In 1730 or 1731, Benjamin Franklin was initiated into the local Masonic lodge. Since then, Franklin in his articles for the Gazette praised Freemasonry in America. These writings are sometimes referred to as the beginning of Freemasonry in the USA.
Franklin remained a Freemason for the rest of his life.
See Benjamin Franklin pictured as a freemason (at the Loge des Neuf Soeurs in Paris?).
In 1734, Benjamin Franklin became a grand master in Pennsylvania, and published the first Masonic book in the Americas (James Anderson's Constitutions of the Free-Masons).
From 1735 to 1738, Franklin was secretary of St. John's Lodge in Philadelphia.
In 1760, Benjamin Franklin was elected as Provincial Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England.
When Franklin was sent to France as an ambassador for the US, he became affiliated with the French Masonic Lodges. In 1777, he entered the “Loge des Neuf Soeurs” of Paris, and in 1778 assisted in Voltaire’s initiation into this lodge...
There are several reasons to suspect that "hero" of the American War for Independence, Benjamin Franklin was a British double agent all along.
From the mid 1750s to the mid 1770s, Benjamin Franklin spent much time in London, meeting the English elite, and even went to meetings of Sir Francis Dashwood‘s notorious Hellfire Club. Records of membership of the Hellfire Club were burned in 1774, so it isn't certain that Franklin was also a member.
The Hellfire Club's members were known as the Knights of St. Francis of Wycombe. British Intelligence also held meetings at the same Wycombe where Hellfire came together.
Francis Dashwood was educated at Eton College where he became associated with William Pitt the Elder (whose son John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham became a KG in 1790). Pitt and John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (whose family counts many Knights of the Garter) were also accused to have been members of a Hellfire Club (that met at the George and Vulture Inn throughout the 1730s).
Francis Dashwood later became British Chancellor of the Exchequer and Postmaster General.
Toward the middle of the nineteenth century, Lord le Despencer’s illegitimate daughter, Rachel Antonina Lee, claimed that her father would often raise a toast to "
Brother Benjamin of Cookham, who remained our friend and secret ally all the time he was in the enemy camp".
Rachel explained that "Brother Benjamin" was Franklin, who "
sent intelligence to London by devious routes, through Ireland, by courier from France and through a number of noble personages in various country houses".
During the war, Franklin continued to correspond with his associates in England, including Lord Shelburne (KG in 1782), Thomas Walpole (whose uncle Robert Walpole became a KG in 1726), Lord Camden (which one?), Thomas Wharton and John Williams.
Comte de Vergennes' plans for war with England were frustrated because every move by the Americans in Paris was known to the English Ambassador, Lord Stormont. This wasn't very surprising because inside the US Embassy was a cell of British Intelligence, organised by the Ambassador’s chief assistant Edward Bancroft (who King George III referred to as a double agent).
For some reason Franklin refused to investigate espionage charges against Bancroft and instead brought charges against the man who had accused Bancroft.
Benjamin Franklin became part of the British Royal Society in 1756.
Franklin was also honoured by the Universities of Yale, Harvard, Oxford and Edinburgh
Originally Posted by Ender
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