Origin
The traditional history of the order states that it originated in a small 12th century community of weavers and scriveners interested in Kabbalah, who left southern France to settle in Spain at the same time that Jews were expelled from France. According to the story, in 1282 members of the group, disguised as Franciscans, rescued the Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia from prison and subsequently studied on more advanced levels with him. They formed an order which continued to operate until, during the occult revival of the mid- to late-19th century, the order grew to its maximum of 22 members and split into separate German and British orders. Apparently in the 1930s the German order perished under Nazi Germany, while the British Order's Senior Guardian, Freedman Burford, decided to emigrate to Australia with a few other members to preserve it from the war. In Australia the elderly Guardians all died, and only one new member, Michel Tyne-Corbold (1929–1996), joined; he was invested as Senior Guardian a week before Freedman Burford died, and assumed the traditional Guardian name "Freedman", becoming Michael Freedman.
Read more about this topic: Society Of The Guardians
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