GeorgeKnowles
October 6th, 2008, 05:39 AM
Hail Ho Guy's.
Merry we meet.
Arnold Crowther (1909-1974) - Written and compiled by George Knowles.
Arnold Crowther was a skilled stage magician and ventriloquist with interests in the Occult, Buddhism, Paganism and Witchcraft. He co-authored with his wife Patricia, two books: The Witches Speak (1965) and The Secrets of Ancient Witchcraft (1974), and together produced the first radio series in the UK on witchcraft called: A Spell of Witchcraft, which debuted on the 06th January 1971 for B.B.C. Radio Sheffield. The Crowthers also wrote numerous articles for a variety of magazines and national Newspapers. A personal friend of Gerald B Gardner, through his connections with London’s celebrities, Crowther was influential in introducing Gardner to Aleister Crowley.
Born in Chatham, Kent, on the 6th October 1909, Crowther was one side of twin brothers. His mother was Scottish and his father was an optician from Yorkshire. From an early age Crowther was fascinated with sleight-of-hand magic, ventriloquism and puppeteering, and from the age of eight he was practicing tricks and perfecting his technique in the secrecy of his bedroom. By the time he was twenty he had progressed sufficiently to perform professionally, working a magic act in cabaret, touring the UK and overseas in Europe.
His career peaked in 1938-39 when he was invited to entertain the two Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Buckingham Palace. This led him to numerous other similar engagements entertaining the landed gentry of England, and also into contact with many of the days leading occultists and magicians. At this time Crowther was a Freemason with an interest in the occult and Buddhism, his interest in witchcraft didn’t begin until very much later in 1960.
Crowther was a founder and President of the UK Puppet Guild, and as a master puppeteer made over 500 puppets during his career, mainly for use in his ventriloquism act. He also collected unusual puppets, curios and other oddities. Such was his collection; he was a regular guest speaker at his Masons Hall, and often gave fascinating lectures on curios from around the world to other interested societies.
Before the start of World War II, Crowther met Gerald Gardner and his wife Donna after they had been to view one of his lectures on curios. He and Gardner soon became good friends, sharing many similar interests. Crowther became a frequent visitor at the Gardner’s London flat, from there they would venture out together and browse the many antique stalls at the nearby Caledonian Market. Rubbing shoulders with Gardner, Crowther soon became interested in witchcraft, however Gardner’s coven was still wary of adverse publicity. They felt that Crowther might indiscreetly use craft information in his cabaret act, and refused to accept him. Gardner later predicted that "a very special person with fair hair" would initiate him when the time was right.
During the war years Crowther joined the UK’s Armed Forces Entertainment’s Corps, and entertained troops all over Europe with a show called "Black Magic", the show also included an African Basuto choir. Crowther would perform where and whenever he was required, like on the 10th November 1943 while en-route from Tripoli to Malta, he entertained troops aboard a DC 3 airplane flying at 4,000 feet.
For a time during the war Crowther was stationed in Paris, and there he first learned about his past life as a Tibetan beggar monk. He and an officer went to visit a palmist called "Madame Brux", who invited them to a séance. After introductions the medium went into a trance and began to communicate with a masculine spirit. Through her the spirit claimed to have been Crowthers teacher in a previous life, and was his guide in this present one. He also reported that Crowther had been a student in a Tibetan lamasery and mentioned the name "Younghusband" who had been killed in a battle. Still in trance the medium said: "Your possessions will be returned to you", and an object fell onto the séance table. It was a Tibetan prayer wheel inscribed with "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG" (see Translation below)
After the war ended other Tibetan objects mysteriously came into Crowthers possession, and included: a butter lamp, a trumpet made from a human thighbone, a drum made of a human skull and a small rattle hand-drum. An expert explained to Crowther that the "Zi-jed-pa" (The Mild Doer), a homeless medicant class of Yogi regarded as saints, used such items in their rituals. They believed they would attain Nirvana after death and not have to be reborn again. If that was so, why then had he been reincarnated, Crowther asked? The expert explained that if he, as the monk, had killed someone, then he would have to be reincarnated to balance the karma. Later at an exhibition of Tibetan curios in London, Crowther discovered that a Colonel "Younghusband" had led a military attack against Tibet in 1904. During the attack "Younghusband" had killed another soldier, before he himself was killed??
