At the Lodge - 14th May 2007

Lodge Lecture |Charts Discussion

Lodge Lecture

Tonight Helene Schnitzer lead us back into the eighteenth century. With the help of transits and progressions she explored the life of James Aitkin, better known as ‘John the Painter’, the first (known) international terrorist. Born on Sept. 25th, 1752 as the son of an Edinburgh blacksmith, Aitken lost his father at age 7. At age 10, he was admitted to Heriot’s School, where he received an exceptional education - for a working class person at the time, that is – and where it was determined he should be a house painter, a profession in decline at that point in history. Rather unsuccessful as a journeyman, Aitkins became a highwayman and thief, joined the English army three times under pseudonyms and ran away each time, when the King’s shilling was spent. At age 21, he rented himself out as an indented labourer to pay for the journey to America, where he developed sympathies for the American revolutionary cause.

On his return in 1775 and after a journey to Paris, where he tried to find support from the American envoy to France, he decided to give his life meaning by resorting to terrorism on behalf of the newly emerging American nation. During his second Jupiter return, he unsuccessfully tried to blow up the Royal Navy’s docks in Portsmouth and Bristol, keeping the nation in shock and suspense for a few months. He was apprehended in January 1777, tried in a spectacular case and executed by hanging on March 10, 1777, in the presence of over 20,000 spectators.

Starting off with a tentative midday chart (no documented time of birth) set in Whole Sign Houses, Helene came to the conclusion that Aitken was probably born between 12.00 and 12.10 pm.

Class

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Charts Discussion

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Lodge Lecture | Charts Discussion