THE BARNET & WHETSTONE PRESS,
November 4, 1993
Hallowe'en séance with pop world celebrities
AROUND 100 believers in the paranormal, including a number of famous people from the pop world, crammed into a Barnet living room on Sunday to talk to their deceased relatives during a Hallowe'en séance.
The British Psychic and Occult Society, which is based in High Barnet - but at a location which is kept a closely-guarded secret - holds the séance every year on Hallowe'en at a house that dates back to the 17th century.
An elderly Barnet woman, who has hosted the event for the last 20 years, invites guests who are not members of the society to make a request to speak to deceased relatives or friends.
David Farrant, the society' president who lives in Highgate, said this year's Hallowe'en was particularly special for Occult Society members, as there had been a full moon the previous day.
"Some celebrities from the pop world attended and wanted to speak to relatives, but we have promised to keep their names confidential. We successfully contacted a number of dead relatives, but most people wanted to know what their future held.
"On Hallowe'en the spiritual world comes its closest to the earthly plane. It is the time when communication between the earthly plane and spirits are at their best."
Mr Farrant first came to prominence during a 1974 court case involving allegations of malicious damage to tombs, exorcism ceremonies and accusations that he removed a corpse from a grave. He was also accused of sending voodoo effigies to a policemen and chalking witchcraft symbols on cemetery floors.
Mr Farrant, a self-confessed white witch, told the Press: "We do not spend Hallowe'en as everyone might expect by holding midnight masses in graveyards. We used to do that, but things have calmed down since a few unfortunate incidents in the past.
It is a special day in the calendar for all believers in the Occult. Many people from across the country and not just Barnet attend the seances, which more often than not are successful in contacting the dead."
He explained that Halloween was the one day in the year when spirits were allowed to roam freely and that is why there is the tradition of pumpkin heads containing candles to ward off evil spirits.
Mr Farrant, who says Barnet is a particular good source of spirits because of the age of many of the buildings, says he doubts the existence of ghosts but says his full-time work now involves giving "restless spirits peace."
"Many people are not usually allowed to take part in our seances but at Hallowe'en there is a chance for people to see what sort of thing the Occult is about."
LETTERS TO THE EDITORNovember 4, 1993
Hallowe'en séance with pop world celebrities
AROUND 100 believers in the paranormal, including a number of famous people from the pop world, crammed into a Barnet living room on Sunday to talk to their deceased relatives during a Hallowe'en séance.
The British Psychic and Occult Society, which is based in High Barnet - but at a location which is kept a closely-guarded secret - holds the séance every year on Hallowe'en at a house that dates back to the 17th century.
An elderly Barnet woman, who has hosted the event for the last 20 years, invites guests who are not members of the society to make a request to speak to deceased relatives or friends.
David Farrant, the society' president who lives in Highgate, said this year's Hallowe'en was particularly special for Occult Society members, as there had been a full moon the previous day.
"Some celebrities from the pop world attended and wanted to speak to relatives, but we have promised to keep their names confidential. We successfully contacted a number of dead relatives, but most people wanted to know what their future held.
"On Hallowe'en the spiritual world comes its closest to the earthly plane. It is the time when communication between the earthly plane and spirits are at their best."
Mr Farrant first came to prominence during a 1974 court case involving allegations of malicious damage to tombs, exorcism ceremonies and accusations that he removed a corpse from a grave. He was also accused of sending voodoo effigies to a policemen and chalking witchcraft symbols on cemetery floors.
Mr Farrant, a self-confessed white witch, told the Press: "We do not spend Hallowe'en as everyone might expect by holding midnight masses in graveyards. We used to do that, but things have calmed down since a few unfortunate incidents in the past.
It is a special day in the calendar for all believers in the Occult. Many people from across the country and not just Barnet attend the seances, which more often than not are successful in contacting the dead."
He explained that Halloween was the one day in the year when spirits were allowed to roam freely and that is why there is the tradition of pumpkin heads containing candles to ward off evil spirits.
Mr Farrant, who says Barnet is a particular good source of spirits because of the age of many of the buildings, says he doubts the existence of ghosts but says his full-time work now involves giving "restless spirits peace."
"Many people are not usually allowed to take part in our seances but at Hallowe'en there is a chance for people to see what sort of thing the Occult is about."
[BARNET PRESS, November 11, 1993]
Why I sent 'voodoo effigies' to two Barnet detectives
YOUR report last week headlined "Hallowe'en séance with pop world celebrities" was a fair account of the relatively secret activities of the British Psychic and Occult Society. May I clarify a reference in your report concerning myself.
Your report mentions (quite accurately) that back in 1974 I faced allegations (among other things) of "removing a corpse from a grave" and sending voodoo effigies to a policeman".
Regarding the former, whilst indeed facing this charge at the Old Bailey in 1974, I was acquitted of all implications of this offence; the jury accepting my account that this "corpse" (in reality a 150 year skeleton) had been disturbed as part of a continuing influx of vandalism at Highgate Cemetery, and not the prosecution's assertion that this incident had been connected with a black magic ritual.
While it is true that I sent two "voodoo effigies" to two detectives stationed at Barnet during this period. (I never denied sending these, having sent them by recorded delivery and signing two accompanying letters) and was subsequently sentenced to a total of four years imprisonment - two separate sentences of two years which ran concurrent - I have always maintained - which remains the truth - that these effigies were not intended to harm the two detectives in question but to protect another society member whom the police had arrested.
I am presently preparing a new book on ghosts and other unexplained phenomena and would be interested to hear from any readers who may have had any experiences in this respect.
Personal accounts would be preferable, but any local stories or legends relating to this subject, would be most welcome.
DAVID FARRANT
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