Elizabeth Aldworth (1693/1695–1773/1775), born Elizabeth St Leger, was known in her time as "The Lady Freemason" and was the first recorded woman to be initiated into Regular Freemasonry.
She was the daughter of Arthur St Leger, 1st Viscount Doneraile, of Doneraile Court, County Cork, Ireland and Elizabeth Hayes. She was married in 1713 to Richard Aldworth, Esq.,
During the duration of the Hon. Elizabeth Aldworth, "Whenever a benefit was given at the theatres in Dublin or Cork for the Masonic Female Orphan Asylum, she walked at the head of the Freemasons with her apron and other insignia of Freemasonry, and sat in the front row of the stage box. The house was always crowded on these occasions. Her portrait is in the lodge-room of almost every lodge of Ireland."
In a reply to the paper, Masonic scholar William James Hughan stated: "Until Bro. Conder's investigations we had all assumed that the various reports respecting the initiation of the Hon. Elizabeth St. Leger, though not always in agreement, were correct as to the occurrence being of a later date than 1730." Hughan also found the facts related to contradict the statements made by an Aldworth descendant.
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Some years after Elizabeth's brother Hayes, the fourth Viscount Doneraile died without issue in 1767, the title was revived in favour of Elizabeth's son St Leger Aldworth, who adopted the St Leger surname.
Culture
She is referred to in James Joyce's Ulysses (Chapter 8)<blockquote>There was one woman, Nosey Flynn said, hid herself in a clock to find out what they do be doing. But be damned but they smelt her out and swore her in on the spot a master mason. That was one of the Saint Legers of Doneraile.</blockquote>