Online Reference For Body, Mind & Spirit

Term: Helen Duncan

DEFINITION:

(1897–1956) Scottish medium born Victoria Helen MacFarlane and who married Henry Duncan in 1916. Unfortunately, even when tested by the pro-Spiritist group, the London Spiritualist Alliance, her mediumistic abilities were shown to be fraudulent. Duncan is perhaps best known for being the last person imprisoned, in 1944, under the British Witchcraft Act of 1735. It is believed that her trial was, in part, responsible for the repeal of that act (it was replaced by the Fraudulent Mediums Act of 1951), which allowed for the work of Gerald Gardner and birth of Wicca and modern Witchcraft and Paganism.