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Alexandrian Wicca was founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders in the 1960s. The name is taken from the library at Alexandria, which is considered to be the first of it's kind- a repositary of knowledge from all over the world. Sanders claimed that he was originally initiated by his grandmother, who was a cunning healer, and that his practice was therefore hereditory, with links to the "witch cult of Europe" that the author Margaret Murray invented. Maxine Sanders also maintained that although Sanders was later initiated into Wicca, he was indeed taught a form of witchcraft by his grandmother when he was young. She describes Mrs Bibby as an austere lady, wise in folklore, who taught her grandson magic with his mother's knowledge and permission. According to the accounts by his ex-wife Maxine Sanders, he was a member of at least two covens before marrying Maxine and founding the Alexandrian "London Coven", from which many modern Alexandrians descend. It is known that he was initiated into Gardnerian Wicca in 1963, before establishing his own sect.
Alex Sanders was introduced to esoteric ideas from a young age, and went on to study ceremonial magic. As a result, this sect has many influences that are drawn from ceremonial magic. It is very similar to Gardnerian Wicca.
Alexandrian Wicca is one of the bondage-and-discipline sects- a group of related wiccan sects that share a common initiatory history, which traces back to Gerald Gardner.