Researchers

 

James Hewatt McKenzie

1870-1929


          FOUNDER OF the British College of Psychic Science, began the study of psychic facts in 1900 - led to this by dissatisfaction with the failure of Science or Theology to throw any light on Man's destiny. Years of private study and investigation followed, and in 1915 he gave a series of various lectures in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In 1916 he published Spirit Intercourse, Its Theory and Practice and a pamphlet If a Soldier Die, which had a wide circulation. In 1917 he toured USA as far as Chicago in search of mediums and again in 1920, spending a good deal of time in California on the latter visit.

In 1920 the College was established, and for this venture Mr. McKenzie found the entire initial cost. In 1922 Psychic Science, the College quarterly, was started on its career. In the same year he and Mrs. Barbara McKenzie, who was associated closely in all his investigations, visited Germany, Austria and Poland and had sittings with many of the best Continental psychics.

In Warsaw they sat with the materialising medium M. Kluski, and secured plaster casts of materialised hands which are now in London, the only ones in Britain. They also brought Frau Silbert, of Graz, Austria, to the College for valuable experimental work, and a poltergeist medium, of whom valuable first hand reports were made.

Mr. McKenzie had a deep interest in physical mediumship in all its aspects and a profound knowledge of the conditions necessary for good results. On many occasions he was asked to investigate cases of haunting and of disturbances and was able to clear up annoying conditions.

He also made an intensive study of trance mediumship with Mrs. Osborne Leonard and Mrs. Eileen Garrett, and himself developed several trance mediums.

A strong courageous personality, convinced that only through psychic facts is there any proved knowledge of survival, he affirmed this by pen and voice and action continuously for the nine years in which he acted as Hon. President of the College, the first substantial house in London to become a centre for psychic demonstration and instruction.

Mrs. McKenzie, who brought a fine intellect and understanding to the study of psychic phenomena, was Hon. Sec. of the College till 1929, and then became Hon. President for one year, being succeeded by Mrs. Champion de Crespigny.

Source (with minor modifications): An Encyclopaedia of Psychic Science by Nandor Fodor (1934).

 

Some parts of this page The International Survivalist Society 2004

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