Arnold Crowther
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Arnold Crowther (born 7 October 1909 in
Chatham, Kent Chatham ( ) is a town within the Medway unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham. In 2020 it had a population of 80,596. Th ...
, England, UK – died 1 May 1974) was a skilled stage magician,
ventriloquist Ventriloquism or ventriloquy is an act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) speaks in such a way that it seems like their voice is coming from a different location, usually through a puppet known as a "dummy". The act of ventrilo ...
, and
puppeteer A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object called a puppet to create the illusion that the puppet is alive. The puppet is often shaped like a human, animal, or legendary creature. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the ...
, and was married to Patricia Crowther. He was born as one of a pair of
fraternal twins Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of Twin Last Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two e ...
. During his career he worked in
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
, and in 1938–1939, he entertained Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
, which got him invited to numerous engagements to entertain the titled gentry of England. Crowther was also a founder, member and President of the Puppet Guild, and he made more than 500 puppets in his lifetime.The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism by Shelley Rabinovitch, James Lewis


Introduction to witchcraft

Shortly before World War II Crowther met
Gerald Gardner Gerald Brosseau Gardner (13 June 1884 – 12 February 1964), also known by the craft name Scire, was an English Wiccan, author, and amateur anthropology, anthropologist and archaeology, archaeologist. He was instrumental in bringing the Moder ...
and his wife Donna at the Caledonian Market in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. Arnold Crowther became friends with the Gardners and Crowther frequently visited the Gardners' London flat. Crowther became very interested in
Witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
after meeting Gardner, but was not initiated until eighteen years later. When they met, Gardner's coven was very averse to publicity, and was afraid that Crowther might use Witchcraft in his act.


World War II

During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Crowther entertained with the Entertainments National Services Association, touring throughout
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and entertaining service men with his "Black Magic" show. During the war years, Crowther joined the Forces Entertainment's Corps, and entertained troops all over Europe with his show "Black Magic." The "Black Magic" show also included an African Basuto choir. On 10 November 1943, while en route from Tripoli to
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, he performed aboard a DC 3 airplane flying at 4,000 feet. For a time during the war Crowther was stationed in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and there he first learned of what he would come to believe was an accurate representation of his past life as a Tibetan beggar monk. He and an officer went to visit palmist, "Madame Brux", who invited them to a séance. After introductions the medium, "Madame Brux", conceivably went into a trance and mayhap began to communicate with a masculine spirit. According to Crowther's testimony, the spirit claimed to have been Crowther's teacher in a previous life, and was his guide in this present one. The perceived spirit reported that Crowther had been a student in a Tibetan lamasery, and he (the spirit) mentioned the name "Younghusband" and that "he" had been killed in a battle. However, Crowther reasoned that if he had been such a monk in a past life he would not have been reincarnated as Crowther in this one. But later, at a London exhibition of Tibetan curios, Crowther discovered that there had been a Colonel Younghusband who had led a military attack against Tibet in 1904. Crowther came to believe that in his previous life as "Younghusband" he had killed a soldier in the attack before being killed himself. Also, during his wartime travels he had met
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
who he introduced to Gardner in 1947. Following the war Crowther returned to performing on public stage and then he met Patricia Dawson who initiated Arnold Crowther into
Witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
, and later married him (see Patricia Crowther.)


Spokespersons for witchcraft

After they were married in 1960, Arnold and Patricia Crowther lived in
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...
and the both of them became prominent spokespersons for Witchcraft. Crowther authored in collaboration with Patricia two books, numerous magazine articles, and a radio series on Witchcraft. In addition to his collaborated works with his wife Patricia, Crowther's other publishing efforts include: ''Let's Put on a Show'' (1964), a how-to magic book that he illustrated himself; ''Linda and the Lollipop Man'' (1973), a book on road safety for children; ''Yorkshire Customs'' (1974); and ''Hex Certificate'' (late 1970s), a collection of cartoons which he drew on the themes of Witchcraft. His autobiography, ''Hand in Glove'', was not published but made into a series by the
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
and heard in
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
,
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...
,
Medway Medway is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in the ceremonial county of Kent in South East England. It was formed in 1998 by merging the boroughs of City of Roche ...
and
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
between 1975 and 1977.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowther, Arnold 1909 births 1974 deaths Ventriloquists English Wiccans