Chapter 9

In late Victorian England it was said that there were only two ways to find out what was happening within the country’s esoteric society; the first way was to die suddenly and hope you’d be summoned from the astral plane to a clairvoyant meeting, the second method was less drastic but almost as difficult... obtain a copy of Grand Nefaria Quarterly.

The GFQ was a labour of love for occult aficionado Nelgard Atkins who published it from his home in Tottenham. Largely featuring Atkins own views on all things occult,the GNQ also published submissions from it’s readers, most notably  a young Gerald Gardner, who then aged 16 regularly sent in drawings and poems; the drawings were ridiculously bad by anyones standard, but the poems did give a valuable insight into the mind of the man who was later to become one of England’s most famous Witches.

This for example, published in the Autumn 1898 issue and entitled ‘Hecate’

                              “Hecate Hecate

                               Can I come along

                               To your midnight party?

                                I’ll bring my own blanket

                               To lay at your feet”

This seemingly innocent poem has managed to divide  Gardnerists ever since it’s publication in the GNQ. Even to a layman it clearly shows how the young  Gardner was already enamored with the Goddess and  wanted to express his willingness to celebrate her, however many followers of Gardner have said the poem contains a much deeper context. They claim ‘the blanket’ referred to was in fact an early allusion to the Wiccan Church Gardener would later go on to form. There were of course others within the occult world who were cynical of this interpretation of the poem. They believed Gardner merely wanted to bring along the blanket so his trousers wouldn’t get wet.

Lively debates such as this regularly followed the publication of articles in the GNQ and each edition was keenly awaited by it’s subscribers.

                d

Atkins regularly received submissions from his readers for inclusion in  the GNQ; many were included, however there were those that were dismissed either because they were utter drivel or because they were just too bizarre for inclusion. In January 1901 a letter was delivered anonymously to Atkins home. Accompanied by only an address for forwarding interested applicants details, the letter contained an advertisement so bizarre that Atkins automatically dismissed it as some sort of  joke.

  

Against Atkins better judgements he decided to run the ad in the next issue of Grand Nefaria Quarterly. He thought the ad would attract a few curious applicants, and several letters criticising his editorial judgement. He was wrong.