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Pebbles
is a fully qualified Reiki Master.
Pebbles
will send distant
Reiki to anyone who wishes
her to do so.
Please send an email to
Pebbles with your request
and she will be only too
pleased to place you on
her distant Reiki Healing list.
* Pebbles wishes it to be
known that she was NOT
attuned or taught Reiki
by Tracey Wilding &
that all knowledge she has
acquired has come from
reliable sources not
only with her Reiki
but in other subjects.
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Silver Birch was the spirit guide of the
Medium Maurice Barbanell. Through Maurice
Barbanell Silver Birch wrote many books.
Here are some of his quotations:
"It
is a mockery of divine justice to think
that a death-bed repentance will wipe away
all the wrongs you have done."
~~~~
"If you knock on a door and it does not
open, do not push. If you push the door
gently and it opens, that is for you. You
cannot go through a closed door. Too many
people in your world waste time and effort
banging at closed doors."
~~~~
"Disease is, in a large number of cases
primarily due to the wrongful alignment of
mind, body and spirit."
~~~~
"There is no religion
higher than service."
~~~~
"Pain and suffering are regarded as miseries; they are not.
They have divine parts to play in the evolution of the individual."
~~~~
" The higher you seek to rise, the more difficult it must
become."
~~~~
"It is easy to love those you love. There is no virtue, no
saintliness in that. But to love those you do not love, that is the attribute of
an evolved soul."
~~~~
" Learn to be free. Do not imprison yourself. Do not hedge
yourself around and refuse to allow new inspiration to come to you. Truth is a
constant search. Its boundaries are ever widening, for as the soul evolves the
mind responds."
~~~~
"All evils are wrong because they are an attempt to frustrate
the expression of the Great Spirit within you."
~~~~
"Every race, every nation and every culture has its
contribution to make in your world. It is like a mighty orchestra in which every
instrument contributes its part to achieve harmony of music which produces the
greatest beauty. What are considered the uncivilized and the lowliest have their
parts to play in the great unfolding scheme."
~~~~
"Sometimes the worst answer to your prayer would be to give
you that for which you asked."
~~~~
"No harm can come to any soul whose honest motive is to do the
best. Every soul who desires to serve will find the opportunity provided."
A prayer from Silver Birch:
"Oh Great White Spirit, Thou who art the infinite architect, the King of
Kings, the divine intelligence which has devised the whole universal scheme,
whose wisdom sustains it and whose love guides it, we seek to draw closer to
Thee, to garner from Thy infinite storehouse of knowledge some gleanings that
will aid us on our eternal quest. We recognise that we cannot understand Thee in
Thy fullness because Thou art infinite and our conception must of necessity be
finite ones. We see the panorama of natural laws unfolding in the immensity of
their gigantic scope, controlling all facets of life in a boundless universe." |
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Pebbles Spiritual Cave's Horoscopes |
Select
your sign!
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Below shows a chronological History of
Spiritualism, including pioneering
and
famous mediums, scientists and other prominent
figures involved in the
investigation of
Mediumship and Spiritualism during it's history
to date.
1744
Emanuel
Swedenborg (1688 - 1772) was, truly, one of Europe's
great minds; and it is to this that we can
attribute the success of his mission as a teacher and
philosopher of the Spirit.
1845
Justine
Kerner
(1786
-1862)
Noted
German
poet and
physician
of
Weinsberg;
author
of a
remarkable
record
of
supernormal
phenomena
and
experiments
in
magnetic
therapeutics.
In 1845
he
published
a book
entitled
'The
Seeress
of
Prevost;
or
Openings-up
into the
Inner
Life of
Man, and
Mergings
of a
Spirit
World
into the
World of
Matter'.
In
Germany
the book
made a
great
sensation.
1848
On the
31st March, 1848, The Fox Sisters made a break through
with contacting the entity who had been disturbing the
family with strange sounds and activities. The
Hydesville Knockings in the United States of America
lead to the investigation of the Mediumship of the Fox
sisters and the Birth of modern Spiritualism.
1849
The
first public demonstration of Mediumship by
Margareta Fox in the Corinthian Hall in New
York.
1850
Cromwell Fleetwood Varley was first attracted to
Spiritualism in 1850. He investigated the hypothesis
that table rapping is the result of an electrical force
and demonstrated that this hypothesis was altogether
unfounded. In later years he had many curious psychic
experiences, discovered that he possessed mesmeric
healing power and effected cures on his wife. Mrs.
Varley had clairvoyant visions and spells of
trance
in which she foretold the exact course of her illness.
After the birth of a son, Varley was one night aroused
by three tremendous raps. He felt impelled to go into
his wife's room where he found the nurse intoxicated and
Mrs. Varley rigid and in a cataleptic state.
1852
Mrs.
Maria Hayden came from America in 1852 and was the first
Spiritualist Medium to work in England. The press and
clergy were very antagonistic towards her but in spite
of this, she succeeded in demonstrating spirit return.
1853
Judge
John W. Edmonds (1816 - 1874) was one of the most
influential early American Spiritualists. After a great
public career, as a member of both branches of the New
York State Legislature and, for some time, President of
the Senate and Judge of the Supreme Court of New York,
he resigned the latter position on account of the outcry
raised against his Spiritualistic beliefs and,
especially, his support of the Fox sisters.
* *
*
David
Richmond
(1816 -
1891)
became a
Spiritualist
whilst
living
in
America
and upon
his
return
to his
native
town of
Darlington,
England
in 1853,
tried
unsuccessfully
to open
a
Spiritualist
church.
He moved
to
Keighley
and
there
established
the
first
Spiritualist
church
in
England.
* *
*
Robert
Chambers
(1802 -
1871)
English
writer
and
publisher,
played
no
public
part in
Spiritualism,
but his
conversion
and
anonymous
activity
was no
secret
to his
contemporaries.
He had
many
experiences
with D.
D. Home.
The
anonymous
preface
to
Home's
'Incidents
in My
Life'
and the
appendix,
'Connection
of Mr.
Home's
Experiences
with
those of
Former
Times'
were
written
by Dr.
Robert
Chambers.
* * *
Judge
Robert
Hare
(1781 -
1858) at
the age
of 72,
began
his
investigations
and
devised
a number
of
instruments
which,
contrary
to his
expectations,
conclusively
proved
that a
power
and
intelligence,
not that
of those
present,
was at
work.
His
book,
'Experimental
Investigation
of the
Spirit
Manifestation,'
published
in 1855,
summed
up the
results
as
follows:
'The
evidence
may be
contemplated
under
various
phases;
first,
those in
which
rapping's
or other
noises
have
been
made
which
could
not be
traced
to any
mortal
agency;
secondly,
those in
which
sounds
were so
made as
to
indicate
letters
forming
grammatical,
well-spelt
sentences,
affording
proof
that
they
were
under
the
guidance
of some
rational
being;
thirdly,
those in
which
the
nature
of the
communication
has been
such as
to prove
that the
being
causing
them
must,
agreeably
to
accompanying
allegations,
be some
known
acquaintance,
friend,
or
relative
of the
inquirer.
1854
Robert
Owen
(1771 -
1858)
Socialist
Reformer
and
Cofounder
of the
Cooperative
society
became
converted
to
Spiritualism
after
sittings
with
Mrs.
Hayden.
After he
passed
to
spirit
he
became
the
author
of 'The
Principles
of
Spiritualism'
which he
gave
through
the
Mediumship
of Emma
Hardinge
Britten
in 1871.
1855
Daniel
Dunglas
Home
(1833 -
1886)
One of
the
greatest
physical
mediums
in whose
presence
almost
all
types of
physical
phenomena
occurred.
Born in
Edinburgh,
his
powers
were
discovered
whilst
he was
living
in
America.
On his
return
to
England,
in 1855
the
remarkable
phenomena
aroused
great
interest.
* *
*
Dr.
Henry
Slade
was an
American
medium
famous
for
slate-writing
Mediumship,
in which
messages
were
written
on
sealed
slates.
He was
thoroughly
tested
by
several
eminent
investigators
and
pronounced
genuine.
* * *
'The
Yorkshire
Spiritual
Telegraph'
the
first
Spiritualist
Newspaper
was
published
in
Keithley.
* * *
Alexander
N.
