Cranborne Chase Pictures
Copyright Cranborne Chase Pictures 2005-2008©
FWH Myers
FWH Myers is best known for being a parapsychologist and one of the founder members of the Society for Psychical Research.
He had a Christian upbringing, being the son of a rural curate, and a classical education. (His granddaughter said, I think, that he could read Plato in the original Greek at the age of four).
But his great strengths were counterbalanced by great weaknesses. He was so unmusical that when the National Anthem was played he did not recognise the tune and did not rise to his feet.
When he was a young man he fell greatly in love with his cousin’s wife Annie Marshall, and she with him. Under the strain of this illicit love she committed suicide. Myers interest in parapsychology was only partly due to a longing to meet her again in the next life.
Before he died he left a sealed envelope, in the hands of the Society for Psychical Research containing a message he said he would attempt to communicate when he got to ‘the other side’ He died in 1901 and after his death several mediums wrote down his message that reputedly came from Myers. However, when the sealed envelope was opened none of the messages were found to correspond closely to the original .... But this potted biography is mere hearsay combined with family gossip by a great grandson.... .