Special to Times
Spiritualism lurked in the shadows of 19th-century Boston, quietly influencing the contours of the lives and thoughts of the city’s Victorian population. At first, it operated subtly, beneath the surface of mainstream consciousness, weaving through fears, hopes, and unspoken questions.
As the 19th century progressed to the 20th, World War I and the flu pandemic of 1918-1919 brought this mysterious realm into the spotlight. The devastating loss of life and the pervasive sense of grief left many people seeking solace and answers from beyond the grave. Spiritualism, with its promises of communication with the dead, offered a comforting refuge for those mourning the deaths of loved ones and grappling with widespread uncertainty igniting a debate that captivated both the general public and some of the era’s most prominent figures.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was a fervent believer in Spiritualism. He saw it as a profound and legitimate avenue to connect with the spirit world and sought to promote and defend it against skepticism. Conversely, Harry Houdini, the famous magician and escape artist, was a staunch skeptic. He dedicated much of his life to exposing fraudulent mediums and spiritualist practices, viewing them as deceptive rather than genuine spiritual experiences.
Conan Doyle and Houdini’s conflicting views and public disputes became a focal point of the broader cultural and scientific debate about Spiritualism, further intensified by Scientific American Magazine’s promotion of a contest using a series of tests that sought to investigate spiritual phenomena and evaluate the claims of spiritualists.
Enter Mina Crandon, also known as “Margery,” the wife of a prominent doctor. Mina claimed to communicate with the dead, holding séances in her Beacon Hill home that attracted significant attention due to the alleged physical phenomena, such as levitating objects and mysterious sounds.
While Conan Doyle steadfastly defended Crandon, Houdini was among her most notable detractors. His investigation into her séances was thorough and publicized, ultimately leading him to accuse her of trickery. The famed magician’s efforts were part of a broader campaign to challenge the validity of spiritualist phenomena, which he argued were elaborate deceptions rather than genuine supernatural occurrences.
If you’re wondering what it might have been like to attend one of Mina Crandon’s séances, you’re in luck! On Oct. 19, Back Bay’s Gibson House Museum, an authentic time capsule of the Victorian era, is offering an enthralling journey into the enigmatic and the unexplained. “Whispers from the Veil: A Victorian Séance Experience” will guide participants through the Gibson House and the intertwined stories of Scientific American Magazine, Houdini, Conan Doyle, and Crandon, including a reenactment of one of her spiritual sessions.
Tickets at thegibsonhouse.org, crescendoproductions.com, or Eventbrite.Top of Form Bottom of Form.