HP part of the Freemasons?

[Tayharvick]

I know his grandfather was part of the Freemasons and started a lodge in Rhode Island. Was wondering if you think maybe HP was part of the Freemasons or any secret societies?

 

[Danny McG]

I got no idea!
I looked at this post solely because I saw HP and thought it was about Harry Potter

 

[Vince W]

I don't know, but I doubt it. From what I know of him he doesn't strike me as a joiner. If you want to ask the experts I'd ask over at the Lovecraft Society. HPLHS - The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society

 

[Extollager]

Isn't the Esoteric Order of Dagon in "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," and isn't it a sort of Masonic lodge for the residents?

I wish I had taken some photos of the Masonic hall in Bemidji, Minnesota (especially inside), when I roamed around in it 15 years or so ago, having accompanied my wife there; she was attending a business meeting of a pipe-and-drum band there.

There was some really pretty picturesque dilapidation there and HPL's story came to mind while I was on the scene. Btw my late father-in-law was deeply involved in Masonry in Pennyslvania, and after his death the family and friends had to make sure that the funeral director (who had the Masonic funeral in the area tied up) didn't keep the deceased's "Masonic jewels," which, apparently, he was prone to do. Now I wondered if the "Masonic jewels" helped to give HPL the idea of the Innsmouth jewelry -- a pretty important part of the story.

 

[Nozzle Velocity]

I got no idea!
I looked at this post solely because I saw HP and thought it was about Harry Potter

I thought it was Hewlett-Packard.

 

[Vince W]

Freemasonry is perhaps the worst kept secret ever created. It's little wonder Lovecraft would have used parts of it for his stories. I'm quite certain Hastur was a Freemason.

 

[Extollager]

Reread "Innsmouth" -- in fact, the Esoteric Order of Dagon meets on what had been a Masonic temple in the town.

I don't suppose we will ever pin it down, that, yes, Lovecraft got the idea for the importance of Innsmouth jewelry from "Masonic jewels" -- but I think that's pretty likely. I might just write up a short article on this hypothesis.

 

[Toby Frost]

Was Lovecraft particularly succeptible to what we would now call "conspiracy theories"? The freemasons usually feature in such things (hatred of the masons seems to be part of the standard template for political nutjobs, and HP did have some pretty dodgy views after all), and there are a lot of secret cults in Lovecraft's work. In fact, the entire Cthulhu Mythos is a bit of a conspiracy theory, as it involves a hidden "true" history of the world. But of course, Lovecraft didn't believe in his own made-up world, and if I remember rightly, regarded it a bit more lightly than one might expect.

 

[Ningauble]

No, HPL wasn't a Freemason, although his grandfather was.

 

[HU_Nathan7]

I thought it was Hewlett-Packard.

My mind instantly went to HP printers lol

 

[Kharn]

After watching several documentaries and reading some of the letters he wrote that were published after his death, he seemed to be an avid avoiders of all things people. Seems it would be hard to be a freemason when you hate being around other people...

 

[Ningauble]

After watching several documentaries and reading some of the letters he wrote that were published after his death, he seemed to be an avid avoiders of all things people. Seems it would be hard to be a freemason when you hate being around other people...

HPL most definitely did not hate being around other people. He attended conventions of amateur journalists, hung out daily with his pals in New York during the time he lived there, travelled up and down the East Coast to visit his friends -- people would invite him to stay for weeks and even months because he was such a fun guy to be around. Listen to what E. Hoffmann Price (who knew him) said of him attending a party in New Orleans:

The whole "HPL was a recluse" thing is pure myth.

 

[KGeo777]

Christopher Lee could have portrayed Lovecraft. I could totally see him speaking and acting the role. He was too old for it by the time Lovecraft started to get much popular attention though.

 

[Richard-Allen]

My wife said it was the House of Parialment. We are Canadains. We don know the difference. KIdding, The work of H.P. Lovecrafts work was very well crafted. I enjoyed his work greatly. I hope your days goes well

 

[BAYLOR]

Christopher Lee could have portrayed Lovecraft. I could totally see him speaking and acting the role. He was too old for it by the time Lovecraft started to get much popular attention though.

Nicholas Cage could play Lovecraft in a film.

 

[Night_Eternal]

I'm a die hard Lovecraft fan, but not sure if I ever heard about the Mason thing before. Methinks I should seek out a written biography soon. The man himself is surrounded by legend and mystery, after all.

I remember watching a pretty cool documentary on YouTube recently on HPL. They talked about him in great detail, though I don't remember anything at all being mentioned about involvement with the Masons. I might have to watch it again soon and see if I missed some things.

His wife sounded really cool and ahead of her time, though. She also helped squash some of his racism.

 

[BAYLOR]

I'm a die hard Lovecraft fan, but not sure if I ever heard about the Mason thing before. Methinks I should seek out a written biography soon. The man himself is surrounded by legend and mystery, after all.

I remember watching a pretty cool documentary on YouTube recently on HPL. They talked about him in great detail, though I don't remember anything at all being mentioned about involvement with the Masons. I might have to watch it again soon and see if I missed some things.

His wife sounded really cool and ahead of her time, though. She also helped squash some of his racism.

If you like Lovecraft would suggest

Seabury Quin
Thomas Liggotti
William Hope Hodgson
Frank Belknap Long
Abraham Merritt
Ramsey Campbell
Karl Edward Wagner