Aksakof
(1832-1903)
Imperial
Councilor
to the
Czar,
the
pioneer
Spiritualist
of
Russia,
a
Swedenborg
enthusiast
whose
introduction
to
modern
Spiritualism
was
effected
by
Andrew
Jackson
Davis's
'Nature's
Divine
Revelations'
in 1855.
1856
Allen
Kardec
(1804 -
1869)
published
his
classic,
Le Livre
des
Esprits
(The
Spirits'
Book) -
not very
much is
known
about
Allan
Kardec's
early
years
within
the
Spiritualist
Movement,
but his
impact
upon the
Movement
is
profound.
* *
*
James
Martin
Peebles
(1822 -
1922)
known as
'the
spiritual
pilgrim'
as he
enthusiastically
spread
his
philosophy
through
his
writings
and
travels
around
the
United
States
and the
world.
Himself
a
medium,
he was
surrounded
by what
he
called
his
'band of
angels'
from
whom he
received
inspiration
and
spiritual
guidance
1863
Andrew
Jackson
Davis
(1826 -
1910)
established
the
Spiritualist
Lyceum
in New
York.
The
American
born
medium
who,
through
his
visits
to the
'Summerland'
during
'out of
the
body'
experiences
initiated
Lyceum
education
and is
acknowledged
today as
the
Father
of the
Lyceum
Movement.
* * *
Prof.
Augustus
de
Morgan
(1806-1871)
One of
the
first
English
scientists
who
investigated
the
phenomena
of
Spiritualism
and
became
convinced
of their
genuine
occurrence.
'I am
perfectly
convinced',
said De
Morgan
in the
Preface
of his
wife's
book
'From
Matter
to
Spirit',
'that I
have
both
seen and
heard,
in a
manner
which
should
make
unbelief
impossible,
things
called
spiritual
which
cannot
be taken
by a
rational
being to
be
capable
of
explanation
by
imposture,
coincidence
or
mistake.'
In the
same
year of
1863 he
published
his work
'Mind'
and
declared
not only
that the
facts of
supernormal
occurrences
were
incontestable,
but he
also
believed
that the
hypothesis
that
explains
the
facts by
intelligence
exterior
to
ourselves
is the
only
satisfactory
one.
* * *
Robert
James
Lees
(1849 -
1931)
was a
journalist,
philanthropist,
novelist
and
medium.
Lees
believed
that his
psychic
experiences
began
before
his
third
birthday,
at a
stage of
mental
development
when
children
are
still
discovering
the
basic
properties
of the
physical
world.
These
experiences
were to
invade
his
waking
and
sleeping
hours
for the
rest of
his
life. It
is
claimed
that
Queen
Victoria
confided
in Lees
when he
was just
fourteen
years
old when
she
attempted
to
contact
the
spirit
of the
late
Prince
Albert.
It is
also
claimed
that
Lees
later
helped
Scotland
Yard to
confound
several
American-Fenian
bomb
attacks
planned
for
Central
London
during
the last
two
decades
of the
19th
century.
There is
also the
well-known
story of
Lees'
alleged
involvement
in the
search
for Jack
the
Ripper.
1865
An
attempt
was made
to form
the
first
National
Organisation
of
Spiritualists
in
Darlington.
* *
*
Alfred
Russel
Wallace
(1823 -
1913)
English
naturalist,
evolutionist,
geographer,
anthropologist,
and
social
critic
and
theorist.
In 1865
he Wrote
to the
Times
regarding
his
beliefs
regarding
Spiritualism
and
Science.
1866
Emma
Hardinge
Britten
(1823 -
1899)
returned
to
England
from
America
where
she was
quickly
recognised
as a
powerful
medium,
and is
perhaps,
the most
renowned
and most
respected
advocate
and
proponent
in the
early
Modern
Spiritualist
Movement.
* *
*
The
first
Lyceum
in
Britain
was
opened
by Mr.
J.
Hitchcock
in
Nottingham.
1869
The
Dialectical
Society
appointed
a
Committee
to
investigate
Spiritualism.
They
published
a very
favourable
report
(the
best by
any
external
body).
1871
Florence
Cook (1856 - 1904) Outstanding for the wonderful
materialisation of Katie King investigated by Sir
William Crookes. He proved this spirit to be entirely
separate and distinct from the medium.
* *
*
Emma
Hardinge
Britten
(1823 -
1899)
received
'The
Principles
of
Spiritualism'
from
Robert
Owen
(1771 -
1858)
after he
passed
to
spirit.
* * *
Sir
William
Crookes
(1832 -
1919)
reported
on
Spiritualism
to the
Royal
Society
and
published
his
findings
in the
quarterly
Journal
of
Science.
An
outstanding
physicist
who
began
his
investigations
into
Spiritualism
with the
avowed
intent
of
exposing
it as a
nonsense.
The
facts,
however,
(particularly
his
investigation
of Katie
King
through
the
Mediumship
of
Florence
Cook)
were too
overwhelming,
and to
the end
of his
life he
remained
completely
convinced
of the
truth of
Spirit
communication.
* * *
Alfred
Kitson
(1855 -
1934)
Lyceum's
were
opened
in 1870
at
Keighley
and
Sowerby
Bridge
in
England.
Alfred
Kitson
attended
the
first
anniversary
of the
latter
in 1871
and
thereafter
devoted
himself
to this
cause.
He began
to
develop
a system
of
Lyceum
teaching
here
based
upon the
American
model of
Andrew
Jackson
Davis.
1872
A second
attempt
to form
a
National
Organisation
was made
at the
National
Conference
in
Darlington.
Again it
failed.
However,
it
stimulated
interest
and
people
wrote to
the
Spiritualist
Press.
It soon
became
recognised
that
there
was a
need for
such an
organisation.
* *
*
William
Stainton
Moses
(1839 -
1892) An
Oxford
M.A. and
a
clergyman
on the
Church
of
England.
He was a
leading
light in
promoting
The
London
Spiritualist
Alliance,
and
became
its
first
President
and the
first
Editor
of
'Light'.
His
great
contributions
were the
teachings
produced
through
him by
means of
spirit
controlled
writing
and
published
as
'Spirit
Teachings'
and
'More
Spirit
Teachings'.
1873
Dr. A.
Russel
Wallace
(1823 -
1903)
co-discovered
with
Charles
Darwin
of the
Theory
of
Evolution.
He
painstakingly
investigated
Spiritualism
over a
number
of
years,
eventually
in 1873
stating
quite
fearlessly
that its
phenomena
were
proved
quite as
well as
the
facts of
any
other
science.
* *
*
A
conference
was held
in
Liverpool
which
led to
the
formation
of the
British
National
Association
of
Spiritualists.
The
headquarters
were in
London.
* * *
E. W.
Cox -
Serjeant-at-Law,
well-known
psychical
investigator
in the
days
preceding
the
foundation
of the
S.P.R.,
assisted
Crookes
in his
first
experiments
with D.
D. Home,
suggested
the term
'psychic
force,'
published
a
booklet
'Spiritualism
Scientifically
Examined
with
Proofs
of the
Existence
of a
Psychic
Force'
in 1872.
1874
Mme.
d'Esperance
(1855 -
1919)
The
Mediumship
of
Elizabeth
Hope who
worked
under
the
pseudonym
of Mme.
d'Esperance,
is an
example
of the
quality
evidence
available
through
physical
Mediumship.
* *
*
The Eddy
Brothers
(1830 -
1940) An
amazing
family
of
physical
mediums.
1875
Helena
Petrovna
Blavatsky
(1831 -
1891)
commonly
known as
Madame
Blavatsky,
founded
the
Theosophical
Movement
and
wrote
several
books
and
articles.
* * *
Cecil
Husk
(1847 -
1920)
was
aware of
his
mediumistic
abilities
from his
early
childhood,
experiencing
clairvoyance
and
being
accompanied
by the
unexplained
movement
of
objects.
Fortunately,
Cecil's
father
was a
Spiritualist,
and
Cecil
therefore
did not
suffer
the fate
of other
mediumistic
children
who were
victimized
by
unthinking
parents.
* * *
David
Duguid
(1832 -
1907)
This
Glasgow
medium
was
perhaps
the most
famous
for
spirit
oil
painting
of
landscapes,
produced
in total
darkness
and at
an
amazing
speed,
and
independently
of his
hands.
