Presenting... Victorian Spiritualism

Victorian spiritualism was a popular, yet controversial, movement from the mid-19th century that claimed spirits existed and that the living could communicate with them. This display draws together archive material that illustrates popular spiritualist practices of the time, including mesmerism, table turning and ‘spirit writing’.

Fervent believers, dabblers and sceptics abounded across classes and professions. Séances were especially fashionable, with attendants including scientists, writers, artists and even royalty, such as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Spiritualism was debated among academic and religious circles. The supernatural was deemed appropriate for scientific enquiry by some, especially to determine whether certain phenomena were governed by ‘natural’ or ‘supernatural’ laws. Some scientists, including Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), hoped that science would explain the source and workings of such apparently supernatural phenomena.

The archive material here is related to three Victorian naturalists: Wallace, a biologist and spiritualist best known for developing the idea of evolution by natural selection independently of Charles Darwin; Mary Buckland (nee Morland, 1797–1857), a palaeontologist, marine biologist, and artist; and Ernest Westlake (1855–1922), an amateur geologist and early member of the Society for Psychical Research who participated in investigations of the supernatural.

 

Image of small exhibition case containing archival letters and drawings
Archival letter on display in glass case with accompanying label

 

 

 

Map showing that the presenting case is just to the left, next to the help desk, as you enter the Oxford Natural History Museum through the main door.

You can find the Presenting Case next to the Welcome Desk; just to the left as you enter the Museum through the main entrance.