I think Helen Duncan was a fraud.
I was up late last night and then in library at school today searching about for anything and everything about Helen Duncan. Mrs. Tasker, our librarian, saw me huffing and puffing to Sharon about hitting a wall about this group called the the Duncans and offered to help me. Mrs. Tasker popped online and in like two minutes found this great site called SurvivalAfterDeath.org
Bottom line.. I think Helen Duncan was an absolute fraud. She certainly wasn’t a witch. I laughed out loud when I saw the paper mache spirit guide “Peggy”. See below. Why would Gran and her friends spend so much time and effort defending someone who was quite obviously NOT a medium of any sort??? Makes me even more curious about the Duncans. Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to my new weird friends from the United States! 
The physical medium Helen Duncan is seen materialising ‘Peggy’ in a séance conducted in her own home. The photograph appears to show ‘Peggy’ to be a creature of paper-mâché and cheesecloth.
Source: Text and image from “The Unexplained”, No., 49.
Helen Duncan was investigated by Harry Price at his National Laboratory of Psychical Research in London. Price and his team concluded that she produced her effects by swallowing and regurgitating materials such as cheesecloth.
Source: Text and images from “The Unexplained”, No., 49.
November 22nd, 2007 at 9:41 am
Oh, dear, that’s disappointing.
One one note, frauds sure do ruin any credibility a possibly real medium would have. The ones who aren’t flashy and stuff.
On another note, there’s two possibilities about your Gran’s involvement in defending her. Either she and the rest of the Duncans somehow believed Helen was real, and were easily tricked (obviously not something one would want to think), or the Duncans were just using that purpose as a cover for something else. o.0
November 22nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Cheers Kismet! That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking as well. These studies that debunk Helen Duncan were available to the public for a long time. I cannot imagine that Gran and her friends didn’t stumble upon this information. This makes me wonder what else the Duncans might have been up to behind closed doors. And I also agree that it is disappointing. I do believe there are credible psychics and mediums. Helen Duncan and her sort really taint the whole lot.
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:27 am
Hey there. First comment to your blogs ever…just wanted to say that this is a lot of interesting information you post. I’m very curious like Kismet and Suzie are to see what else you uncover. There is definately more to be discovered here.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:57 am
Uh, Suzie IS the poster, BA — just to clarify ^_^;;
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Cheers, BA! Welcome to my whatweird blog!
My Dad has put me off until Sunday for our trip to storage. Until then I’m working on my astral projection to the afterlife or afterworld or another dimension and try to connect with Gran. Nutters, right? My friend Sharon and my Mum just had a good laugh while I explained my plan to them. I’m popping off now to stretch out on my bed and begin once again. More later!
April 6th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Yes, I do think your opinion is righteous. (So do lots of people). Luckily majority of people are intelligent :).
April 9th, 2008 at 3:43 am
I saw similar post three month ago. Topicality of this post sucks. Dude, you have to keep up to date.