In his
presence
were
produced
all
kinds of
phenomena,
and
through
him was
dictated
a
remarkable
book,
the well
known
'Hafed,
Prince
of
Persia'.
* * *
George
Spriggs
(1850 -
1912)
Designated
as a
'powerful
English
materialisation
medium'
by Dr.
Nandor
Fodor.
* * *
Frank
Podmore
(1856-1910)
One of
the
ablest
opponents
of
Spiritualism,
well-known
psychical
investigator,
distinguished
author.
His
personal
experiences
in
supernormal
matters
date
from his
academic
studies
in
Oxford.
He
rapidly
became a
convert
to
survival
and
communication
with the
deceased.
Between
1875-76
he was a
frequent
contributor
to
'Human
Nature'
on
Spiritualistic
subjects.
His
doubts
as to
the
truth of
Spiritualism
were
finally
solved
by his
experiences
with
Henry
Slade in
1876.
1878
Emma
Hardinge
Britten
toured
Australia
and New
Zealand
promoting
Spiritualism
1882
The
Society
for
Psychical
Research
was
started
by the
following:
Henry
Sedgwick
(1838 -
1901)
Founder
President
of the
Society
who took
an
active
part in
the work
of the
Society
until
his
death,
and
contributed
largely
to the
'Proceedings
of the
SPR'. He
investigated
the work
of many
mediums
but kept
his
personal
convictions
private.
* * *
F. W. H.
Myers
(1834 -
1901)
Cofounder
of the
Society
whose
celebrated
book
'Human
Personality
and its
Survival
of
bodily
Death'
is
acknowledged
as a
classic,
and has
established
psychical
research
as an
organised
science.
The SNU
recommends
that all
students
of
Spiritualism
read
this
book.
* * *
Edmund
Gurney
(1847 -
1888)
Cofounder
of the
Society
who
studied
the
psychological
aspect
of
Hypnotism
in
England.
1883
Sir
Oliver
Lodge
(1851 -
1940)
was a
world-renowned
physicist
and a
fearless
champion
of
survival.
One
could
not
really
call him
a
proponent
of the
Spiritualist
Movement,
but he
was,
surely,
an avid
believer
in
Spiritualist
concepts.
* * *
William
Eglington
(b1857)
was
noted
for
outdoor
and
daylight
materialisations
and also
for
slate-writing
Mediumship.
Questions
put in
Spanish,
French
and
Greek
were
answered
in the
same
languages.
Gladstone
after
sitting
with
him, was
sufficiently
impressed
to join
the
Society
for
Physical
Research.
1884
Leonore
E. Piper (1857 - 1950) of Boston, USA, allowed herself
to be subjected to the most exacting scientific
investigation of her Mediumship for a period of 45
years. This great medium was instrumental in converting
many eminent people to belief in a spirit agency
operating through her
trance
Mediumship.
* *
*
Dr.
Richard
Hodgson
was an
early
member
of the
Society
for
Psychical
Research
who soon
became
noted as
a
competent
and
critical
investigator.
He made
a
systematic
study of
the
Mediumship
of Mrs.
Leonore
Piper,
through
which he
became
completely
convinced
of the
reality
of
spirit
return.
The
development
of his
own
mediumistic
powers
late in
life
brought
to him
an even
deeper
conviction.
1885
Balfour
Stewart
(1827 -
1887)
occupied
the
presidential
chair of
the
S.P.R.
from
1885-87.
He was
the
joint
author
with
Prof.
Tait of
the
anonymously
published
'The
Unseen
Universe',
a book
which
created
a stir
as the
first
serious
scientific
attempt
to
oppose a
spiritual
view of
the
universe
to the
prevailing
materialistic
one.
1887
The 'Two
Worlds'
was
launched
as a
weekly
newspaper
by Emma
Hardinge
Britten.
* * *
The
British
'Lyceum
Manual'
was
published
for the
first
time.
Its
co-authors
were Mr.
H. A.
Kersey
of
Newcastle
upon
Tyne and
Mr.
Alfred
Kitson
and, of
course,
Emma
Hardinge
Britten.
* * *
The
Principles
of
Spiritualism
which
were
given by
Robert
Owen
through
the
Mediumship
of Emma
Hardinge
Britten
in 1871
were
published
in the
'Two
Worlds'
Magazine.
1889
Mrs. A.
W.
Verrall
(1859 -
1918)
joined
the
S.P.R.
in 1889,
wrote
many
important
papers
for the
Proceedings,
was
elected
to the
Council
in 1901,
developed
psychic
powers
herself
and sat,
on
Myers'
request,
with
Mrs.
Piper
when she
visited
England.
In
automatic
writing
she
obtained
in 1901
the
first
results
after
the
death of
Myers
and
produced
afterwards
hundreds
of
scripts
which
often
contained
matter
of
supernormal
interest.
In 1906
she
published
in the
Proceedings
an
analysis
of her
scripts.
This
paper
formed
the
starting
point of
a
serious
study in
cross
correspondence.
1890
Formation
of the
National
Spiritualists'
Federation.
* * *
Spiritualists'
Lyceum
Union
Established.
Name was
later
changed
to
British
Spiritualist
Lyceum
Union in
1894.
* * *
Stanley
de Brath
(1854 -
1937)
Made his
first
acquaintance
with the
phenomena
of
Spiritualism
in 1890
through
Cecil
Husk,
carried
on
extensive
research
and
ended by
fully
accepting
survival
and the
occurrence
of
supernormal
phenomena.
After
the war
he
worked
at the
Institut
Metapsychique
in
collaboration
with Dr.
Gustave
Geley.
Editor
of
'Psychic
Science',
the
quarterly
of the
British
College
for
Psychic
Science.
* * *
Jan
Guzyk
(1875 -
1928) a
Polish
materialisation
medium,
the son
of a
weaver
whose
strange
powers
first
manifested
in his
years of
apprenticeship
in the
tanning
trade at
Warsaw.
There
were
raps,
blows on
the
walls
and a
stirring
of
objects
as soon
as
evening
approached.
At the
age of
15,
under
the
domination
of M.
Chlopicki,
an
acknowledged
Spiritualist,
he
became a
professional
medium.
Aksakof
took him
to St.
Petersburg
where he
achieved
great
success.
1891
Ernesto
Bozzano
(1862 -
1945)
The dean
of
Italian
psychical
researches.
His
attention
was
first
directed
to
psychical
phenomena
in 1891
by Prof.
Theodore
Ribot
who
forwarded
him to
the
first
number
of
'Annales
des
Sciences
Psychique'.
In the
company
of Prof.
Morselli
and
Porro he
had many
sittings
with
Eusapia
Paladino
and
ended by
accepting
the
survival
hypothesis
and by
becoming
a most
prolific
writer
on
psychic
subjects.
* * *
Florence
Marryat
(1837 -
1899)
English
authoress,
daughter
of Capt.
Marryat,
acquainted
with all
the
celebrated
mediums
of the
seventies-eighties
both in
England
and
America,
witness
of Katie
King's
famous
farewell
from
Florence
Cook,
recorded
remarkable
experiences
in two
books:
'There
is No
Death',
1891,
and 'The
Spirit
World',
1894,
both of
them
very
popular,
and
claimed
mediumistic
gifts
herself,
among
them the
strange
power of
summoning
the
spirits
of the
living.
1892
In 1892
William
T. Stead
(1849 -
1912)
discovered
that he
had the
gifts of
spirit-controlled
handwriting.
He
became
associated
with the
L.S.A.
and was
a
fearless
champion
of
Spiritualism.
He was,
of
course,
a
well-known
editor,
and a
nationally
famous
figure
for his
great
fight
against
the
White
Slave
Traffic
and the
prostitution
of
children.
He
passed
to the
Higher
Life
through
the
tragic
sinking
of the
'Titanic'
in 1912.
1893
Foundation
of
National
Spiritualists
Association
of
America.
* *
*
Eusapia
Palladino
(1854 -
1918)
was a
medium
whose
name
continues
to be
associated
with
both
spectacular
Mediumship
and
fraud;
the
impact
made by
her
activity
is
clearly
demonstrated
by the
continuing
debate.
* * *
Mrs
Holland
(pseudonym)
an
automatic
writer
with
whom
many
important
experiments
were
conducted
by the
S.P.R.
