Report on certain manifestations within psychic experiments between individuals living in close proximity, 2018, over a period of three days. The Society for Psychical Research

Redacted version.

MILIEU, An isolated house in three acres of ground, abutting the Old Consistency Fallows and leading down to the Coast at the Point of the Natural Pool.

HISTORY Credited historically with MINOR manifestations and turbulences. Previously examined 1932 by Harry Creke, and in 1902 by Cecil Shrupp. We hold approx. 224 original photographs and 3 shellac disks of ambient sounds.

PARTICIPANTS

Subject 1 ; female, (CODE PRUDENCE, pseud)

Subject 2 ; female, (CODE FELICITY , pseud)

Subject 3 ; male, (CODE PIERRE, pseud)

Being more stoic of disposition and wary of committed contact, Prudence nursed a suspicion of the vagaries of the projective powers of the Hand. She had experimented intermittently with Cheiromantics but found that committed and sustained Craniology and,  in its lesser mode, Phrenology, she could project herself forcibly into what she construed as a feeble and corrupt world. That she could establish an audit through the uncanny readings of finger tips, of her constituent elements, gave her much satisfaction. Instead of merely tolerating the inadequacies that we all agreed surrounded her, she could demonstrate beyond conjecture where it was all going right, where it was all going wrong.

She invested in Pierre a flattering degree of trust in helping her readings. Admittedly, he was an unlicensed practitioner. But he had introduced into his methodology the Nottingham System of the Two Fowlers. (see beneath) This allowed for readings to be enacted and documented without a quick trim of the locks, or , in difficult cases , the need for the shaving of the scalp.

Our Observer at the demonstration was Major Eardley whose behaviour later led to much criticism that he exceeded his brief, claiming military precedents, unrecognised by the Society for Psychic Research.  Having read of Felicity’s emanations he insisted the demonstration be conducted in natural light and that the Craniologist be blindfolded. The Society understood the Major’s motives, but condemned the wilfulness of his procedures. In addition we would like to commend Felicity, Prudence and Pierre for their good humoured understanding.

The demonstration took place besides the Gibraltar Rockery on the Upper Lawn with a large oak carver on a plinth with table nearby. The Major, it seems, through his brusqueness, discouraged the taking of tea in advance, but insisted it be taken after the correlation of the data.

The inhabitants gathered at three, just as the sun was clouding over. Prudence came with a headband which the Major scrutinised with “some impertinence”, and a paperback whodunnit which he searched, page by page. It should be added that he was so taken by the narrative, he later ordered his own copy. The Major had a small Kodak, and there were doubts as to whether he knew how to use it. It hung round his neck down as far as his knees.

Pierre, with an undeniably thespian flourish, appeared through the French windows in a checked sports jacket and cavalry twills, a style that seemed to reassure the Major, who nodded in approval at the regimental tie. Pierre and Felicity withdrew to the Rockery as the latter fitted him into his chamois leather gloves. He had once been a wicket keeper for his Grammar School cricket team and had learnt that slightly damp chamois gloves ensured the hands did not dry out during psychic tension, and swell to the size of balloons.

“May I say, my dear, how lovely is your hair in this light?” Prudence smiled demurely. “And now Major we will see how the readings are advanced from a year ago, when last I felt her Bumps.”

Pierre stretched out both arms and allowed Felicity to lower a velvet blindfold over his eyes. She led him to the back of the patient’s chair. Prudence relaxed in the chair, tilting her head back and breathing softly. The Major had once last trick by which he intended to prove the process was fraudulent. Silently, from his cricket bag,  he produced a large celeriac head which he positioned exactly where Pierre assumed Prudence’s head was.

“Ha Major…” exclaimed Pierre with a cry of triumph, “the old Celeriac Ruse! I am not so easily deceived.” The Major retreated in confusion and spent the rest of the session in Observer mode.

“Prudence, are you prepared? Are you in a fit state of mind my dear?”

Prudence was unusual in having a particular sensitivity to her scalp, where  formulations of colour, interval, texture and tone were registered optically, and were translated into a synaesthesic mode, which the vulgar have termed “a creeping of the scalp”. We ordinary mortals might speak of “my hair stood on end..”, while Prudence interpretive range demonstrated her understandings through a reading of head based risings and declivities. The more she thought, the more the surface of her skull burgeoned in neo-Platonic harmonies.

This in turn sharpened her vision in the retinal and the intuitive. Simply put in lay terms, she saw more. As Pierre’s fingers sought a foot (or rather hand) hold deep in her tresses, her pale irises dilated and her amativness  zone sent out clear signals to her sublimity and mirth. It was clear that Pierre (ever the cautious one) was falling behind the momentum of her processes.

Well, now, she thought. The Major’s teeth were badly stained with nicotine. Even through the generosity of jowl, she could see what a bad state his mouth was in. As Pierre’s fingertips found her Calculation Zone, she could count the buttons on his Long Johns and notice how many had not been replaced. Other indications suggested clearly the lack of a caring domestic environment, not least the state of his underwear. She achieved some short term relief when Pierre reached her Benevolence triggers. 

By this time was Pierre’s hands were moving in concentric circles. He was calling out numbers which Felicity added to the Day’s chart (see beneath)

Only when Prudence couldn’t suppress her observations as to the Observer’s personal hygiene, that the latter picked up his Celeriac and headed for the exit. With peculiar felicity of timing,  a tray of tea appeared at the stroke of four on the Stable Clock. “Just look at the sliding scales, my dear. All have teetered to the left of the chart. We are all in advance of expectations…” an appreciation of the powers of Phrenology reflected  in the subsequent consumption of Maccaroons.