Crowther returned to the public stage after the war and continued touring around the UK and Europe with his cabaret act. During his travels he met and made the acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, and later on the 1st May 1947 introduced him to his friend Gerald Gardner. An entry in Crowther’s dairy for that date reads: "Dr. G.B.Gardner Ph.D. Singapore and Aleister Crowley Prof, a magician, came to tea…"
In 1958 while travelling to perform on the Isle of White, Crowther met a lady "with fair hair", Patricia Dawson. She was performing in the same cabaret show as he, and they soon discovered a mutual interest in witchcraft. Crowther offered to introduce her to his friend Gardner. Over the following two years and after regular meeting with him, Gardner initiated Patricia on the 6th June 1960 at his home in Castletown, Isle of Man. Patricia in turn initiated Crowther, and the prediction Gardner had made to Crowther many years earlier, came true.
Later that same year on the 8th November 1960, Arnold Crowther and Patricia Dawson where married in a private handfasting ceremony, officiated by Gerald Gardner. The following day on the 9th November they married again in a civil ceremony, which due to his celebrity as a stage performer, attracted the attention of the media and was heavily publicized. The Crowthers settled in Sheffield and used the media publicity to enlighten others, and dispel and correct much of the misinformation then being printed in the press. Through their home base coven, many new covens hived off and spread throughout the country.
Arnold Crowther passed into the next world on the 1st May 1974. "Or did he"? If from his past life as "Colonel Younghusband", he revisited as "Arnold Crowther", has not his karma been corrected? One wonders if he has finally achieved Nirvana?
In addition to his collaborated works with his wife Patricia, Crowther’s other published credits include: "Let’s Put On A Show" (1964), a book of "how-to-do" magic, illustrated by himself. "Linda and the Lollipop Man" (1973), a road safety book for children, and "Hex Certificate" (Late 1970’s), a collection of cartoons he drew on witchcraft themes. His autobiography "Hand in Glove", has not been published, but was serialized on BBC Radio in Bristol, Sheffield, Medway and Leeds between 1975 and 1977.
Translation of "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG":
Many thanks to "Moon Witch" an informative e-mail friend for her translation and detailed explanation of this inscription:
Literal translation "Hail to jewel in the lotus", this was a mantra, chant or prayer written in Sanskrit.
"Buddha Amitabha instructed, "If you want to relieve the suffering of the six realms, you must propagate the Six-Syllable Mantra "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG" which will stop the rebirth and sufferings of the beings of the six realms. Each of the syllables will eliminate the cause and condition to be reborn in one of the respective six realms. "OM" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the gods’ realm. "MA" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the demi-gods realm. "NI" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the human realm. "PAD" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the animal realm; "ME" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the hungry ghost realm. "HUNG" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the hell realm. You must engage, keep, recite and absorb this mantra to empty the six realms."
The merits of the Six-Syllable Mantra are immeasurable and cannot be fully described even by the Buddha's of the three times. Some of these benefits are: Whoever keeps this mantra, his body will transform into the vajra body, his bones will transform into the relics of the Buddha and his ordinary mind will transform into the wisdom of the Buddha's. Whoever recites the mantra for even one time will obtain immeasurable wisdom. He will eventually develop compassion and perfect the six paramitas. He will be born as a universal monarch. He will achieve the irreversible stage of the Bodhisattva and finally attain Enlightenment."
End.
Book Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Witches &Witchcraft - by Rosemary Ellen Guiley.
Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft - By Raven Grimassi
Websites Sources:
www.themystica.com/themystica.html (http://www.themystica.com/themystica.html)
www.spiraltree.demon.co.uk/index.htm (http://www.spiraltree.demon.co.uk/index.htm)
www.mystical-www.co.uk (http://www.mystical-www.co.uk)
First published on the 04th May 2001, 21:12:38 © George Knowles
All for now, have a nice day.
Best Wishes.
Merry we part.
George Knowles (Man in Black).
