FAMOUS WITCHES: GERALD GARDNER (1884-1964)
Gerald Brousseau Gardner was an English civil servant, amateur anthropologist, writer and occultist born in 1884. He was instrumental in founding Wicca and Neopag anism, published three books, High Magic’s Aid (1949), Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959) and is described by many as the “Father of Modern Wicca”. Gardner claimed to have been initiated himself into a coven of New Forest witches by a woman named Dorothy Clutterbuck. In the 1940s, being an open Wiccan was seen as radical and get you put in jail. This didn’t stop Gardner for being an open Wiccan, he moved to London to to share his knowledge and in 1949 published his first book,
High Magic’s Aid. His fictional book was filled with rituals and ceremonies, slowly but surely baiting society with his craft. Some think this book is what lead to Britain banning their hate and laws against witchcraft. When England repealed the last of its witchcraft laws in 1951, Gardner went public with his coven. It proved to be a turning point for Gardner. Gardner soon became a media celebrity, and he was dubbed “Britain’s Chief Witch” by the British press. He made numerous public appearances, making it his mission to attract young people to the Old Religion, rather than older people who would let the craft die with them.
In addition to Doreen Valiente, he initiated some of the most influential wiccans of society into his covens, including Eleanor Bone, Patricia Crowther, Monique Wilson and Raymond Buckland, who were to go on to spread wicca to a whole new generation. There was a good deal of debate within the wiccan community about whether the Gardnerian path was the only “true” wiccan tradition. One thing seems to be for certain- they were the first. Wigington, Patti. "English Witchcraft Laws." ThoughtCo. thoughtco.com/english-witchcraftlaws-2561890 Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Gerald_Gardner_(Wiccan) Gerald Gardner: Legacy of the father of witchcraft. bbc.com/news/ukengland-27782244 Witchcraft and Witches. witchcraftandwitches.com/ witches_gardner.html ripleys.com/weird-news/gerald-gardner/ 54