Calling the Spirits: An Introduction to Victorian Spiritualism

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Suitable for ages: 12+ years

Dr Kate Cherrell delivers a fascinating and enlightening talk about the history of a much misunderstood movement, including its biggest names, biggest claims, and even bigger critics.

The age of the Victorians was one of industrialisation, secularisation and scientific development. It was also the birthplace of Modern Spiritualism, a new religion and belief system that brought the heavens into living rooms and reunited the living with the dead.

As Darwin spoke of evolution and Queen Victoria bathed in grief, mediums delivered messages from the deceased, comforted the bereaved and offered proof of life beyond death. Yet beneath the comforting messages of reconciliation and immortality, was a strange subculture of curious claims and bizarre phenomena. Some mediums commanded spirits to manifest live animals from thin air, began fearsome rivalries and allowed ghosts to walk among the living. Throughout the 19th century, there are accounts of mediums levitating across cities, filling rooms with heavenly flowers, dumping eels on the heads of sitters and even sharing biscuits with spirits.

Dr Kate Cherrell is a writer and broadcaster specialising in the long 19th century and British folklore. Her academic interests include 19th century mourning traditions, the gothic, Spiritualism, periodical culture and death history. She is the author of Begotten (2025), Buried England (2026), and writes commercially on ‘dark’ history for various magazines and publishers. As a historian, she has co-hosted Haunted Homecoming, Unexplained: Caught on Camera and has provided historical expertise on The Yorkshire Exorcist, Paranormal, and Weird Britain.