She had
written
automatic
poetry
since
1893 and
on a few
occasions
obtained
messages
from a
deceased
friend.
In 1903
she read
Myers'
Human
Personality
and in
September
of the
same
year she
began
automatic
writing
systematically.
The
entities
who came
through
in her
scripts
claimed
to be
Edmund
Gurney
and F.
W. H.
Myers.
Generally
she was
in the
waking
state
during
these
communications.
1894
Lord
Arthur
Balfour
(1848 -
1930)
Served
as the
British
Prime
Minister
from
1902 to
1905 and
through
his
sister,
the wife
of Prof.
Henry
Sidgwick,
the
first
president
of the
SPR, he
became
interested
in
psychic
phenomena
and the
question
of
survival
in 1882.
In 1894
he
occupied
the
presidential
chair of
the SPR.
Especially
interested
in
telepathy
as it
lent
itself
to
experimental
work.
President
of the
SPR in
1893.
President
of the
British
Association
in 1904.
* *
*
Professor
William
James
(1842 -
1910)
Professor
of
psychology
at
Harvard
University,
achieved
his MD
in 1869
and
later
taught
physiology
and
philosophy.
One of
the
founders
of the
ASPR,
president
of the
SPR in
1894-5,
vice-president
from
1890-1910.
* * *
Prof.
Baron
von
Schrenck-Notzing
(1862 -
1929)
German
pioneer
of
psychical
research,
a
physician
of
Munich
who
specialised
in
psychiatry
which
eventually
led him
him into
psychical
research.
With the
awakening
of his
interest
in
psychical
research
he
founded
the
'Gesellshaft
fur
Metapsychische
Forschung'
and
began
his
study of
telekinesis
and
teleplastics
which
rendered
him
famous.
Up to
the time
of his
death
there
was no
important
medium
in
Europe
with
whom he
did not
conduct
personal
experiments.
He
commenced
with
Eusapia
Palladino
at whose
experiments
he was
present
as early
as 1894
in Rome.
1897
R.
Thompson
- an
English
trance
medium,
whose
powers
were
developed
at
Frederic
W.
Thurstan's
Delphic
Circle
at
Hertford
Lodge,
Battersea.
In her
early
sittings
in 1897
and 1898
the
records
of which
in
'Light'
refer to
her as
Mrs. T.,
she
exhibited
powerful
physical
phenomena,
raps,
movements
of
objects,
psychic
lights,
elongation,
direct
voice,
apports,
scents
and
materialisations.
Her
physical
manifestations
were
discouraged
by F. W.
H. Myers
and she
was
persuaded
to give
her
services
to the
S.P.R.
as a
trance
medium
from
1898
onwards
(Proc.,
Vol.
XVII,
1901-3).
Her
chief
control
was her
deceased
daughter,
Nelly,
who died
in
infancy.
1899
Dr
Gustave
Geley
(1865 -
1924)
Graduate
doctor
of the
Faculty
of
Medicine
of Lyon,
distinguished
psychical
researcher
and
Director
of the
Institut
Metapsychique
International
of 1919
to 1924.
The most
palpable
evidence
he
produced
for the
reality
of
mediumistic
phenomena
were the
Kluski
plaster
casts,
which
are
still on
view in
the
Institute.
His last
book,
'Clairvoyance
and
Materialisation',
based
chiefly
on his
experiences
with Eva
C.,
marks
another
milestone
in
psychical
research.
It was
to have
been
followed
by a
second
volume,
'The
Genesis
and
Meaning
of
Metapsychic
Phenomena',
of
which,
however,
the
world
was
deprived
by his
sudden
death in
an
aeroplane
accident
on July
15,
1924, a
few days
after a
last
experiment
with
Kluski
in
Warsaw.
1900
Dr.
Hereward
Carrington
at the
age of
19,
joined
the
Society
for
Psychical
Research
and
afterwards
devoted
his life
to
psychical
research.
He
became
assistant
to Dr.
Hyslop,
who was
leader
of the
American
Society
for
Psychical
Research,
founding
in 1906.
Dr.
Carrington
wrote
widely
on the
subject
of
Spiritualism.
* *
*
Theodor
Flournoy
-
Professor
of
Psychology
at the
University
of
Geneva;
author
of
perhaps
the most
remarkable
book in
the
whole
literature
of
psychic
science:
'Des
Indes a
la
Planete
Mars'
(From
India to
the
Planet
Mars),
Paris,
1900.
This was
the
sensation
of the
year and
the
passage
of time
has in
no way
affected
its
unusual
scientific
worth,
or
mitigated
its
absorbing
interest.
It deals
with the
Mediumship
of Mlle.
Helen
Smith to
whose
circle
he was
first
admitted
in the
winter
of
1894-95.
1901
Foundation
of
Spiritualists
National
Union
Limited.
1902
The
S.N.U
took
over the
rights,
assets
and
obligations
of the
Federation
and
obtained
legal
status
whereby
it could
hold
real
property.
1905
Indridi
Indridason
(1883 -
1912)
His
Mediumship
was
unusual
because
it
appears
that he
was the
first
person
known to
have had
these
abilities
in
Iceland;
secondly,
he was
found by
academic
researchers,
and his
Mediumship
was
developed
by them.
The
source
of this
work was
the
Experimental
Society
that
later
became
the
Icelandic
Society
for
Psychical
Research.
1906
Gladys
Osborne
Leonard
(1882 -
1968) As
often
happens
with
many
natural
mediums,
Mrs.
Leonard
exhibited
early
signs of
her
sensitive
nature.
Mrs.
Leonard
was one
of the
most
thoroughly
investigated
mediums
of the
twentieth
century.
For more
than
fifty
years
she gave
remarkable
evidence
of
personal
survival
to
countless
sitters.
Perhaps
the most
significant
in her
life was
a series
of
sittings
she gave
to Sir
Oliver
Lodge,
the
renowned
physicist.
1908
G. N.
M. Tyrrell
wrote
'Grades
of
Significance',
'Science
and
Psychical
Phenomena',
'The
Personality
of Man'
and
'Apparitions';,
and has
contributed
articles
to the
'Hibbert
Journal',
the
'Spector',
'Philosophy',
and
other
other
publications.
His
Myers
Memorial
Lecture
on
'Apparitions',
published
in 1942,
revealed
the
psychological
character
of these
memorial
experiences.
He
joined
the
Society
for
Psychical
Research
in 1908
and
became
President
in 1945.
1909
Cesare
Lombroso
(1835 -
1909)
Early in
his
career
Lombroso
was a
staunch
materialist
and
admitted
in his
1909
work
'After
Death -
What?',
"If ever
there
was an
individual
in the
world
opposed
to
spiritualism
by
virtue
of
scientific
education,
and I
may say,
by
instinct,
I was
that
person.
I had
made it
the
indefatigable
pursuit
of a
lifetime
to
defend
the
thesis
that
every
force is
a
property
of
matter
and the
soul an
emanation
of the
brain."
He was
later
forced
to
considerably
alter
his
views
after
extensive
study of
the
phenomena
of
Eusapia
Palladino
and
later
wrote,
"I am
ashamed
and
grieved
at
having
opposed
with so
much
tenacity
the
possibility
of the
so-called
spiritualistic
facts..."
1910
Dr.
Eugene
Osty
(1874 -
1938)
First
became
convinced
of
'metapsychic'
phenomena
in 1910.
On his
return
of the
war, Dr.
Gustave
Geley
invited
him to
join the
Management
Committee
of the
IMI.
From
1924 to
1931
Osty
gave up
his
activities
as a
doctor,
to
devote
himself
entirely
to the
IMI and
the
study of
'metapsychic'
phenomena.
He
organized,
animated
and
supervised
experiments,
in
particular
with
Jean
Guzik,
then
with the
Austrian
medium,
Rudi
Schneider.
Towards
the end
of the
1920's,
in
collaboration
with his
son
Marcel,
an
engineer,
he
constructed
an
experimental
device
making
it
possible
to
objectify
the
existence
of an
opaque
substance
during
ectoplasmic
productions.
Osty
undertook
his
experiments
in a
purely
scientific
manner,
rejecting
both the
popular
but
dogmatic
views of
orthodox
science
and also
the
uncritical
attitude
of
Spiritualism.
