Estelle Roberts (10 May 1889 – 30 May 1970) was a British Spiritualist

medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane *Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...

Life and career

Roberts is regarded by the British Spiritualist Movement as one of its finest exponents of mediumship in the 20th Century but sceptics have not been convinced by her alleged powers. She claimed both physical and mental mediumship, and the teachings of her guide, a Native American Indian, known as Red Cloud, have been published. She toured the United Kingdom giving mediumship demonstrations for money. On 13 July 1930 thousands of people attended the Royal Albert Hall for Arthur Conan Doyle's memorial service. During the service Roberts gave a mediumship demonstration to the audience and claimed to witnessed Doyle's spirit in a chair. She wrote the book ''Forty Years a Medium'' (1959). The book was described in a

review A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indi ...

by journalist Tom Greenwell as non-scientific and was questioned how anyone apart from the author could take it seriously. The

spirit guide A spirit guide, in Western spiritualism, is an entity that remains as a discarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated human being. Description In traditional African belief systems, well before the spread of Christ ...

of Roberts known as Red Cloud made false predictions. He predicted that

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

was not going to break out and that there was going to be peace. Roberts refused for her mediumship to be tested or observed by any scientist or psychical researcher. The

Society for Psychical Research The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) is a nonprofit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal. It describes itself as the "first society to co ...

offered to test her abilities but she declined to be tested. Roberts claimed to materialise an Indian

called "Red Cloud". Researcher Melvin Harris who examined some photographs of Red Cloud suggested that the face was the same as Roberts and she had dressed up in a feathered

war bonnet A modern-day dog soldier wearing a feathered headdress during a pow wow">Dog_Soldiers.html" ;"title="Cheyenne Dog Soldiers">dog soldier wearing a feathered headdress during a pow wow at the Indian Summer festival in Henry Maier Festival Park, M ...

.Harris, Melvin. (2003). ''Investigating the Unexplained: Psychic Detectives, the Amityville Horror-mongers, Jack the Ripper, and Other Mysteries of the Paranormal''. Prometheus Books. p. 21.

Publications

*''Red Cloud Speaks'' (1938) *''Forty Years a Medium'' (1959) *''Fifty Years a Medium'' (1972) *''Red Cloud's Inner Teachings'' (2021)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Estelle 1889 births 1970 deaths English psychics English spiritual mediums People from Kensington