washington St., Dorchester, MA This will be 3 events in 1: The morning with be a special communication of the Massachusetts Lodge of Research. Dr. Harrison will be the featured speaker. After lunch Dr. Harrison will conduct a special training on Masonic research. This will be restricted to 35 participants and will be at a cost of $35. In the evening we will hold a Festive Board in honor of Dr. Harrison. Tickets will be restricted to 75 participants at a cost of $50 each. Details can be found at the website: http://www.masslodgeofresearch.org/index.html

Masonic Rebellion 1823

Why write a book on a Masonic Rebellion that took place in 1823? Well, it was a major event that ultimately had an effect on the Craft in England. The rebellion was about a group of Freemasons in the north west of England making a stand for what they thought was a just cause; the ritual was being changed by Masons in London, lodges were being charged extra fees to pay for the rebuilding of Freemason's Hall in London, and the administration of the new United Grand Lodge was being changed. The Antients Grand Lodge and the Moderns Grand Lodge had come together in 1813, and under the leadership of the Duke of Sussex, things had started to change. Many lodges throughout England and Wales accepted the changes, but areas such as Lancashire resisted. Liverpool took the lead in the rebellion, and was soon joined by lodges in nearby Wigan. Liverpool was a thriving port at the period, and had links to outlining towns through the cotton industry; towns such as Wigan, Warrington and Manchester being 'mill towns', heavily dependent on Liverpool's cotton trade. Thus Lancashire was the heartland of England's industry, it was a large county, and it was undergoing a change culturally as people flocked to the mill towns for work in the factories. Before the advent of the railways, it took around a week to travel down to London on the rough dirt tracks that made up England's road network, and Liverpool was a wealthy port, and thought of itself as a rival to London. Freemasonry was an important society to up and coming merchants and tradesmen, and certain Freemason's of Liverpool and Wigan passionately opposed the changes being made to their society. The new book gives an intricate account of the story of the rebellion, and its importance socially and culturally to the north west of England and the Craft as a whole. The book published by Arima is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

New book out soon

The eagerly awaited new book by Masonic historian David Harrison is due out soon - 'The Liverpool Masonic Rebellion and the Wigan Grand Lodge' will be available from the publishers website www.arimapublishing.co.uk or through all good book outlets incuding Amazon. Information on the author can be found on facebook and twitter www.twitter.com/DrDavidHarrison