E-mail - George@controverscial.com
Website - http://www.controverscial.com
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed.
Merry we meet.
Arnold Crowther (1909-1974) - Written and compiled by George Knowles.
Arnold Crowther was a skilled stage magician and ventriloquist with interests in the Occult, Buddhism, Paganism and Witchcraft. He co-authored with his wife Patricia, two books: The Witches Speak (1965) and The Secrets of Ancient Witchcraft (1974), and together produced the first radio series in the UK on witchcraft called: A Spell of Witchcraft, which debuted on the 06th January 1971 for B.B.C. Radio Sheffield. The Crowthers also wrote numerous articles for a variety of magazines and national Newspapers. A personal friend of Gerald B Gardner, through his connections with London’s celebrities, Crowther was influential in introducing Gardner to Aleister Crowley.
Born in Chatham, Kent, on the 6th October 1909, Crowther was one side of twin brothers. His mother was Scottish and his father was an optician from Yorkshire. From an early age Crowther was fascinated with sleight-of-hand magic, ventriloquism and puppeteering, and from the age of eight he was practicing tricks and perfecting his technique in the secrecy of his bedroom. By the time he was twenty he had progressed sufficiently to perform professionally, working a magic act in cabaret, touring the UK and overseas in Europe.
His career peaked in 1938-39 when he was invited to entertain the two Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Buckingham Palace. This led him to numerous other similar engagements entertaining the landed gentry of England, and also into contact with many of the days leading occultists and magicians. At this time Crowther was a Freemason with an interest in the occult and Buddhism, his interest in witchcraft didn’t begin until very much later in 1960.
Crowther was a founder and President of the UK Puppet Guild, and as a master puppeteer made over 500 puppets during his career, mainly for use in his ventriloquism act. He also collected unusual puppets, curios and other oddities. Such was his collection; he was a regular guest speaker at his Masons Hall, and often gave fascinating lectures on curios from around the world to other interested societies.
Before the start of World War II, Crowther met Gerald Gardner and his wife Donna after they had been to view one of his lectures on curios. He and Gardner soon became good friends, sharing many similar interests. Crowther became a frequent visitor at the Gardner’s London flat, from there they would venture out together and browse the many antique stalls at the nearby Caledonian Market. Rubbing shoulders with Gardner, Crowther soon became interested in witchcraft, however Gardner’s coven was still wary of adverse publicity. They felt that Crowther might indiscreetly use craft information in his cabaret act, and refused to accept him. Gardner later predicted that "a very special person with fair hair" would initiate him when the time was right.
During the war years Crowther joined the UK’s Armed Forces Entertainment’s Corps, and entertained troops all over Europe with a show called "Black Magic", the show also included an African Basuto choir. Crowther would perform where and whenever he was required, like on the 10th November 1943 while en-route from Tripoli to Malta, he entertained troops aboard a DC 3 airplane flying at 4,000 feet.
For a time during the war Crowther was stationed in Paris, and there he first learned about his past life as a Tibetan beggar monk. He and an officer went to visit a palmist called "Madame Brux", who invited them to a séance. After introductions the medium went into a trance and began to communicate with a masculine spirit. Through her the spirit claimed to have been Crowthers teacher in a previous life, and was his guide in this present one. He also reported that Crowther had been a student in a Tibetan lamasery and mentioned the name "Younghusband" who had been killed in a battle. Still in trance the medium said: "Your possessions will be returned to you", and an object fell onto the séance table. It was a Tibetan prayer wheel inscribed with "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG" (see Translation below)
After the war ended other Tibetan objects mysteriously came into Crowthers possession, and included: a butter lamp, a trumpet made from a human thighbone, a drum made of a human skull and a small rattle hand-drum. An expert explained to Crowther that the "Zi-jed-pa" (The Mild Doer), a homeless medicant class of Yogi regarded as saints, used such items in their rituals. They believed they would attain Nirvana after death and not have to be reborn again. If that was so, why then had he been reincarnated, Crowther asked? The expert explained that if he, as the monk, had killed someone, then he would have to be reincarnated to balance the karma. Later at an exhibition of Tibetan curios in London, Crowther discovered that a Colonel "Younghusband" had led a military attack against Tibet in 1904. During the attack "Younghusband" had killed another soldier, before he himself was killed??
