Recent news published by the Sunday Post in Scotland has brought further light to the case of Helen Duncan, and as usual, she is tainted with the title of "Last Witch Of Scotland." Personally, I and many others take offense at this title, and as one of the Founders of the Helen Duncan Foundation along with Mrs. Margaret Hahn "Helen's Grand Daughter" It would be remiss of me not to try and set the record straight. She was a great medium with gifts far superior to anyone demonstrating today.
Who Was Helen Duncan?
Helen Duncan was one of the great pioneers of Physical Mediumship and rather than being known as a great medium that she was, she has been tainted with the unofficial title of Witch, and that is a clear blasphemy of who this real lady was. Helen was known for her amazing work as a medium and was one of the few mediums that demonstrated full materialization of spirits from the other side of life who communicated evidentially with the living on this side of life. Her work took her far and wide and she was reputed to have demonstrated for many influential people in history.
Whether or not you believe her story or if you have become part of the historical controversy that still rages today, you have to agree that her case changed the face of spiritualism and still affects it to this very day. It has often been said that you are not a real spiritualist unless you know the case of the "Fox Sisters" in Hydesville NY and Helen Duncan.
The reality of the Helen Duncan case has been the subject of many books, documentaries, and film attempts. Furthermore, her legacy lives on within the Helen Duncan Foundation and continues to touch the controversies within spiritualism in the modern day. Helen died for her cause due to the ignorance of authorities and was Titled as a Witch because she was tried under the Witch Craft Act of 1735. The Following is a brief account of why she was convicted;
In November of 1941, Helen held a séance in Portsmouth – the home port of the Royal Navy. The spirit of a sailor in uniform materialized fully with the name ‘HMS Barham’ on his cap band. Sitters heard him declare to his mother (who was one of the sitters) that his ship had been sunk with a great loss of life. When the shocked lady said that couldn’t be correct as she hadn’t been notified, the spirit sailor claimed she would be in three weeks time before fading away.
The sailor’s mother was so concerned that she contacted the Admiralty who sent two officials around to question her. The Admiralty knew through German Enigma machine radio communications intercepted by Bletchley Park that the Germans thought that only minor damage had been caused to HMS Barham yet the truth was the ship had blown up a few minutes after being hit by a U-boat torpedo.
As the Royal Navy wanted the German Navy to think HMS Barham was still a threat in the Mediterranean rather than laying on the bottom of it, they had gone to great lengths to keep the sinking from the public. In fact, it was not officially announced until late January 1942. But, because of Helen’s séance, rumors spread around Portsmouth that HMS Barham had been sunk.
Because of this, she was tarred as being a security risk and was tried under the Witchcraft Act 1735.
Tarred As A Witch - Burned And Later Passed
During a seance, Helen was abruptly brought out of her trance-like condition when the police raided the home and she was injured severely by the immediate retraction of ectoplasm and that was the final blow to Helen. Helen then Passed to spirit and was forever known as the Last Witch Of Scotland.
She's No Witch
It's about time that we realized Helen For who she was, and that is one of the best mediums in history that belongs in Historical records along with other great pioneers of spiritualism. There are countless written and spoken testimonies of Helen's seances that brought numerous loved ones through from the other side to commune with loved ones left behind. She was witnessed in lighted conditions and still loved ones materialized. She gave of herself tirelessly to prove the existence of life after death. She was Indeed a great medium - the likes of which have never been seen again - even with our modern physical mediums, no one could hold a candle to the feats of afterlife proof that Helen gave. She needs to be known for who she is, and not the title she was given in ignorance.
No Longer A Witch - She's A Great Medium In History