William Wortley Baggally (1848 – 14 March 1928), most well known as W. W. Baggally, was a British

psychical researcher Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic phenomena (extrasensory perception, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis (also called telekinesis), and psychometry) and other paranormal claims, for example, those related to near ...

who investigated spiritualist mediums.

Career

Baggally joined 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 condu ...

(SPR) in 1896 in the hope of finding evidence for

life after death The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving ess ...

. Baggally was an amateur conjuror and had studied the trick methods of mediums. In 1908, the SPR appointed a committee of three to examine the medium

Eusapia Palladino Eusapia Palladino (alternative spelling: ''Paladino''; 21 January 1854 – 16 May 1918) was an Italian people, Italian Spiritualism, Spiritualist physical Mediumship, medium. She claimed extraordinary powers such as the ability to Levitation, ...

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. The committee consisted of Baggally, Hereward Carrington and Everard Feilding. Frank Podmore (1910)
''The Newer Spiritualism''
Henry Holt and Company. pp. 114–44. Although the investigators caught Palladino cheating during the

séance A séance or seance (; ) is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word ''séance'' comes from the French word for "session", from the Old French ''seoir'', "to sit". In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, spea ...

s, they were convinced Palladino had produced genuine

paranormal Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. No ...

phenomena such as levitations of the table, movement of the curtains, movement of objects from behind the curtain and touches from hands. In 1909, all three investigators wrote a report on the medium in the ''Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research''. Baggally was favourable of Palladino having attended séances before the 1908 investigation in Naples. According to the spiritualist Arthur Conan Doyle "Mr. W. W. Baggally, a member of the Council, had been investigating psychic phenomena for more than thirty-five years, and during that time—with the exception, perhaps, of a few incidents at a séance with Eusapia a few years before—had never witnessed a single genuine physical phenomenon." Frank Podmore in his book ''The Newer Spiritualism'' (1910) wrote a comprehensive critique of their report. Podmore said that the report provided insufficient information for crucial moments and the investigators representation of the witness accounts contained contradictions and inconsistencies as to who was holding Palladino's feet and hands. Podmore found accounts among the investigators conflicted as to who they claimed to have observed the incident. Podmore wrote that the report "at almost every point leaves obvious loopholes for trickery." The psychologist

C. E. M. Hansel Charles Edward Mark Hansel (12 October 1917 – 28 March 2011) was a British psychologist most notable for his criticism of parapsychological studies. Early life and education Hansel was born in 1917 in Bedford, England and attended Bedford ...

criticized the report based on the conditions of the séances being susceptible to trickery. Hansel noted that they were performed in semi-dark conditions, held in the late night or early morning introducing the possibility of

fatigue Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

and the "investigators had a strong belief in the supernatural, hence they would be emotionally involved." Hansel, C. E. M. (1980). ''ESP and Parapsychology: A Critical Re-Evaluation''. Prometheus Books. pp. 60–61. . In June 1912, Baggally attended a séance with the medium Etta Wriedt and was impressed by her direct-voice mediumship. During the same year, Wriedt was exposed as a fraud by

Kristian Birkeland Kristian Olaf Bernhard Birkeland (13 December 1867 – 15 June 1917) was a Norwegian scientist. He is best remembered for his theories of atmospheric electric currents that elucidated the nature of the aurora borealis. In order to fund his rese ...

. After interviewing witnesses, Baggally endorsed the alleged '

haunting The list of reportedly haunted locations throughout the world, that are locations said to be haunted by ghosts or other supernatural beings, including demons. Reports of haunted locations are part of ghostlore, which is a form of folklore. Ar ...

' phenomena that occurred at the home of Rev. Charles Lakeman Tweedale. However, Daniel Cohen noted a problem with the case, stating that Baggally "didn't see either the phantom aunt or her phantom dog. As with most investigations of hauntings, you either believe the witnesses or you don't, for there is no other evidence."

Reception

Baggally has been highly praised by

parapsychologists Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic phenomena (extrasensory perception, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis (also called telekinesis), and psychometry) and other paranormal claims, for example, those related to near- ...

but has drawn criticism from

skeptics Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...

for his unscientific investigation of the medium

. Rawcliffe, D. H. (1987). ''Occult and Supernatural Phenomena''. Dover Publications. pp. 328–330. . According to the magician

Harry Houdini Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...

, Baggally was a believer in

telepathy Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...

who had endorsed the mentalists Julius and Agnes Zancig as genuine telepaths, when they were actually "clever, silent and signal codists." Psychical researcher Eric Dingwall wrote that before attending séances with Palladino in 1908, Baggally "had studied trick methods, performed them himself" and was "almost totally sceptical as to the reality of any supernormal physical phenomena whatsoever." Dingwall, Eric (1962). ''Very Peculiar People''. University Books. p. 201. However, others have noted Baggally was already believer in the paranormal. Psychologist D. H. Rawcliffe has heavily criticized the Feilding-Baggally-Carrington report on Palladino, describing it as unscientific. According to Rawcliffe the medium directed the conditions of the investigation throughout and there was faulty control of her hands and feet.

Publications

*W. W. Baggally (1909)
''Sittings With Carancini''
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 14: 193–211. *W. W. Baggally, Hereward Carrington, Everard Feilding (1909). ''Report on a Series of Sittings with Eusapia Palladino''. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 23: 309–569. *W. W. Baggally (1912)
''Report on Sittings with Charles Bailey, the Australian Apport Medium''
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 15: 194–208. *W. W. Baggally (1912)
''Dowsing Experiments with Mr. J. E.''
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 15: 243–249. *W. W. Baggally (1920)
''Telepathy, Genuine and Fraudulent''
(With a preface by

Oliver Lodge Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, (12 June 1851 – 22 August 1940) was a British physicist and writer involved in the development of, and holder of key patents for, radio. He identified electromagnetic radiation independent of Hertz's proof and at his ...

). London: Methuen & Co. *W. W. Baggally (1920)
''The Analogy Observed Between the Form of Certain Lines on Glass Plates''
In Frank A. Hotblack. ''"A New Activity?": A Treatise on Mrs. Dickinson's Discovery of a "New Radio-Activity"''. Jarrolds.

Career

Reception

Publications

References

Further reading