Ch.7 A Real Witches' Weapon (WMB 7.b)

Extract from: Wicca: Magical Beginnings written by d’Este & Rankine, 2008 (Avalonia.) PB / Kindle @ https://amzn.to/3Ay4HJr.

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A letter from Austin Osman Spare to Kenneth Grant, dated 25 August 1954 shows the near-fanatical importance placed on magickal knives during the early development of Gerald Gardner’s witch cult. The letter made reference to one of Gardner’s friends, later identified as Diana Walden (Ameth), who claimed to be the head of the sole surviving witch-cult in Britain. The context in which she was discussed would indicate that Spare did not think much of her, nor her knowledge of witchcraft at the time of writing in 1954:

“Dr. Gardner of the Isle of Man sent along his deputy, a myopic stalky nymph…with two magickal knives that she insisted on showing me! Harmless and a little tiresome…what she was really interested in I don’t think she herself knew. She believed the Witches Sabbath was some sort of Folk dance of pretty young things…I agreed that a Maypole may have symbolism-“[1]

[1] Zos Speaks, Kenneth and Steffi Grant, 1998

Extract from: Wicca: Magical Beginnings written by d’Este & Rankine, 2008 (Avalonia.) PB / Kindle @ https://amzn.to/3Ay4HJr. Shared here with the intention to inspire and inform the now and future generations interested in Wicca and other Pagan traditions inspired by it.