During the 1940s in England, there was a resurgence of interest in the Spiritualism movement. Although partly in response to the generational trauma of the World Wars, the ‘industry’ of Spiritualism was also fertile ground for charlatans and opportunists looking to capitalize on the grief of their audience. One notable case captured the public imagination due to the seeming authenticity of the medium’s claims and, through an extended trial, led to a reexamination of the archaic Witchcraft Act under which the defendant was tried.
Who Was Helen Duncan and What Were Her Claims as a Medium?
Helen Duncan (1897 – 1956) was a Scottish medium who gained fame (and notoriety) during the first world war for claiming to communicate with fallen soldiers. Her career continued throughout the 1920s and 1930s gaining as many fans as she did detractors for her highly dramatic and impressive seances. During these she would speak in the voices of the dead, often with their spirits materializing in the room. Another frequent feature would be the appearance of ectoplasm in her mouth; a phenomenon she claimed was proof of her paranormal abilities. Through investigations, the ectoplasm was found to be made of cheesecloth, paper and other materials.
What Led to Helen Duncan’s Arrest and Conviction?
Helen Duncan was enjoying a period of busy popularity during the second world war, when one seance drew widespread attention. In January 1944, Helen conducted a seance for the relatives and crew mates of a sailor who was missing. During the event the dead sailor ‘materialized’ and was seen wearing a naval cap of the HMS Barham; the ship the missing sailor belonged to. The routine was not in itself any different to her usual seances. What drew attention was that the sinking of the HMS Barham had not yet been made public knowledge.
This raised the question: how did she know? For her followers, this was proof of her psychic abilities. However, a police raid quickly debunked the phenomena of the ectoplasm and found the costume of the sailor hidden among other props. Her arrest and conviction now focused on her revealing war time secrets. This led to her being convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 for ‘pretending to exercise or use witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, or conjuration’. She served nine months in Holloway Prison for this crime along with other charges of defrauding her audience.
How Did Helen Duncan’s Trial Unfold and What Were the Key Testimonies?
Helen Duncan’s trial began on 30th March 1944. During the trial, the court heard emotional testimonies from participants of the seances who’d believed they had contacted their loved ones. Amongst these was Helaine Fry, mother of the missing sailor, who recounted the shock of seeing the spirit of her son despite the absence of his face. A detail that chilled the jury. Witnesses for the prosecution presented damning evidence of the ectoplasm, costumes and props used in Duncan’s act. As well as detailing the sums of money grieving participants would pay Duncan.
One of the most compelling witnesses was photographer Harvey Metcalfe, he presented photographs he’d taken during the seances explaining how he’d captured the ‘spirits’. It remained unclear how Helen Duncan knew about the sinking of the HMS Barham, but the prosecution suggested she’d heard of it through unofficial channels. Living in the Naval city of Portsmouth would give her plenty of opportunities to hear news and rumors from sailors and their families before official announcements had been made. Duncan denied this and maintained her innocence throughout.
What Was the Public and Media Reaction to Helen Duncan’s Conviction?
The trial, especially the use of the Witchcraft Act, drew mass public and media attention. Many commented with surprise that such an ancient law could still be enacted (it had not been used for over a century at the time of Duncan’s trial). Even the sitting prime minister, Winston Churchill, commented on his concern over the security breach and damage to public morale due to the case. Duncan’s case was also used as an example by those trying to curb the Spiritualist movement and strengthen the laws against fraudulent practices paving the way for the Fraudulent Mediums Act of 1951.
Most significantly, it led to the repeal of the Witchcraft Act itself. Helen Duncan remained unrepentant after her conviction, maintaining that her skills were authentic. Her high-profile case meant she returned to performing well attended seances after her release from prison.
How Did Helen Duncan’s Case Influence the Repeal of the Witchcraft Act?
The Witchcraft Act of 1735 had been created to reflect the developing attitudes towards the supernatural. Whereas the previous act of 1563 had presumed that witchcraft existed and treated suspected cases as criminal; the updated act of 1735 drew from the belief that those claiming to have supernatural powers were behaving fraudulently, usually for financial gain or exploitation. Over time, the law fell out of use as other laws covered cases of theft or fraud. So when Helen Duncan’s case came to trial it led to a public debate about how such cases should be viewed. Spiritualists and others spoke out about the Witchcraft Act being an outdated relic that curbed their personal freedoms and belittled their spiritual practices.
On the other hand, some conservative groups used the Duncan case to demonstrate how such laws were necessary to prevent what they saw as a particularly cynical form of fraud committed against those who were emotionally vulnerable and grieving. Ultimately, the law was repealed on 22nd June 1951 to be replaced by modern laws against fraudulent behavior that excised the more supernatural wording of the Witchcraft Act of 1735.
