Dundee Society of Spiritualists, 1940

[doddsie4]

         My grandmother, Evelyn Widdop, lived in Glasgow and during 1939 and 1940, she was travelling through to Dundee to attend meetings at the Dundee Society of Spiritualists at the Fabian Hall, South Union Street, Dundee.       I was fascinated to discover adverts in the Dundee Courier
for that time, which advertised the date of the coming meetings, and mentioning that Evelyn Widdop would be giving readings.     

        She was always religious and she held meetings at her own home in Glasgow,  and she also travelled to meetings, like those at the Fabian Hall.     She died in 1955.

        I can't help wondering if the Fabian Hall kept records of what was read out at these meetings. I would love to find out if any of my grandmother's readings could be traced.      Interested to know the content of her readings.                           

[dowdstree]

Hi,

What an interesting post.

Records of readings given were not kept or are now kept at Spiritualist Services. What the mediums, including your grandmother, would say to people at these meetings would be relevant and personal to them only.

One place which may have further information on her is the Spiritualist National Union  www.snu.org.uk  Its worth a try.

Did you know that there are a number Spiritualist Churches in Glasgow and other cities throughout the UK.  Might be worth a visit to see the kind of work your grandmother did.

Hope this helps.


Dorrie

[doddsie4]

        I doubted very much that records of "readings" would be kept, and what you say sort of confirms that.       She used to hold meetings in the house where I am living now - you know, the darkened room, and trying to make contact with the dead.     That sort of thing.      Conan Doyle was a great believer in the afterlife, and there was a great upsurge of interest in spiritualism at that time.

       But at the meetings in Dundee, I am guessing she spoke from a stage to a seated audience, and some of the readings there would be likely be based on her religious beliefs.      She was a great Bible reader.      ...I have seen a long poem she wrote about the first world war, and I can tell from it that the war had a great affect on her.    Her husband and two of his brothers were all wounded.      Her husband lost his leg around 1917.     

[dowdstree]

Yes, at the time your grandmother was a Spiritualist Medium most meetings were held behind closed doors. There was a definite fear that a public meeting would be "raided" by the police. This happened to a very well known medium called Helen Duncan. She was imprisoned during WW2 under the Witchcraft Act after giving a message regarding someone who had been lost on HMS Barnham. At the time the details had not been made public so how did she know? She was hounded for most of her life and died in 1956. Its possible that your grandmother knew her.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was very interested in Spiritualism as you say and there is a Spiritualist Centre in Edinburgh named in his honour.

Back to your grandmother. Its amazing that you live in her house. That was really sad about her husband and two brothers being wounded in WW1.You mention a poem she wrote. Do you have a copy of it? I would be very interested in reading it. You are correct about the meeting in Dundee.

Dorrie

[doddsie4]

        It might not be everyone's cup of tea this, but if you read the content closely then some of her descriptions are amazing.     You would almost think she'd seen these things herself.    I hope you can enlarge it enough to make it readable.       

[jaybelnz]

That's beautiful doddsie4!  Very sad, but beautiful thoughts!

What a lovely treasure you have. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Jeanne

[dowdstree]

Thanks for posting a copy of your grandmother's poem.

What an inspired poem. Her insight into what these young men suffered is nothing short of amazing.

She must have been a special person. Did you know her?

Would you give me permission to pass it on to a Spiritualist Church to be used as a reading at one of their services? Obviously with her name being mentioned and a little bit about her work as a Spiritualist Medium?

Dorrie

[doddsie4]

Dorrie,
           I was only twelve years old when she died in 1955 aged 62.      I always thought there was something "special" about her.       Her mother was a qualified midwife, and although she had no qualifications herself she did also deliver babies.      A long time ago, she delivered a baby for one of the neighbours where I live.

           Yes, you can use the poem in any way you like.      ....The same day as I posted it here,
I looked at it and thought no-one would ever be able to read it.      I doubted whether you could even read it after enlarging it.     So, a few minutes after I posted it,  I contacted Roots to ask them to remove it.      But they either didn't get my request, or ignored it, or I made some error in trying to contact them.     The last explanation is probably the most likely.    It was the "report to moderator" button below that I used.

             

[MonicaL]

Doddsie, the poem is beautiful and emotional. Reads really easily (with a little help by enlarging it) , so don't worry about that 

Monica