The keynote this morning is from Dr Merrick Burrow (University of Huddersfield) with The Cottingly Fairies: Conan Doyle's War on Materialism
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The exhibition of the C.Fairies had to be delayed due to the C word, but a reduced online version is coming soon, and the museum is hoping to be open in May and extend the exhibition to 2022, so book a trip to Leeds!
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Print, publications and newspaper clippings are part of the exhibition, correspondence, as well as the original glass prints of the five photographs. Probably the biggest accidental hoax of the 20th century
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Spiritualism was popular as a way to deal with the war dead, the belief that the dead could cross over yet be communicated with. Conan Doyle had interest in Spiritualism, and believed the C.Fairies could be a bridge in legitimising the ideas behind Spiritualism
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Conan Doyle did not see any motive for the girls to fake the photos, which were sophisticated in their execution. Attempts to recreate in modern times without digital aid are extremely difficult, so Elsie's art skills are formidible!
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Frances was looking at her cousin, rather than the camera lens or the fairies, but this lends to the idea that fairies do not like to be looked at directly. It is Mona Lisa like in expression. The fact that they were two working class girls added to C.D's foolery
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His confident belief in the paranormal perhaps aided his being duped by the photographs (he had publicly converted to Spiritualism and had published work on the subject)
Letters between C.D and Edward Clodd show rivalry on opposite opinions regrding the afterlife
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CD's reputation from his detective stories was damaged after it was revealed that the C.Fairies were a hoax, as well as the fact he could not be swayed from Spritualism.
Public debate between CD & Joseph McCabe (both lapsed catholics), CD felt he came out on top
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The girls refused to admit their photos were fake until a while later. C.D's interest in the photos were initially for an article for The Strand. CD was also due to travel to Australia to deliver lectures about Spiritualism
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People surrounding C.D were concerned that his beliefs to the legitimacy of the C.Fairies would also damage their own reputations, yet C.D ignorned their concerns
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He published the first two photographs, and described it as an 'epoch making event' in The Strand, and then intended to publish a second two as a measure of defence against materialism and his detractors
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The fairy photo controversy can also be seen as important with relation to the national grief of the time, which is something the Leeds exhibition note that is still a pervasive concern
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Link for some more information!
#OGOMCon2021 #GothicFairies https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2020/december/cottingley-fairies-hoax-centenary-exhibition/

@pietersender