He wrote
his
widely
known
book
'Supernormal
Faculties
in Man'
in 1923.
1911
Etta
Wriedt
(b1840).
In
addition
to
voices
heard in
the
daylight,
there
were
other
features
to her
seances
as well:
luminous
forms, etherealisations
gliding
about
the room
in
darkness.
Sometimes
dogs
materialised
and
barked...Flowers
were
taken
from
vases
and
placed
in the
hands of
sitters...invisible
fingers
touched
the
sitters
and
rapped
by the
trumpet
to urge
a
hesitating
person
to
answer
promptly
when
spoken
to,
luminous
discs...were
seen to
move
round...The
sitters
were
often
sprinkled
with
water,
wafts of
cool air
were
felt'.
* *
*
The Bang
Sisters.
Within
the vast
and
marvellous
records
of
American
physical
mediumship,
one of
the most
outstanding
chapters
belongs
indeed,
to the
turn of
the
century
mediums,
the
Misses
Elizabeth
S and
May E
Bangs,
of
Chicago,
Illinois.
Their
gifts
included
above
board,
independent
writing
in broad
daylight
(mostly
slates),
and
independent
drawing
and
painting;
all
forms of
fully
developed
clairvoyance,
materialisations,
and
direct
voices,
but
their
most
wondrous
and
spectacular
phenomena
was that
of
precipitated
spirit
portraits
in full
colour.
* * *
P. Stanislawa,
the wife
of a
Polish
officer,
subject
of Baron
von
Schrenck
Notzing
for
important
materialisation
experiments.
At the
age of
18 she
saw the
phantom
of a
friend,
Sophie
M., who
died at
the
exact
time.
Soon
after,
spontaneous
telekinetic
phenomena
developed.
Having
joined a
Spiritualistic
circle,
Sophie
M.
materialised
and
became
the
medium's
permanent
attendant,
occasionally
sharing
control
with
'Adalbert'
and a
young
Polish
boy. In
1911 P.
Lebiedzinski,
a Polish
engineer,
began a
series
of
experimental
seances
which
lasted
intermittently
until
1916.
His
report,
published
in the
'Revue
Metapsychique'
(1921,
No. 4)
was
favourable.
1913
Pearl
Curran
The
medium
through
whom the
remarkable
books of
Patience
Worth
are
produced.
Her
first
experience
was with
the
Ouija
board
which
moved
under
her
hands at
a rapid
rate.
She
spelled
out the
letters.
They
have
given
highly
interesting
communications.
Later
she
spoke
the
letters
aloud as
they
tumbled
into her
mind.
Disregarding
the
claims
of
Patience
Worth
the
books
bear the
stamp of
supernormal
origin.
Mrs.
Curran
has
travelled
and read
little,
her
education
is
limited
and her
literary
output
under
the
influence
of
Patience
Worth is
prodigious
both in
quantity
and
quality.
1914
Maria
Silbert
(1866 -
1936)
was a
physical
medium,
always
ready to
help,
sacrificed
herself,
in spite
of years
of
illness,
for
science
and her
suffering
fellow-creatures.
1915
Luiz de
Mattos
12
conferences
organised
on
Science
and
Religion,
in the
main
room of
the
Commerce
Employees
Association
in Rio
de
Janeiro.
In those
conferences,
the
principles
upon
which
Rational
and
Scientific
Spiritualism
was
based,
were
brought
up to
light.
1916
Parliamentary
Campaign
for the
legal
recognition
of
Spiritualism
instituted
by the
Union
under
Ernest
Oaten
who was
Doyle's
tour
organiser
and
right-hand
man, but
years
prior to
this he
had
devoted
his life
to the
building
up of
the
S.N.U.
In 1919
he
became
editor
of 'The
Two
Worlds'
and was
rightly
recognised
as a
leader
of
Spiritualist
thought.
Spiritualism
is
indebted
to him
beyond
measure
for his
unflagging
efforts
of its
behalf.
* *
*
Dr. W.
J.
Crawford
(1881 -
1920)
whose
painstaking
and
thorough
investigations
with the
Kathleen
Goligher
Circle
between
1917 and
1920 go
a long
way
towards
discovering
the
'psychic'
laws
behind
telekinesis
phenomena.
Crawford's
conclusions
are
summed
up in
three
important
books:
"The
Reality
of
Psychic
Phenomena"
(1916);
"Experiments
in
Psychic
Science"
(1919);
and "The
Psychic
Structures
in the
Goligher
Circle"
(1921).
* * *
James
Hewatt
McKenzie
(1870 -
1929).
Founder
of the
British
College
of
Psychic
Science,
began
the
study of
psychic
facts in
1900 -
led to
this by
dissatisfaction
with the
failure
of
Science
or
Theology
to throw
any
light on
Man's
destiny.
Years of
private
study
and
investigation
followed,
and in
1915 he
gave a
series
of
various
lectures
in
London,
Edinburgh
and
Glasgow.
In 1916
he
published
'Spirit
Intercourse,
Its
Theory
and
Practice'
and a
pamphlet
'If a
Soldier
Die',
which
had a
wide
circulation.
In 1917
he
toured
U.S.A.
as far
as
Chicago
in
search
of
mediums
and
again in
1920,
spending
a good
deal of
time in
California
on the
latter
visit.
In 1920
the
College
was
established,
and for
this
venture
Mr.
McKenzie
found
the
entire
initial
cost.
1918
Sir
Arthur
Conan
Doyle
(1858 -
1930)
proclaimed
his
belief
in the
teachings
and
truth of
Spiritualism.
Just as
Andrew
Jackson
Davis
was
called
the
'John
the
Baptist'
of
Modern
Spiritualism,
Sir
Arthur
Conan
Doyle
was
called
the 'St.
Paul' of
Spiritualism.
He was a
prolific
writer
on the
subject
and an
avid
proponent.
* * *
Sir
William
F.
Barrett
(1845 -
1926)
published
his book
'On the
threshold
of the
unseen;
an
examination
of the
phenomena
of
Spiritualism
and of
the
evidence
for
survival
after
death'.
Barrett
made
searching
inquiries
both in
England
and in
the USA.
His
summing
up was
that
there is
evidence
for the
existence
of a
spirit
world,
for
survival
after
death,
and for
occasional
communication
with
those
passed
over.
* * *
Franek
Kluski
(1873 -
1943) an
educated
man, a
banker
and
writer,
did not
attract
the
level of
attention
that was
given to
such
mediums
as
Daniel
Dunglas
('D.
D.')
Home,
Eusapia
Palladino,
Rudi
Schneider
and
others.
His
short
period
of
Mediumship
lasted
only
seven
years;
the
amount
of
information
detailing
his
activity
is
therefore
limited.
* * *
Dr
Glen
Hamilton
(1873
-1935)
In 1918,
soon
after
his
son's
wartime
death,
he began
to
experiment
with
psychic
phenomena.
His aim
was the
investigation
of
paranormal
phenomena
such as
rapping's,
psycho
kinesis,
ectoplasm's
and
materialisation's
under
scientific
conditions
that
would
minimize
any
possibility
of
error.
His work
became
known in
the
United
Kingdom,
Europe
and the
United
States.
Between
1926 to
1935 he
presented
86
lectures
and
wrote
numerous
articles
that
were
published
in
Canada
and
abroad.
* * *
John
Campbell
Sloan
(1869 -
1951) a
direct
voice
medium
was
investigated
extensively
by
Arthur
Findlay
and
whose
findings
were
published
in
Findlay's
book 'On
the Edge
of the
Etheric'.
1919
Estelle
Roberts
(1889 -
1970).
Barbanell
referred
to
Estelle
Roberts
as 'one
of the
world's
greatest
mediums
and the
possessor
of
nearly
every
psychic
faculty'.
* * *
Willy
Schneider
(b1903).
His
mediumistic
abilities
had
become
apparent
when,
after
returning
from the
funeral
of his
older
brother,
Willy
saw his
brother.
1920
William
McDougall,
Professor
of
Psychology
at
Harvard
University,
author
of 'Body
and Mind
and
Social
Psychology',
President
of the S.P.R.
for
1920-21
and of
the
A.S.P.R.
for
1921,
member
of the
Scientific
American
Committee
for the
investigation
of
Margery's
Mediumship,
a keen
but
reserved
investigator
who
takes
great
care not
to
commit
himself
as to
the
genuine
occurrence
of the
supernormal
and
agencies
of an
extra-terrene
origin.
