Hi all and welcome to the April newsletter.
April sees a number of publications for which you can read articles by myself and other featured writers.
These include Volume VI of The Feminine Macabre which features my essay ‘Supernatural Shadows In The Courtroom. This is available now via Amazon.
The Feminine Macabre Volume VI
Available from April 12th is Issue 9 of Morbid Curious where you can read my article about haunted playgrounds. It is available via American Hauntings Inc now to pre-order and will soon be available via Amazon.
Finally, I am pleased to announce I will also feature in Issue 7 of Unknowing. It is currently available via pre-order on Etsy link here and will be available from Blurb from April 22nd. Unknowing is a paranormal and dark history zine uncovering the hidden stories of Australia.
Recent podcasts
Exploring The Mysteries Of Near Death And Beyond With Tony Hayes
Consciousness After Death: Telephone Calls From The Dead With Dr Callum Cooper
Tumultuous Spirits: Mike Strange's Journey through Poltergeist Intrusions
Shadows of the Past: Exploring Craig Y Nos Castle's Ghostly Whispers
Spectral Encounters: Sam Baltrusis' Investigations into the Unknown
Over on Patreon for the month of April you can enjoy the following podcasts:
Jane Pierce And Spiritualism
Off With Their Heads
The Little Ghost Boy
Tales Of A Haunted U-Boat
April also includes daily posts about a range of notable mediums from around the world, their work and investigations surrounding them.
For as a little as £1 you can enjoy additional materials and know your support is going directly to supporting the back end costs of the podcast which help me to do what I do and the hours of work involved with the podcast.
Signing up unlocks past content available on the different tiers as well as future content. Examples of previous content for the month of March include the following podcasts as well as daily posts about notable psychical researchers and their work.
The Changeling: The Faerie Wife
The Haunting Account Of Elizabeth Reed
You can find the podcast patreon page below to access more than 1000 posts and ever growing content…
Haunted History Chronicles Patreon Page
Other Links
If you are looking for some gifts for yourself or for others then you wish to take a look at the merchandise available via the link below.
New designs will be added on an ongoing basis. I hope you find something that can be added to your spooky collection and again know that you are supporting the podcast with all the costs of doing what I do.
And if you fancy supporting the podcast you can do so now via sending me a virtual coffee at Ko-Fi
Gustave Geley: Exploring Mediums and Ectoplasmic Phenomena
Gustave Geley, a prominent French investigator renowned for his exploration of mediums and his fascination with the enigmatic phenomenon of 'ectoplasm', is commemorated for his contentious endeavours to furnish concrete evidence, exemplified by his creation of plaster moulds depicting ectoplasmic limbs.
Born in Montceau-les-Mines, Gustave Geley distinguished himself in medical studies in Lyon before establishing a successful medical practice in Annecy until 1918, earning a commendable reputation. His early intrigue with psi research eventually led him to depart from medicine and devote himself entirely to its pursuit, assuming a pivotal role both experimentally and institutionally within this burgeoning domain.
Having been a member of Geneva’s Society for Psychical Studies since 1895, Geley bore witness to a plethora of phenomena ranging from clairvoyance to trance and premonition. These experiences found expression in his inaugural publication in 1897, "Essai de Revue Générale et d'Interprétation Synthétique du Spiritisme," a comprehensive overview of spiritism authored under the pseudonym E Gyel. Subsequently, he delved deeper into the intricacies of the psyche, offering a model of the subconscious in "L'Être Subconscient" (1899) before presenting his own views on Darwinism in "Les Preuves du Transformisme et Les Enseignements de la Doctrine Évolutionniste" (1901).
Geley's philosophical underpinnings were profoundly influenced by Kardecian or Spiritism (a reincarnationist and spiritualist doctrine established in France in the mid-19th century by writer and educator Alllan Kardec), interwoven with the insights of Swiss psychologist Théodore Flournoy, an attendee of Geneva Society meetings who briefly assumed its presidency. This amalgamation birthed a nuanced form of spiritism grounded in a discerning critique of contemporary psychology.
Inaugurated in 1900, the Institut Général Psychologique aspired to integrate psi research into mainstream science, albeit facing early setbacks as funds earmarked for psi research were redirected toward conventional psychology. Geley advocated for the establishment of a dedicated society for psi research, a vision realised over a decade later with the founding of the private Institut Métapsychique International (IMI).
Geley's intellectual odyssey continued in relative isolation until 1912 when he published "Monisme Idéaliste et Palingénésie," articulating a vitalist perspective on evolution informed by observations of psychical phenomena.
His writings captured the attention of Rocco Santoliquido, a prominent Italian hygienist and politician, leading to a professional alliance catalysed by Italy's alignment with the Allies during World War I. Geley's relocation to Paris saw him collaborate with Juliette Bisson in studying the physical manifestations of medium Marthe Béraud and establish a laboratory for psi phenomena research alongside Jean Meyer.
A seminal moment occurred in 1918 when Geley delivered a lecture at the Collège de France on "La Physiologie Dite Supranormale et les Phénomènes de Idéoplastie," drawing from his extensive observations of Marthe Béraud's séances to elucidate materialisation phenomena.
His magnum opus, "De L'Inconscient au Conscient," published in 1919, proposed a theoretical framework supporting ectoplasmic materialisation and coincided with the establishment of IMI, dedicated to rigorous experimentation with mediums.
Geley's delineation of ectoplasm as a multifaceted process, coupled with his theories on psycho-genetics and the role of the subliminal Self, elicited both admiration and criticism. While some lauded his synthesis, others, like René Sudre, questioned the empirical rigour of his approach.
At IMI, Geley collaborated extensively with Polish psychics, conducting experiments that produced ectoplasmic limb moulds under controlled conditions. Despite his efforts to vindicate psi phenomena, scepticism persisted, culminating in a damning assessment by a committee of scientists convened at the Sorbonne.
Undeterred, Geley intensified his quest for irrefutable evidence, travelling abroad to investigate mediums' claims. Tragically, his pursuit was cut short by a fatal plane crash in 1924 as he returned from Warsaw with new ectoplasmic moulds. The circumstances surrounding his demise underscored the complexities and controversies that pervaded his life's work, leaving behind a legacy marked by relentless inquiry and untimely demise.
To discover more parapsychology researchers and mediums then make sure to follow the Haunted History Chronicles Patreon Page.
See you next month!
Let me know in the comments guests, locations, topics you would like me to try and cover.