Crowther returned to the public stage after the war and continued touring around the UK and Europe with his cabaret act. During his travels he met and made the acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, and later on the 1st May 1947 introduced him to his friend Gerald Gardner. An entry in Crowther’s dairy for that date reads: "Dr. G.B.Gardner Ph.D. Singapore and Aleister Crowley Prof, a magician, came to tea…"
In 1958 while travelling to perform on the Isle of White, Crowther met a lady "with fair hair", Patricia Dawson. She was performing in the same cabaret show as he, and they soon discovered a mutual interest in witchcraft. Crowther offered to introduce her to his friend Gardner. Over the following two years and after regular meeting with him, Gardner initiated Patricia on the 6th June 1960 at his home in Castletown, Isle of Man. Patricia in turn initiated Crowther, and the prediction Gardner had made to Crowther many years earlier, came true.
Later that same year on the 8th November 1960, Arnold Crowther and Patricia Dawson where married in a private handfasting ceremony, officiated by Gerald Gardner. The following day on the 9th November they married again in a civil ceremony, which due to his celebrity as a stage performer, attracted the attention of the media and was heavily publicized. The Crowthers settled in Sheffield and used the media publicity to enlighten others, and dispel and correct much of the misinformation then being printed in the press. Through their home base coven, many new covens hived off and spread throughout the country.
Arnold Crowther passed into the next world on the 1st May 1974. "Or did he"? If from his past life as "Colonel Younghusband", he revisited as "Arnold Crowther", has not his karma been corrected? One wonders if he has finally achieved Nirvana?
In addition to his collaborated works with his wife Patricia, Crowther’s other published credits include: "Let’s Put On A Show" (1964), a book of "how-to-do" magic, illustrated by himself. "Linda and the Lollipop Man" (1973), a road safety book for children, and "Hex Certificate" (Late 1970’s), a collection of cartoons he drew on witchcraft themes. His autobiography "Hand in Glove", has not been published, but was serialized on BBC Radio in Bristol, Sheffield, Medway and Leeds between 1975 and 1977.
Translation of "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG":
Many thanks to "Moon Witch" an informative e-mail friend for her translation and detailed explanation of this inscription:
Literal translation "Hail to jewel in the lotus", this was a mantra, chant or prayer written in Sanskrit.
"Buddha Amitabha instructed, "If you want to relieve the suffering of the six realms, you must propagate the Six-Syllable Mantra "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG" which will stop the rebirth and sufferings of the beings of the six realms. Each of the syllables will eliminate the cause and condition to be reborn in one of the respective six realms. "OM" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the gods’ realm. "MA" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the demi-gods realm. "NI" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the human realm. "PAD" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the animal realm; "ME" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the hungry ghost realm. "HUNG" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the hell realm. You must engage, keep, recite and absorb this mantra to empty the six realms."
The merits of the Six-Syllable Mantra are immeasurable and cannot be fully described even by the Buddha's of the three times. Some of these benefits are: Whoever keeps this mantra, his body will transform into the vajra body, his bones will transform into the relics of the Buddha and his ordinary mind will transform into the wisdom of the Buddha's. Whoever recites the mantra for even one time will obtain immeasurable wisdom. He will eventually develop compassion and perfect the six paramitas. He will be born as a universal monarch. He will achieve the irreversible stage of the Bodhisattva and finally attain Enlightenment."
End.
Book Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Witches &Witchcraft - by Rosemary Ellen Guiley.
Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft - By Raven Grimassi
Websites Sources:
www.themystica.com/themystica.html (http://www.themystica.com/themystica.html)
www.spiraltree.demon.co.uk/index.htm (http://www.spiraltree.demon.co.uk/index.htm)
www.mystical-www.co.uk (http://www.mystical-www.co.uk)
First published on the 04th May 2001, 21:12:38 © George Knowles
All for now, have a nice day.
Best Wishes.
Merry we part.
George Knowles (Man in Black).
E-mail - George@controverscial.com
Website - http://www.controverscial.com
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed.