| Main Performers | Ernest Oaten - chairman
Harold L Vigurs,
Helen Hughes,
H F Bendall,
Percy Hitchcock,
Estelle Roberts [spirit guide 'Red Cloud'],
Hannen Swaffer - speakers
Reginald Foort - organ |
| Set List | 'The World Hath Felt A Quick'ning Breath',
'Holy Spirit! Power Divine!',
'O Love, That Wilt Not Let Me Go',
'God Save the King' |
| Performance Notes | Unsuccessful meeting, with approximately 3,000 people in attendance.
Estelle Roberts clairvoyant demonstration:
"The exact dates of four anniversaries were accurately told by Estelle Roberts to the woman who received her first message. These were the birthday of the woman's sister, April 12; her mother's birthday, June 14; her grandfather's birthday, December 2; and the date of her father's passing, October 16. Estelle had begun her demonstration by giving evidence from the woman's son who returned in Air Force blue. He had passed in 1942, said Estelle and was reported missing.
Then came George, William, who was an uncle, Jimmy, Elizabeth, Annie, Fred and Emily, the recipient's mother-in-law. 'Jane is here too, she was called Jinny... She was a cousin of your mother's.' Receiving confirmation of this she went on; 'Arthur is here.' 'Arthur who?' asked the woman. Promptly came the medium's reply 'Arthur Mitchell.' This was accepted as was the name Flora Annie Williams, known as Aunt Flossie. The next spirit mentioned was Geoffrey Scott, who was known by the nicknames Scotty and Sandy. ...
Memories were revived when Estelle told the woman how when a young girl, she had visited a hospital where airmen were recovering from shock. The name Dennis Hammond amusingly distorted to Hamstring by his colleagues, was mentioned in connection with the above, and this too was remembered. A message to a Mrs Andrews was transmitted from her husband who wanted her to know 'Mary, love. Mary, love, it's true, I am alive.'"
Helen Hughes clairvoyant demonstration:
"A man who had come from Birmingham was the recipient of one of Helen Hughes' first messages. He recognised Jimmy Brown as his father, then came mention of Elmer. 'That's my name' said the man. 'Tell him Doris is here,' continued the message. 'My sister,' he acknowledged. 'She has her husband with her.' Again came acknowledgement. Reference was then made to Arnold, a sceptic, and the man admitted that he had recently been laying the law cown to Arnold in an attempt to convince him of spiritualism. ...
...'How's Bramagen-Arsenal?' from a bent old man with a stick, who gave the name of George. Mr Brown could not place this but since returning to Bromsgrove - he has told Psychic News in a letter - he has solved it. It appears that Mr Browne's mother mentioned this message to an assistant who works at one of Mr Browne's outfitting shops. The assistant immediately exclaimed 'George? That's my father who passed on. He was bent and used a stick and he was extremely interested in football. One of his pet expressions was Brumagen-Arsenal.' ... Another message which Helen Hughes had some difficulty in placing, was finally confirmed when the rightful recipients, a group of people from Bristol, walked into Psychic News office the day after the meeting and acknowledged all the details. ...
Tony Hobbs, the young airman communicating, was recognised as the son of a local dentist, and Mrs and Mr Wilcox also mentioned in the message, were placed as former members of the Grosvenor Road Church, Bristol. The name of John Hall was also recognised. Mrs Florence Pearce ... promised to pass on the details to Tony's father. She added that her grandfather, a director of John Hall and Co, Bristol, tinplate makers was a close friend of John Hall, the firm's founder.
A rather short message was introduced by Helen walking briskly across the platform, indicating a woman at the side of the Hall, and asking, 'Have you lived in India?' 'Yes' admitted the woman. The medium then gave the name of Mary Rankin, saying that the communicator knew the woman in the audience and asked if she could recall the time when she fell from her horse. The woman, Mrs Monica Daviel... told Psychic News later that she knew Mary Rankin very well and that she was very fond of horse riding. Reference to Mary Rankin having lived in Calcutta where Mrs Daviel had met her was also acknowledged.
A man sitting in one of the boxes was singled out by Mrs Hughes for another message and asked if he had a young brother in the spirit world. He said he had and then Helen spoke of Stan Smith, whom she described as a great athlete when on earth, and which was also confirmed.
The name of Jessop was recognised and then the clairvoyant said; 'There is a lady here who says 'Tell him Mary is here tonight.' She was of the Catholic faith.' 'That is quite right,' was the response. The man in the box, who is well known in the theatre world but does not wish his name to be revealed."
Review "An inquest was held at the Holborn Restaurant last Friday to investigate the cause of death of the Centenary rally at the Albert Hall two days before. Witnesses testified to the inability of speakers and mediums alike to infuse life into the proceedings and expert evidence was to the effect that a primary cause of death was the high price of sears, combined with the difficulties attached to a mid-week meeting so near Easter. Even witnesses from the Other Side testified through the mediums present to their dissatisfations with the meeting. Verdict: Accident but avoidable death"
(Psychic News, 10 April 1948) |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1948/87) |