* *
*
Rev. G.
Vale
Owen
(1869 -
1931) a
Church
of
England
clergyman
who
developed
spirit
controlled
writing.
A whole
series
of
articles
produced
in this
manner
was
published
in the
'Weekly
Despatch'
in 1920
and made
a
profound
impression.
In
consequence
of this
publicity
he was
persecuted
by his
Ecclesiastical
superiors
and
resigned
from the
Church.
He
conducted
lecture
tours of
Britain
and
America.
His
'Life
Beyond
the
Veil'
(five
volumes)
has
become a
Spiritualist
classic.
* * *
Dr.
Walter
Franklin
Prince,
Ex-minister
of the
Episcopal
Church,
research
officer
of the
A.S.P.R.
from
1920-24,
founder
and
research
officer
of the
Boston
S.P.R.,
President
of the
S.P.R.,
1931-32,
an able
and
extremely
sceptical
investigator.
His cure
in the
multiple
personality
case of
Doris
Fischer
was
brilliant,
his
studies
of the
case of
Patience
Worth
and of
the
Antigonish
ghost
especially
instructive.
His
books:
'The
Case of
Patience
Worth',
'The
Psychic
in the
House',
'Noted
Witnesses
for
Psychic
Occurrences',
'The
Enchanted
Boundary'
and (in
collaboration
with
Mrs.
Allison)
'Leonard
and
Soule
Experiments'.
1920
Dr.
Konstantin
Oesterreich,
Professor
of
Philosophy
at the
University
of
Tubingen,
an
authority
on
religious
psychology,
the
first
modern
scientist
in
Germany
who
publicly
declared
his
belief
in
psychic
phenomena.
In 1921
he
published
two
books:
'Grundbegriffe
der
Parapsychologie'
and 'Der
Okkultismus
im
modernen
Weltbield'.
In the
latter
he
testified
to
materialisations
and
telekinesis
as
facts.
Oesterreich
is a
very
active
and
thorough
psychical
researcher.
The
number
of his
articles
in
scientific
papers,
his
university
lectures
and
monographs
in which
he has
presented
the case
of
psychic
science
is
significant.
1922
Rev C.
Drayton
Thomas
whose
works
describe
life in
the
spirit
world
wrote
many
books
including
'In the
Dawn
beyond
Death',
'Life
beyond
Death
with
Evidence',
and
'Some
New
Evidence
for
Human
Survival'.
1923
Formation
of the
International
Spiritualists
Federation.
*
* *
Mina
"Margery"
Crandon
(1888 -
1941)
Perhaps
the most
controversial
medium
in the
history
of
Spiritualism.
In her
heyday,
in the
1920s,
she
spurred
comments
from
some of
the most
noted
Spiritualists
and
parapsychologists.
* * *
Rudi
(Rudolf)
Schneider
(1908 -
1957)
One of
the four
sons in
the
Schneider
family
who
demonstrated
their
mediumistic
abilities
at a
young
age.
* * *
Stella
Cranshaw
One of
the
descriptions
of
Stella
Cranshaw,
better
known as
'Stella
C.', was
that she
was 'a
simple,
well-educated
girl
whose
main
interest
in life
was not
in
psychical
science
at all,
but to
whom
'odd'
things
occurred'.
* * *
Prof.
Camille
Flammarion
(1842-1925)
is noted
chiefly
as the
author
of
popular
books on
astronomy,
including
Popular
Astronomy
and The
Atmosphere.
He was
later to
write
extensively
on
psychical
research,
and
produced
classic
works
such as
'Death
and Its
Mystery,';
vols. 1,
2 and 3.
One-time
President
of the
SPR in
1923.
* * *
Geraldine
Cummins
Authoress,
daughter
of the
late
Professor
Ashley
Cummins
of Cork,
Ireland,
remarkable
automatic
writer,
receiving
communications
alleged
to
emanate
from
Phillip
the
Evangelist,
Cleophas
and F.
W. H.
Myers.
The
development
of her
Mediumship
began in
December,
1923, in
sittings
with
Miss E.
B.
Gibbes.
She
never
studied
theology
or
kindred
subjects.
She
travelled
far and
wide but
never
visited
Egypt or
Palestine.
Ordinarily
her work
of
composition
is very
slow. In
her
automatic
writing
the
speed is
remarkable.
On March
16,
1926,
1,750
words
were
produced
in one
hour and
five
minutes.
* * *
Stephan
Ossowiecki
(b1877)
was a
Polish
engineer,
and one
of the
most
remarkable
and
scientifically
tested
clairvoyants.
He
inherited
his
psychic
gifts
from his
mother's
side,
and
could
read
thoughts
from
early
childhood.
In the
Engineering
Institute
at
Petrograd,
where he
studied,
he
astounded
his
professors
by
answering
questions
enclosed
in an
envelope
without
opening
it. He
could
see
coloured
auras
of
surrounding
people,
heard
raps and
could
move
objects
telekinetically.
When he
practised
telekinesis
his
clairvoyant
powers
diminished.
At the
age of
35 he
lost his
telekinetic
powers
and his
gift of
reading
sealed
papers
developed
remarkably.
With
human
subjects
he
showed
even
more
penetration.
Most of
the
persons
he meets
have no
secrets
from
him. He
knows
their
most
intimate
thoughts,
and
reads
their
past,
present
and
future
as in an
open
book.
1924
Hannen
Swaffer
proclaimed
his
belief
in the
teachings
and
truth of
Spiritualism.
Author,
Journalist
and
socialist,
he
created
a
sensation
when he
made
public
his
conversion
to
Spiritualism
in 1924,
in his
book
'Northcliffe's
Return'.
He was a
great
propagandist
through
the
spoken
and
written
word. It
was in
Hannen
Swaffer's
famous
home
circle
that
Silver
Birch,
the
spirit
guide of
Maurice
Barbanell
(1902 -
1981)
used to
speak.
1927
Carlos
Mirabelli
(1889 -
1951)
Carlos
worked
in a
shoe
shop
where he
found
himself
in the
midst of
poltergeist
activity:
'The
shoe
boxes
took to
leaving
their
shelves
and
flying
around
the
shop,
sometimes
even
accompanying
him out
into the
street'.
Consequently,
and
regrettably,
he was
incarcerated
in an
asylum.
However,
those
who
cared
for him
decided
to carry
out
tests
and
discovered
his
ability
to move
objects
without
physical
contact
with
them.
1930
Gordon
Higginson
(1918 -
1993)
began
demonstrating
publicly
at the
age of
12.
Gordon
continued
to
demonstrate
his
mediumship
in
Churches,
Theatres,
Halls,
including
the
Albert
Hall and
astounded
hundreds
of
thousands
of
people
with his
evidential
clairvoyance.
Because
of the
strength
of his
physical
mediumship,
many
have
witnessed
materialised
spirit
forms in
home
circles
and at
the
Arthur
Findlay
College
of
Psychic
Science
where he
was the
Principal
and
demonstrated
his
physical
mediumship
over
many
years.
Gordon
was a
Spiritualist
Minister,
President
of the
West
Midlands
District
Council
and
President
of the
Spiritualists
National
Union
from
1970 to
his
death on
18th
January,
1993.
1931 -
1935
Arthur
Findlay's
trilogy
published..."On
the edge
of the
Etheric'',
"The
Rock of
Truth"
and "The
Unfolding
Universe".
1932
The
'Psychic
News'
was
founded
by
Arthur
Findlay
under
the
editorship
of
Maurice
Barbanell.
* * *
William
Brown
(b1981)
a keen
inquirer
into
psychical
research.
In two
letters
to 'The
Times'
he wrote
appreciatively
but
guardedly
of Rudi
Schneider's
powers
and
declared
that
they are
worthy
of the
closest
scientific
investigation.
In a
lecture
delivered
during
the
jubilee
celebrations
of the
S.P.R.
he
reviewed
the
evidence
collected
and
examined
by the
society
and
declared
that it
was
'sufficient
to make
survival
scientifically
extremely
probable.'
1934
First
broadcast
on
behalf
of
Spiritualism
through
BBC by
Ernest
Oaten.
