Fairy Investigation Society
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The Fairy Investigation Society was founded in Britain[1] in 1927 by a Sir Quentin Craufurd, MBE, to collect information on fairy sightings. In 1983, a headquarters for the society was located in Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland.[2]
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[edit] History
During its prime, the society organized meetings, lectures, and discussions for collecting evidence of fairy life. With the outbreak of World War II, however, members were dispersed and the society's records were largely lost or destroyed during the conflict. The society then became inactive for a while.
In 1955, with a new and energetic secretary, the society was revived and began to issue a regular newsletter. The newsletter had a listing of reports from members or other individuals. The society also sent out brochures[3] to recruit new members.
[edit] Famous members
During the late 1950s, there were at least fifty members, including famous people such as author Alasdair Alpin MacGregor, Ithell Colquhoun,[4] Leslie Alan Shepard,[5] Hugh Dowding, Walter Starkie (of gypsy lore fame), and animator Walt Disney.
[edit] Inactivity
As the society grew and became more well-known, newspaper articles ridiculing the sightings and study of fairies appeared. They claimed fairies were only a superstition of past centuries. The society once again became inactive.
As late as 1990, a society of the same name is rumored to be active.[6]
[edit] Weblinks
- Fairy Investigation Society Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog Nov. 14, 2011
[edit] References
- ^ Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (2003). The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries. Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2579-7. http://books.google.com/?id=WfZu7lwy5msC&pg=PR14&lpg=PR14&dq=%22Fairy+Investigation+Society%22. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ Address for the Society in Ireland. WSFA. 1981. http://www.wsfa.org/journal/j81/9/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ Fulghum, Robert (1995). Maybe (maybe not). Random House. ISBN 0804111154. http://books.google.com/?id=HL5QX-IzeooC&pg=PA91&dq=Fairy+Investigation+society. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ "Magical Societies". Ithell Colquhoun. http://www.ithellcolquhoun.co.uk/1760/. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ Russell, Ian (2006-01-01). "Leslie Alan Shepard (1917-2004): Page 5". Folk Music Journal. http://www.articlearchives.com/humanities-social-science/folklore/240300-1.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ "FIS Active". Encyclopedia.com. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-fairy.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
