Question on Cochrane's Witchcraft

[Semjaza]

I know there are several traditions descended from the writings and practices of Robert Cochrane. Could someone please list as many as they know and the country or countries in which they are found? I know there's 1734 (just in the US?) and the Clan of Tubal Cain (?)... Maybe Robin Artisson's writings (US)? Is there anything descended from the original members of Cochrane's coven still practiced in Britain? Or anywhere else? Or are the covens/cuveens just working off the published material? Thanks.

Cheers,

Semjaza
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[Ben Gruagach]

Another one was The Regency, but I don't know if they are still active. (They were basically Cochrane's coven under new leadership after Cochrane died in 1966. One source I read said The Regency disbanded in 1978.)

I believe the name of the guy who took over as leader was Ronald White.

"John Math", founder of the Witchcraft Research Association and editor of Pentagram magazine, was apparently another member of that group. So was Tony Kelly who founded a group called the Pagan Movement.

Despite what some Cochrane followers would have us believe there seems to have been a lot of contact between Cochrane and his followers and Gardnerians and other Wiccans and witches. It makes the claims of pre-Gardnerian lineage a bit hard to accept without solid evidence to support it.

Check out Julia Phillips' interesting account available on the web at places like http://www.ecauldron.com/historywicca.php for more on all this. Doreen Valiente's book "The Rebirth of Witchcraft" also details her involvement with Cochrane as well as with others including Gardner of course.

[David19]

I'm also interested in Cochrane style witchcraft, and when i have some more time (right now, i'm doing an essay), i'll post a book list that i was recommended by a guy who practices a form of it.

But from what I've heard, the Clan of Tubal Cain is active in the UK, and maybe America (maybe elsewhere too), and the 1734 tradition (it was started by Joseph Wilson, who corresponded with Cochrane before Cochrane died).

The guy i talk too has said that Robin Artisson isn't representitive of Cochrane witchcraft at all, apparantly Robin Artisson sent 'curses' to Joseph Wilson as he was dying of cancer, i don't know too much about Robin Artisson, though.

When i get some spare time, i'll ask the guy for some more information (like a book list, traditions and where they are active, since you're in Canada, i'll ask if there are any traditions there).

[RainInanna]

Along that line, what differentiates this form of witchcraft from others? I'm just not familiar with it and am curious.

[Ben Gruagach]

I'm on a non-Wiccan witchcraft email list (mostly people in the UK but not just there) and most of them there don't think very highly of Robin Artisson. Apparently he's got a bit of an ego issue.

To answer the question about how Cochrane-derived witchcraft differs from Wicca I'd have to say that apart from the claim that it descends from a pre-Gardnerian lineage (which is questionable as it hasn't be proven) it has a rather different emphasis than Wicca.

For instance, Cochrane's witchcraft is closer to what others on here tend to call hedge magick, green magick, and things like that. Very shamanic and not necessarily focussed on the whole polarity and balance between a Goddess and a God. I understand that Cochrane's rituals tended to be much more spontaneous than most Wiccan ones. And Cochrane was also a big proponent of doing magickal rituals outside rather than indoors. Caves were a particular favourite location for his rituals.

Anyone who is interested in reading about the 1734 tradition started by Joseph B. Wilson can read it directly from the source at his website (only available now through the Internet Archive site -- here's a link to it (http://web.archive.org/web/20050305170917/http://www.1734.us/index.html).) Joe Wilson has passed away unfortunately so his website is no longer active on the web. Some of the material he used has been printed in various books including "The Robert Cochrane Letters" edited by Michael Howard.

[RainInanna]

Thanks Ben. I was going to say something similar about Robin - can't say I know from personal experience but the situation is the same at one of the other forums I visit.

But then that can be said about a lot of authors *shrugs*

[David19]

Here's a book list that a guy in a 1734 tradition (actually it's one that's linked to it) recommended:

The Robert Cochrane Letters - edited by Evan John Jones and Michael Howard
The Roebuck in the Thicket: An Anthology of the Robert Cochrane Tradition --Evan John Jones & Robert Cochrane
Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed - Evan John Jones and Doreen Valiente
Masks of Tubal Cain - Evan John Jones
The Rebirth of Witchcraft - Doreen Valiente
Sacred Mask; Sacred Dance - Evan John Jones

I've seen Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed in my local library and i've read through it, it does seem cool, i might get it out once i have more time. As for the others, i want to get them, but i'm going to wait till i have some money.

Also, i'll ask if there's 1734 tradition in Canada, but i'm still revising for an exam, so i'm not sure when i'll be able to (i'll try and find out tonight or over the weekend).

Anyway, hope this helps you :).

[Semjaza]

Also, i'll ask if there's 1734 tradition in Canada, but i'm still revising for an exam, so i'm not sure when i'll be able to (i'll try and find out tonight or over the weekend).

Anyway, hope this helps you :).


Thanks very much, I've been looking for the books you've mentioned, I often find them in the strangest places :)

I'm sure there's some traditionalists in my part of Canada, (I'm in the Maritimes), but the few who practice BTW are Gardnerian and Alexandrian. They were happy to answer my questions on Cochrane, but didn't seem to know of working groups. I'll probably be moving to England before the year is out (yay SWAP) so I might have better luck finding information there.

As for Robin Artisson, I've heard many horrible things, most (but not all) of which couldn't be substantiated. I've lurked on his message groups for at least a year, and while some of his comments could be considered nasty, they are far outweighed by his thoughtful and informative views on witchcraft. With all authors, you have to divide the information from opinion. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but then, what is?

Cheers,

Semjaza
FFFF

[Ben Gruagach]

Especially if you're moving to the UK and are interested in non-Wiccan witchcraft, you might want to check out the two Yahoo groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BCTW_chat
and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TWRN_chat/
(they're both run by the same guy, and are basically the same thing although slightly different info and people in each.)

You can probably make some contacts with people through there. And they might be able to help too with making contacts elsewhere in the world (I'm not so sure about that but it might help to try!)