* * *
Alexander
Frederick
Harris
(1987 -
1974)
was born
in
Treherbert,
in the
Rhondda
Valley,
and was
a
physical
and
direct-voice
medium.
1936
Harry
Edwards
(1893 -
1976)
probably
did more
to
permanently
affect
Establishment
attitudes,
in the
UK at
least,
towards
a
particular
type of
Mediumship
(healing)
than any
other
single
Spiritualist
before
or since.
1937
Spiritualism
investigated
by
Church
of
England
Committee
set up
by the
Archbishop
of
Canterbury,
Dr.
Cosmo
Lang.
(It's
subsequent
favourable
report
was
suppressed
but
leaked
to
'Psychic
News').
* *
*
Jack
Webber
(b1907)
A Welsh
ex-miner,
Jack
Webber
was born
in 1907
into a
Christian
family,
but was
introduced
to
Spiritualism
through
his
wife's
acceptance
of this.
He
discovered
his
mediumistic
abilities
when
attending
a home
circle.
1938
Arnold
Clare
(b1901).
After
reading
an
article
by Conan
Doyle,
Arnold
was
prompted
to
attempt
receiving
communications,
and
found
that he
was
capable
of
automatic
writing.
1939
Ministers
begin to
be
appointed
by the
Spiritualists'
National
Union.
1940
Spiritualists
National
Union
gains
Government
sanction
/
certificate
to act
as a
Trust
Corporation.
1944
Helen
Duncan
(1897 -
1956).
Trial in
London -
Spiritualists
are no
strangers
to
scorn,
scepticism
and
stupidity.
We face
these
regularly
and deal
with
them
appropriately.
But few
know
that one
of our
most
gifted
Mediums
was
charged
with
conspiracy
and
actually
imprisoned
for her
special
psychic
gifts of
proving
survival
after
death.
1945
Helen
Hughes
(1893 -
1967)
was a
superb
medium
who
conducted
countless
propaganda
meetings
around
the
British
Isles,
in
modern
times
when
Mediumship
was
still
subject
to the
antiquated
and
outdated
Witchcraft
and
Vagrancy
Act
(formed
in
1735).
* * *
Lord
Dowding
came
into
prominence
as a
champion
of
Spiritualism
after
the
1939-1945
war.
Lord
Dowding
was in
command
of the
RAF
during
the
Battle
of
Britain
and,
through
a medium
friend,
many of
the
airmen
who had
passed
over
were
able to
give
their
former
Chief
convincing
evidence
of their
survival.
Since
then
Lord Dowding
spoke
and
wrote
indefatigably
on his
convictions
regarding
the
continuity
of life.
1947
Minnie
Harrison
(1895 -
1958) An
example
of the
evidential
quality
of
Minnie's
Mediumship
was when
Alfred
Kitson,
one of
Spiritualism's
early
pioneers,
materialised
on 22
March,
1947.
1950
The
Spiritualists'
National
Union
recognised
as the
Official
Spiritualists'
Body.
1951
Passing
of the
Fraudulent
Mediums'
Act 1951
removing
genuine
mediums
from the
previous
provisions
of the
Witchcraft
Act 1735
and from
s.4 of
the
Vagrancy
Act
1824,
thereby
enabling
Spiritualist
openly
and
legally
to
practice
their
religion.
* * *
Eileen
J.
Garrett
(1893 -
1970)
Established
the New
York-based
Parapsychology
Foundation
in 1951.
She
presided
over the
foundation
until
her
death in
1970.
She is,
perhaps,
the most
respected
medium
of the
twentieth
century.
Her
contributions
to the
investigation
and
understanding
of
Mediumship
and
allied
phenomena
remain
immeasurable.
* * *
The
Lyceum
Department
received
a letter
from the
Spiritualists'
National
Union
stating
that
henceforth
it would
be known
as 'The
Spiritualists
Lyceum
Union'
(in 1948
the
British
Spiritualists'
Lyceum
was
incorporated
into the
Spiritualists'
National
Union.
1957
Lillian
Bailey
was a
deep
trance
medium
who gave
supreme
survival
evidence
to many
notable
personalities
in the
20-Century.
Kings
and
Princes
consulted
her
because
of her
remarkable
gift
which
allowed
her
spirit-self
to leave
its
mortal
shell
and thus
allow a
communicator
from the
next
world to
take
temporary
control
of it.
In 1957
the
Psychic
Press
published
a book
about
her life
(written
by W.F.
Neech)
called
'Death
is Her
Life'.
1963
A motion
showing
that
there
was a
need for
a Guild
of
Spiritualists
Healers
was put
to the
Spiritualists'
National
Union's
Annual
General
Meeting
at
Worthing
and was
held to
be
proven,
although
nothing
could be
done at
that
meeting,
it was
an ideal
only.
1964
Proposals
were put
to the
Spiritualists'
National
Annual
General
Meeting
at
Manchester
for the
formation
of a
Guild of
Spiritualists
Healers.
* * *
Stansted
Hall
bequeathed
to the
Spiritualists'
National
Union by
Arthur
Findlay
to be
used as
a
College
for the
advancement
of
Psychic
Science.
1966
Arthur
Findlay
College
(Stansted
Hall)
opens in
September.
1968
Tom
Henwood
and Bill
Tyler,
Members
of the
Healing
Committee,
ask for
closer
contact
with the
District
councils,
this
helped
to
increase
membership.
1969
The
League of Friends of Stansted Hall was inaugurated.
* * *
Ena
Twigg
(b1914)
On
September
4, 1969,
while
Ena
Twigg,
her
husband,
Harry,
and
canon
John
Pearce-Higgins
sat in
the
living-room
of her
home,
suddenly
a
discarnate
voice
commanded
her to
switch
on the
tape
recorder.
The
spirit
voice
belonged
to the
missing
Bishop
Pike,
who -
unknown
to
anyone
on Earth
- had
then
been
'dead'
for
twenty-four
hours.
1970
The
Northern,
Sheffield,
Southern,
Yorkshire,
East
Midlands
and
London
Guilds
had been
formed
and the
first
meeting
of the
Guild of
Spiritualist
Healers
took
place in
Stansted
Hall.
1971
Leslie
Flint
(1911 -
1994)
publishes
his book
'Voices
in the
Dark'.
Previously
the
Vice-president,
he
became
the
joint
Vice
President
(in
spirit)
of the
Noah's
Ark
Society
with
Noah
Zerdin.
1972
First
National
Conference
of the
Guild of
Spiritualists
Healers
was also
held in
Stansted
Hall.
1973
A set of
by-laws
was set
up for
the
administration
of the
Guild of
Spiritualists
Healers,
these to
be known
as
by-laws
'H'.
1975
George
William
Chapman
(b1921)
undoubtedly
a medium
who
stands
out
prominently
in the
sphere
of
twentieth
century
Mediumship.
One
recognition
of this
was
gaining
the
'Spiritualist
of 1975'
award,
presented
to him
by Harry
Edwards.
* * *
At the
S.N.U
Annual
General
Meeting,
members
voted in
favour
of
adopting
a new
set of
Articles
of
Association
which
were
circulated
prior to
the
meeting.
This
resulted
in
bringing
into
force
the
three
tier
system
of
administration.
1976
The
three
tier
system
came
into
effect
immediately
after
the
S.N.U
Annual
General
Meeting
marking
a new
phase in
the
history
of the
S.N.U.
1979
At the
Spiritualists'
National
Union's
Annual
General
Meeting
at
Manchester
it was
agreed
that the
Guild
would
administer
its own
funds
and its
chief
officers
would be
known as
President
and
Vice-president,
these
arrangements
took
effect
in
January
1990.
1980
Doris
Stokes
(d1987)
publishes
her
first
book
'Voices
in my
Ear'.
1981
The
S.N.U
and
Guild
became
two of
the
Founder
Members
of the
Confederation
of
Healing
Organisations.
1986
Coral
Polge
(1947 -
2001)
One of
Britain's
most
well
known
psychic
artists,
Coral is
able,
through
the use
of her
Mediumship,
to
create
portraits
of
people
in
spirit.
In 1986
she
wrote
her book
'Living
Spirits'.
1987
Prof.
David
Fontana,
Professor
of
Psychology
at
Cardiff
University
and the
author
of many
books on
Psychology,
Meditation
and
Dream
Analysis,
first
joined
the SPR
in 1987.
