In the News
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As the northern hemisphere settles into winter, here in Australia we are heading into the height of summer—an arrangement that makes Christmas a season of Test Cricket, heat, bright light, and the mild absurdity of festive traditions conducted in shorts rather than coats. To mark the Christmas and New Year period, From the Quarries will
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This presentation explores the strange and often contradictory world of anti-Masonic conspiracy literature, drawing on historical sources and modern examples to reveal how Freemasonry has been alternately vilified, romanticised, and misunderstood. Inspired by an essay by Australian journalist David Greason, this lecture traces the evolution of anti-Masonic thinking across Britain, America, Russia, and beyond, highlighting
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From a candlelit initiation in Boston in 1775 to the solemn unity of Masons at Congressman John Lewis’s funeral in 2020, this film traces the extraordinary journey of Prince Hall Freemasonry—a brotherhood born from exclusion that became one of the most powerful moral institutions in African-American history. Told with historical precision and reverence, it follows
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Today, the From the Quarries YouTube channel passes a remarkable milestone — 30,000 subscribers! Each of you has helped to build this digital Lodge of learning, stone upon stone, until it has become something far larger than any one of us. When I began this channel, it was little more than an experiment: could the
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend’s lecture traces the history of Freemasonry in Russia. It is a story marked by repeated cycles of growth and suppression: from the lodges of the eighteenth century, through Catherine the Great’s crackdown, the Decembrist movement, the long silence of the Soviet period, and the re-establishment of the Grand Lodge of
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The story of Irish Freemasonry is one of profound continuity, stretching from the ritual pageantry of the Dublin gilds to the global influence of travelling warrants, and from the laughter of seventeenth-century satirists to the worldwide reach of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in our own time. To trace this history is to recognise that
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This presentation explores the extraordinary history of Freemasonry in Japan — from its arrival in the treaty ports of Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki, through suppression, war, and renewal, to the thriving Grand Lodge of Japan of today. Along the way we will trace the unique interplay between foreign traditions and Japanese culture, illustrated with stories
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This week’s video … For over three centuries, the Catholic Church and Freemasonry have been locked in one of history’s most enduring conflicts. From Pope Clement XII’s first condemnation in In Eminenti (1738), through Pope Leo XIII’s sweeping attack in Humanum Genus (1884), to the sensational Taxil Hoax and the modern rulings of the Congregation
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Good evening Quarrymen Coming this Saturday, 23 August … a new deep dive: “Freemasonry & the Catholic Church—Three Centuries of Conflict”. From ‘In Eminenti‘ (1738) to ‘Humanum Genus‘ (1884), the Taxil hoax, and contemporary Vatican rulings, we trace the theology, politics, and myths on both sides—plus vivid case studies from Italy, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and
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This video traces the historical evolution of women’s involvement in Freemasonry from the 18th century to the present day, highlighting a journey from initial explicit exclusion to gradual, multifaceted inclusion. They reveal that while early formal Freemasonry barred women, isolated instances and legendary accounts suggest rare exceptions, primarily in operative lodges or through extraordinary circumstances
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There have been thousands of eminent personages who have adorned the lodges of speculative Freemasonry since the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717. In this video we look at just seven of them, each one a leader in their respective fields, and each one a proud seeker of Masonic light. If you
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend we’ll be taking a brief look at some of the famous figures who have donned the lambskin apron as we present 7 Famous Freemasons. Stay tuned to the end when we reveal a ‘special guest star’! On YouTube Saturday 28 June.
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From the Quarries exists to illuminate the rich symbolic, philosophical, and historical currents that flow through Freemasonry and the Western esoteric tradition. Every episode requires hours of quiet research, writing, narration, and production — a labour of love made possible by the generosity of those who value this work. You can now support the channel
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Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to unearth hidden treasures—knowledge and mysteries lost for centuries. ‘From the Quarries’ has been your companion in discovering truths concealed by time, carefully revealing ancient secrets and forgotten wisdom. Thanks to your curiosity and dedication, we’ve brought these treasures into the light, exploring Masonic pathways often overlooked.
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend, explore the fringes and forgotten corners of Freemasonry in “Mockeries and Mavericks,” an illuminating journey into the fascinating world of irregular, satirical, and often scandalous pseudo-Masonic orders from the past three centuries. From the biting satire of the 18th-century Gormogons and Scald Miserable Masons to the elaborate mysticism of Cagliostro’s
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Thank you to you all! I am both humbled and astonished to announce that our YouTube channel, @FromtheQuarries, has surpassed 20,000 subscribers—a milestone that seemed unimaginable when we began this journey. Your unwavering support and engagement have been instrumental in transforming this platform into a vibrant repository of Masonic lore and esoteric wisdom. Every view,
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Good evening Quarrymen Coming to YouTube this weekend … Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, symbolizes both the grandeur and tragic downfall of this medieval military order. Founded in 1118 to protect Christian pilgrims, the Templars rose to prominence, amassing wealth, influence, and autonomy that eventually provoked envy and opposition
From the Quarries 