The Society for the Study of Supernormal Pictures (SSSP) was a short-lived psychical organization that formed in 1918 to investigate claims of spirit photography. It was established as a rival to the Society for Psychical Research.[1][2]
Abraham Wallace. Credit: Wellcome LibraryArthur Conan Doyle was a notable member of the SSSP.
The first President of the SSSP was physician Abraham Wallace. Henry Blackwell, Arthur Conan Doyle and W. G. Mitchell were Vice-Presidents.[3][4]
According to photographer Martyn Jolly, "The SPR successfully exposed as frauds several spirit photographers supported by the SSSP."[5] One of these was the photographer William Hope.[4]
Members of the SSSP such as Arthur Conan Doyle and honorary secretary Fred Barlow stated that the photographs of the Cottingley Fairies were genuine.[6] In May, 1920 the organization reported that they had obtained evidence for paranormally produced photographs under test conditions. This opinion was rejected by other psychical researchers and in 1923 the organization dissolved.[3]
Barlow was originally supportive of spirit photography but later reversed his opinion. In 1933 he co-authored a paper in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research that cast doubt on the subject and demonstrated fraudulent methods that William Hope and other photographers had utilized.[7]
Barlow's collection of spirit photographs was given to Eric Dingwall who annotated them for the British Library. In 1960, he commented that the collection was evidence of "human stupidity, credulity and superstition".[8]
^Alexander, Marc. (2002). A Companion to the Folklore, Myths & Customs of Britain. Sutton. p. 56. ISBN978-0750923590
^Edmunds, Simeon. (1966). Spiritualism: A Critical Survey. Aquarian Press. p. 116. ISBN978-0850300130
^Jolly, Martyn. (2006). Faces of the Living Dead: The Belief in Spirit Photography. Miegunyah Press. p. 8. ISBN978-0977282739
Further readingEdit
Fred Barlow; W. Rampling-Rose. (1933). Report of an Investigation into Spirit Photography. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 41: 121-138.
Martyn Jolly. (2006). Faces of the Living Dead: The Belief in Spirit Photography. Miegunyah Press. ISBN978-0977282739
October 24, 2023
society, study, supernormal, pictures, sssp, short, lived, psychical, organization, that, formed, 1918, investigate, claims, spirit, photography, established, rival, society, psychical, research, abraham, wallace, credit, wellcome, libraryarthur, conan, doyle,. The Society for the Study of Supernormal Pictures SSSP was a short lived psychical organization that formed in 1918 to investigate claims of spirit photography It was established as a rival to the Society for Psychical Research 1 2 Abraham Wallace Credit Wellcome LibraryArthur Conan Doyle was a notable member of the SSSP Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further readingHistory EditThe first President of the SSSP was physician Abraham Wallace Henry Blackwell Arthur Conan Doyle and W G Mitchell were Vice Presidents 3 4 According to photographer Martyn Jolly The SPR successfully exposed as frauds several spirit photographers supported by the SSSP 5 One of these was the photographer William Hope 4 Members of the SSSP such as Arthur Conan Doyle and honorary secretary Fred Barlow stated that the photographs of the Cottingley Fairies were genuine 6 In May 1920 the organization reported that they had obtained evidence for paranormally produced photographs under test conditions This opinion was rejected by other psychical researchers and in 1923 the organization dissolved 3 Barlow was originally supportive of spirit photography but later reversed his opinion In 1933 he co authored a paper in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research that cast doubt on the subject and demonstrated fraudulent methods that William Hope and other photographers had utilized 7 Barlow s collection of spirit photographs was given to Eric Dingwall who annotated them for the British Library In 1960 he commented that the collection was evidence of human stupidity credulity and superstition 8 See also EditAbstract photography Spirit photographyReferences Edit Cheroux Clement 2005 The Perfect Medium Photography and the Occult Yale University Press pp 72 91 Study of Supernormal Pictures The American Museum of Photography a b The Society for the Study of Supernormal Pictures Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology a b Photos of Ghosts The Burden of Believing the Unbelievable Skeptical Inquirer The Belief in Spirit Photography Faces of the Living Dead lecture Centre for Contemporary Photography Melbourne November 2002 Alexander Marc 2002 A Companion to the Folklore Myths amp Customs of Britain Sutton p 56 ISBN 978 0750923590 Edmunds Simeon 1966 Spiritualism A Critical Survey Aquarian Press p 116 ISBN 978 0850300130 Jolly Martyn 2006 Faces of the Living Dead The Belief in Spirit Photography Miegunyah Press p 8 ISBN 978 0977282739Further reading EditFred Barlow W Rampling Rose 1933 Report of an Investigation into Spirit Photography Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 41 121 138 Martyn Jolly 2006 Faces of the Living Dead The Belief in Spirit Photography Miegunyah Press ISBN 978 0977282739 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Society for the Study of Supernormal Pictures amp oldid 1126716277, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
