The 1734 Tradition is a tradition of Traditional Witchcraft founded by the American Joseph Wilson, who developed it between 1964 and 1972 and founded the tradition in late 1973 and early 1974[1]. It was largely based upon the teachings which he received from an English Traditional Witch named Robert Cochrane, the founder of Cochrane's Craft. Other influences on this tradition were a Kansas Witch who initiated him into a coven in Wichita, known as "Sean" and also Ruth Wynn Owen, a Welsh Witch and founder of the Y Plant Bran tradition. More about these influences may be found on the 1734 Tradition web site, linked below.
Wilson stated that "1734 was NOT intended to be a tradition by which legitimacy is recognised by a confirmed/recognised pedigree" and because of this he did not believe that there was any leader of 1734. He did mention in his writings who he believed was "authentic 1734", talking only of people to whom he had taught his methods, and in so doing stated that there was no "lineage" of the Tradition. He was very specific in stating that it was NOT Wicca, and NOT a "lineaged religious system". His best definition of the Tradition was that it was a "Method, cloaked in a Mystery."
"Much of the way [Robert Cochrane] taught was through mystical questions such as "What two words were not spoken from the Cauldron?" The answers to the questions were less important than the process of answering them, and he was relentless about emphasizing the importance of that work"
Some have suggested that the term "1734" refers to the year 1734, and that Cochrane traced his "Witch-Blood" back to that date. However, this claim has been refuted by a number of 1734 adherents, who claim that the number does not refer to the year. It is suggested that Robert Graves' book, "The White Goddess" is the best source for a "meaning" of 1734.
In the correspondence between Wilson and Cochrane, the glyph of 1734 and the meaning of the figure were set as a task for Wilson to complete by Cochrane, who taught through induction. The actual results of that discussion and as much as is able to be written down about the actual meaning of the glyph and the cryptogram of 1734 are in the Letters, which were published as The Robert Cochrane Letters by Capall Bann. The interesting factor of the "meaning of 1734" as Joe envisioned it, was that there is more than one meaning, more than one riddle, and more than one Mystery, connected with the etymology, and that people must first encounter the Mystery, and then figure out its meaning for themselves.
http://www.shadowdance.org/toteg/warts26.html Joseph Bearwalker Wilson autobiography