"Essential to esotericism is the belief that the world is encoded, with an infinite complexity of correspondences, and that with the right keys you can unlock deeper truths and affect outcomes.  It suggests ‘lifting the veil’ will reveal a secret wisdom, behind all bodies of knowledge and belief, whether religious or academic," said Dr Brendan French.

In keeping with this, Theosophy recognises the importance of science and religion but asserts there is an underlying reality behind them both. 

"Many people would be surprised to know that in early 20th century Australia there were hundreds of Theosophical Societies and Spiritualist groups in major cities and country towns. So, it is part of our social and cultural history, including playing a major role in creating an early awareness of Eastern spirituality," he said. 

The overall collection represents a hugely significant, wide-ranging and understudied body of beliefs that underpin many currents of thought and practice in art, philosophy, literature, science and politics. 

"People should remember that celebrated scientists such as Robert Boyle and Isaac Newtown were also dedicated hermetists and alchemists, artists such as Munch and Kandinsky were Theosophists, poets and writers such as W B Yeats and Arthur Machen were members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Arthur Conan Doyle was a Spiritualist, and so on," Dr French said. 

"Greg and I shared a fascination with understanding these major areas of alternative thought, including studying and teaching them at university.  When we started it was definitely unfashionable and somewhat stigmatised to have a serious interest in these areas. 

"Fortunately that resistance has changed, especially with the emergence of studies connecting multiple disciplines, and they have become a focus of serious scholarship, including specialist studies in universities across the world, recognising their profound significance. 

"It’s wonderful to see that development and how it makes it timely for researchers to have access to the Tillett and French Collection."

Dr Tillett and Dr French completed their PhDs at the University of Sydney, Brendan in the discipline of History of Ideas and Gregory in Religious Studies.

Fittingly Brendan first met Greg, who died in 2018, when he invited him to speak at an education event on esotericism in 1991. They soon moved in together, fused their individual collections and spent the next decades jointly sleuthing for material. Adding to their remarkable collection was often a result of many years of tracking down important materials – whether a rare book (in pre-internet days) or an obscure pamphlet or poster. Many of the people interested in the same materials kept their identities secret because of the sensitivities at the time. 

"Not only did all this material risk being lost but so did the contribution of their collectors. Greg and I conducted many interviews with fascinating people such as early Theosophists, members of secret societies, and occult magicians – and that primary source material is also in the collection, waiting to be mined," Dr French said. 

"We always knew we wanted it to come to an academic institution. It has been a hard process, these books and materials represent so many moments of my life with Greg, but I couldn’t be happier that they will now live on and fulfil our wish that they benefit new knowledge and scholarship."

Julie Sommerfeldt, Manager, Cultural Collections Curation, University of Sydney, said:

"We are delighted and grateful that the Tillett and French Collection will enrich our knowledge across religious studies, philosophy, history, politics, gender studies, design and sociology. Students and academics from within the University and from outside institutions, including international scholars, will immediately benefit from this important addition to our rare collection, including its extensive original material. 

"It adds to the Library’s existing strengths in its Rare Books collection which includes significant medieval and early modern material on witchcraft and witch-hunting, magic, alchemy and the occult, and from various cultural and religious origins including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism."

Professor Carole Cusack from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences  commented: 

"The study of esoteric systems emerged as an academic discipline in the 1990s, although there were significant precursors sketching the field in the 1970s. Esotericism has often been dismissed as ‘rejected knowledge’ and a fringe interest, but is increasingly being recognised as a key shadow side of the Enlightenment.

"The Tillettt  and French archive will advantage scholars, such as myself, in researching esotericism and will attract visiting scholars and practicing esotericists from around the world."