Some Important Dates

Year

 Event

1848

 Hydesville Knockings in the USA lead to the investigation of the mediumship of the Fox sisters and the birth of the Movement of Modern Spiritualism.

1849

 First public demonstration of mediumship by Margaret Fox in the Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York.

1852

 Mrs. Hayden from America becomes the first Spiritualist medium to work in Britain.

1853

 David Richmond founded the first Spiritualist Church in Britain at Keighley in Yorkshire.

1854

 Robert Owen, Socialist and co-founder of the Co-operative Movement, embraced Spiritualism after sittings with Mrs. Hayden. (After passing to the Spirit World he became the author of the Seven Principles of Spiritualism, they were then adopted by the Spiritualist’s National Union).

1855

 First Spiritualist newspaper in Britain, “The Yorkshire Spiritualist Telegraph” published at Keighley.

1863

 Andrew Jackson Davis established the first Sunday Lyceum for children in New York

1866

 First Lyceum opened in Britain at Nottingham by J. Hitchcock

1869

 Committee appointed by the Dialectical Society investigated Spiritualism. They published the most favourable report on Spiritualism up to that time by an investigating body

1871

 Sir William Crookes reported on Spiritualism to the Royal Society and published his findings in the “Quarterly Journal of Science”.

1873

 British National Association of Spiritualists founded. Renamed the London Spiritualist Alliance in 1884 and known today as the College for Psychic Sciencein London

1882

 Society for Psychical Research founded.

1887

 ‘Two Worlds’ founded as a Spiritualistic weekly newspaper by Mrs. Harding Britten. (Now a monthly magazine). British Lyceum Manual also published for the first time. The Seven Principles given by Mrs. Emma Harding Britten.

1890

 Formation of the National Spiritualists’ Federation. Spiritualists’ Lyceum Union established (Name changed to British Spiritualists’ Lyceum Union in 1894).

1893

 Foundation of National Spiritualists’ Association in America.

1901

 Foundation of Spiritualists’ National Union Ltd. as a company not for profit and limited by guarantee, taking over the assets and liabilities of the National Spiritualists’ Federation in July of that year.

1918

 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proclaims his belief in Spiritualism

1923

 Formation of the International Spiritualists’ Federation.

1924

 Hannen Swaffer proclaimed his Belief in Spiritualism.

1931

 Publication of J. Arthur Findlay’s trilogy, “On the edge of the Etheric”; “The Rock of Truth”; 1935 and “The Unfolding Universe”.

1932

 “Psychic News” founded by Arthur Findlay under the editorship of Maurice Barbanell.

1934

 First broadcast on behalf of Spiritualism through the BBC by Ernest Oaten.

1937

 Spiritualism investigated by Church of England Committee set up by Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Gordon Cosmo Lang. (Its subsequent favourable report by the church was never published and its contents only became known when released by “Psychic News” who had been mysteriously sent a copy)

1940

 Spiritualists’ National Union Ltd. achieves full government recognition and is given certificate to act as a Trust Corporation.

1944

 Helen Duncan trial in London.

1951

 Passing of the Fraudulent Mediums Act removing mediums from the twin threats of the Witchcraft Act 1735 and the Vagrancy Act 1824, and thereby enabling Spiritualists’ to openly and legally practice their religion.

1964

 Stansted Hall handed over to the Spiritualists’ National Union by Arthur Findlay.