Robert Lomas

Roberto Lomas is a British writer and business studies academic. He writes primarily about the history of Freemasonry as well as the Neolithic period, ancient engineering and archaeoastronomy. Lomas regularly lectures at the Orkney International Science Festival.[1]

Contents

Background

Lomas gained a First Class Honours degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Salford before being awarded a Ph.D. for his research into solid state physics and crystalline structures.[2]

While Lomas' chief areas of research is on the subject of Freemasonry, he also lectures on science. According to his website, Lomas is a regular supporter of the Orkney International Science Festival having lectured there, chaired sessions and taken part in the schools support sessions over a period of eight years.[1] He also writes on the Neolithic period and archaeoastronomy, ancient mysteries, stone monuments and megaliths, and on both astronomical and astrological data.

Whilst writing The Book Of Hiram and as part of his on-going research into the cultural origin of scientific ideas, Lomas established an electronic database of Masonic material,[3] as part of the University of Bradford's Special Collections Library.[4] Lomas has also made available an online version of William Preston's Illustrations of Masonry.

In the past, Lomas has worked on electronic weapons systems and emergency services command and control systems.[5] He currently lectures on Information Systems at the University of Bradford's School of Management, one of the UK's leading business schools.[6]

Controversy

Lomas's theories about the origins of Freemasonry have caused controversy among Masonic historians. The romantic nature of his writings are reminiscent of other famous masonic authors such as the late J. S. Ward and Arthur Edward Waite. The Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon is particularly critical of Lomas's work, as is Quatuor Coronati Lodge (The lodge of research attached to the United Grand Lodge of England), dubbing it "pseudo-history" and even "fiction". On the other hand, many Masons find Lomas's work interesting and worthy of further study. For example, the Grand Lodge of Queensland, Australia asked him to write a history of Freemasonry for its Masonic Training Module.[7]

Inspiration of fictional work

According to an interview with Martin Faulks of Lewis Masonic, it is thought by some freemasons that Lomas might be the inspiration for the character of Dr. Robert Langdon, in Dan Brown's thriller, The Da Vinci Code.[8]

Works

Writing Alone

With Geoffrey Lancaster

With Christopher Knight

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lomas, Robert (forward by Katherine Neville) (September 2006). Turning The Solomon Key. Fair Winds Press. ISBN 1592332293. http://www.turningthesolomonkey.com/?s=foreword. 
  2. ^ Lomas, R. (1972) Electrical and Structural Properties of Some Evaporated Semiconducting Films, PhD Thesis, Univ of Salford
  3. ^ "The Web of Hiram". University of Bradford: J.B.Priestley Library Special Collection. http://www.bradford.ac.uk/webofhiram/. 
  4. ^ Bradford University Special Collections http://www.brad.ac.uk/library/special/
  5. ^ Bill Hamilton. "Robert Lomas Profile". A.M.Heath & Company Ltd.. http://www.amheath.com/authors/author.html?_a=author.show&id=111. 
  6. ^ "Dr Bob Lomas, Lecturer in Technological Management". Bradford University School of Management. http://www.manag.brad.ac.uk/people/people.php?name=ralomas. 
  7. ^ Lomas, R (2002)A Brief History of Freemasonry. Produced as a contribution to the Masonic Training Programme of the Grand Lodge of Queensland
  8. ^ Gower, Peter. "From Darkness to Light: An Interview with Brother Martin Faulks of Lewis Masonic". The Ashlar. http://turningthehiramkey.robertlomas.com/?s=interviews&i=2. 

External links