He was
co-opted
to the
Council
of the
SPR in
1992,
elected
to
Council
in 1993,
served
as
President
from
1996,
and is
now a
Vice-president
and
Chairman
of the
Society's
Survival
Research
Committee.
Also
co-authored
'The
Scole
Report'
(Proc.SPR
58, Part
220)
with
Montague
Keen and
the now
deceased
Prof.
Arthur
Ellison.
1989
Betty
Shine
(1929 -
2002)
wrote
her
first
book
'Mind to
Mind' in
1989.
She was
guided
by a
spirit
voice
from the
age of
two
onwards,
but the
bulk of
her work
in
adulthood
was done
privately,
in
one-to-one
consultations.
She was
not
greatly
interested
in
giving
clairvoyant
demonstrations,
although
she was
in fact
a
medium,
as she
recounted
in her
autobiography;
and she
often
did
clairvoyant
medical
diagnosis.
1990
The
S.N.U
Centenary
was
celebrated
by
holding
Publicity
Meetings
in every
District
Council
are with
a
National
Celebration
at
Wembley,
London
on 31st
March,
date of
the
Hydesville
event in
1848.
1991
Archie
Roy
(b1924)
Founder
member
of PRISM
-
Psychical
Research
Involving
Selected
Mediums
which is
an
organisation
devising
scientific
experiments,
using
mediums,
to give
evidence
of
survival.
Archie,
for many
years
Professor
of
Astronomy
at
Glasgow
University,
is a
Fellow
of the
Royal
Astronomical
Society,
the
British
Interplanetary
Society
and has
been
President
of both
the
Scottish
and
English
Societies
for
Psychical
Research.
He has
lectured
in many
countries,
been an
invited
speaker
for NATO
Scientific
Division,
edited
journals
and
newspapers,
investigated
haunted
houses
and
haunted
people.
His
publications
are over
seventy
scientific
papers,
scores
of
articles
and
thirteen
books.
1994
The
Guild of
Spiritualist
Healers
amalgamated
with the
S.N.U
and a
new
Standing
Committee
was
instituted,
known as
the
Spiritualist
Healing
Committee.
The
S.N.U
withdrew
from the
C.H.O.
1995
For many
years
that the
Roman
Catholic
Church
has been
carrying
out
scientific
experiments
with
their
own
mediums
and one
of the
most
competent
theologians
of the
Vatican,
Father
Gino Concetti,
writing
in the 'Osservatore
Romano',
the
daily
paper of
the Holy
See,
says
that,
'According
to the
modern
catechism
the
Church
has
decided
not to
forbid
anymore
to
dialogue
with the
deceased
... this
is as a
sequel
of new
discoveries
within
the
domain
of the
paranormal.'
1998
John
Edwards
was Born
and
raised
on Long
Island,
NY,
exhibited
psychic
abilities
from an
extremely
early
age, and
was
deemed
'special'
by many
in his
family.
The fact
that he
would
uncannily
know
family
history
and
events
that
took
place
prior to
his
birth
solidified
that
fact.
Because
no fuss
was made
over
these
early
experiences,
he
maintained
as
normal a
childhood
as
possible.
Since
psychic
phenomena
was so
accepted
by his
family,
it was
easy for
his
abilities
to
flourish.
1999
Ivy
Northage
(1909 -
2002)
was well
known
for her
teaching
abilities;
and in
Britain
she set
up the
Ivy
Northage
School
for
Mediums,
which
helped
many
acolytes
to hone
and
perfect
their
mediumistic
skills.
In 1999,
she
wrote
her
life-story,
called
'While I
Remember,'
which
features
some
fascinating
accounts
of the
Mediumship
that she
witnessed.
2000
George
Anderson
is a
contemporary
American
medium
who has
been
achieving
some
amazing
results
under
controlled
conditions
in
studies
at the
University
of
Arizona
in which
five
mediums
were
tested
conducting
readings
for the
same
clients
and
found to
be
consistently
accurate
well
beyond
chance
or
guessing.
The full
first
study
was
published
in the
Journal
of the
Society
of
Psychical
Research
in
England
in
January,
2000.
His site,
while
very
commercial,
contains
some
excellent
grief
support
material.
2008
April
2008 saw
the
repeal
of the
Fraudulent
Mediums'
Act. It
was
repealed
by the
Consumer
Protection
from
Unfair
Trading
Regulations
2007 (CPRs)
which
implements
the
Unfair
Commercial
Practices
Directive
9UCPD).
The CPRs
include
rules
prohibiting
conduct
which
misleads
the
average
consumer
and
thereby
causes,
or is
likely
to cause
him to
take a
transactional
decision
he would
not have
taken
otherwise.
Although the average consumer would arguably not
be misled by a person who claims he is able to contact the dead, such
conduct would still be unfair under the CPRs if it deceives the
average member of (i) the group to which it is directed, or (ii) a
clearly identifiable group of consumers who are particularly
vulnerable to this type of practice.
Unlike the Act, there is no
requirement in the CPRs to prove an "intent to deceive". This means
that where practices are aimed at vulnerable consumers or average
members of particular groups, it should be easier to take action
against fraudulent mediums than under the Act.
The CPRs will be enforced by
both civil (injunctive) action and criminal sanctions.
* * *
Stephen
O'Brien
is a
famous
English
medium
and
healer.
His page
contains
a number
of
excellent
examples
of
survival
evidence
obtained
through
Mediumship
and
out-of-body
experiences.
It also
contains
some of
the
spiritual
teachings
that he
has been
given as
well as
an
excellent
page of
links to
grief
support
organisations.
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A*Pebbles
(aka Lyn)
A*Uhtred (aka
Shaun)
Email
Pebbles
Email Uhtred
Please note that A*
denotes Admin and
S* a member
of Staff.
SM*Dolphin
(Site Manager)
SG*Phoenix
(Site Gatekeeper)
S*Spirit Painter
S*Little LouLou
S*Gaelforce |
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Although everyone may read in this this
site, only site approved readers may read without
a member of staff being present.
Site approved readers have an 'R' designated
before their
name:
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*
The History of
Spiritualism
by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle
*
Life Before Death
by Colin Fry
*
Talking to the Dead:
Kate & Maggie Fox
and the Rise
of Spiritualism
by
Barbara Weisberg
* The
Autobiography
of
Emma Hardinge
Britten
by Emma Hardinge Britten
*
Faiths, Facts
And Frauds of
Religious History
by Emma Hardinge Britten
*
On the Edge
of the
Etheric
by
Arthur Findlay
*
The Rock
of Truth
by
Arthur Findlay
*
The Seed
of Truth
(From Silver Birch)
Compiled by
Tony Ortzen
*
Hints
on
Mediumistic
Development
by Ursula Roberts
*
Helen Duncan:
The Mystery Show Trial
by Robert Hartley
*
Voices:
A Doris Stokes
Collection:
"Voices in my Ear"
and
"More Voices in my Ear"
by Doris Stokes
*
A Host Of
Voices
by Doris Stokes
*
The Gift
by Mia Dolan
*
Mia's World
by Mia Dolan
All music items can be
purchased at:
Doris Stokes
I know some people do not rate Doris Stokes as a
good medium but I had the pleasure of seeing Doris
many times at
the London Palladium and in my
eyes she was a brilliant Medium. I have read every book of hers many
times.
On one occasion at the Palladium she had a young
spirit girl with her. All night she kept giving out
information about the girl but nobody came forward
to claim her.
I've never forgiven myself...she was there for me
(Pebbles)! It was my niece who had passed in a
terrible accident a few years before.
Everything Doris said I could take...from her age,
how she was killed on the road on her bike...family
names...place names in England where she
was brought up and in Ireland where she had moved to
2 years before her passing.
There was no doubt it was my
nice...but I never claimed her!
I don't know if it was because
it was a shock that she had come through...that I
was still grieving badly and just couldn't face
it...or whether it was the thought of standing up in
front of a packed London Palladium...
but I just sat there like a lemon.
I was on my own and I think maybe I was afraid of
getting too upset and crying in front of all those
people and not having anyone I knew with me....but
if only I had claimed her!
I am 100% sure my niece Geraldine was with Doris!
I had been interested in
spiritualism since a child but
I have Doris Stokes to thank
for showing me where
my path truly was to be found.
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