Ann Cook

Anne remembers living with her grandparents and attending the Church as a child with her grandfather Walter who was President during World Warll and her grandmother Gertrude who was a gifted Medium gave her address and clairvoyant messages on many occasions. She recalls wonderful Sunday Services in the original chapel foyer with hymns being played on a tiny organ operated by foot bellows and the smell of chrysanthemums in the air. Slim blue hymn books were used for the service.

 

Anne remembers after the War the excitement of attending the Christmas Bazaar and the occasional  Saturday evening when a Social was held and some of the members provided entertainment, music was played and refreshments served by the ladies.Tragically Walter died having sustained severe injuries during a bombing raid in Smithies Road, Abbey Wood, when their house was hit by a V1 doodlebug in 1944 and her grandmother was also badly injured and lost the site of an eye, which she overcame with great courage. When she returned to London after the War she continued with her mediumship and was regularly invited as guest Medium by several local Spiritualist Churches. Anne kept her company when they travelled on trams and buses and even as a child, once the service began, she recalls feeling quite in awe of the reaction Gertrude produced and the welcome reception she received.

 

She was usually pinpoint accurate in the messages conveyed, which she said was a gift and was very modest about what she did, saying she was just the instrument through which the messages were passed. By 1956 Ann was married and lived in South East London, around that time Gertrude was invited to speak for the last time at Harvel Crescent Church which Anne attended with her husband. By then the church had been rebuilt and extended and she remembers it looking beautiful.

 

She recalls a ticket funding scheme for people to 'buy a brick' for sixpence to enable the church extension to be built and gradually the funds rose until there was enough to build. Sadly Gertrude passed away the following year aged 79 and Ann will never forget the wonder of special times they spent together and what an amazing grandmother she was. These days we live in a different world where many 'Physics' are in it for cash they can obtain with an almost show business style of approach to provide an entertaining evening.

 

There have always been the fakes and 'charlatans' as my grandmother used to call them, who are still around and I think it is fair to say the traditional style of Spiritualist service is probably not as  popular throughout the country as they once were. In this fast paced modern age the young have no time for peace and reflection away from their busy lives laced with a heavy dose of cynicism about such possibilities, which is disappointing but it is good to know that you have ongoing success at Harvel Crescent and I wish you and your members well, comfort in support of each other and continuing good will in the future.