by Don Lewis
DOROTHY CLUTTERBUCK
Dorothy Clutterbuck Fordham was born on January 19, 1880 in India. She was the daughter of Thomas St. Quentin Clutterbuck, a British military officer.
As an adult Dorothy Clutterbuck came to live in England, where she spent many years as an unmarried woman of independent means. In 1935, at the age of 55, Clutterbuck married Rupert Fordham. Fordham died in a car accident in 1939, and it was subsequently revealed that they were not actually legally married at all, which began a highly publicized fight over Fordham’s estate.
Dorothy St. Quentin Clutterbuck died on 12 January 1951.
A figure surrounded by tremendous controversy, Dorothy Clutterbuck was identified by Gerald Gardner as the High Priestess who taught and initiated him as a Witch in the 1930s. Gardner also claimed that Clutterbuck’s materials were “fragmentary” and that he had found it necessary to augment them with more Ceremonial elements –which if true suggests that her practice may have been closer to eclectic Wicca.
For many years Gardner’s detractors alleged that Dorothy Clutterbuck was in fact an entirely fictitious creation – but in the 1980s Doreen Valiente successfully proved that Clutterbuck was indeed a real person.
It has since been alleged that Clutterback could not possibly have been what Gardner claimed she was – that she was in fact a devout Christian of the most conservative sort. However she lived for years with a man to whom she was not actually married which seems an unlikely thing for a devout Christian of the most conservative sort to do. Moreover her “diaries” have been shown to contain highly Pagan themes, including overt devotional references to Classical Pagan Deities as well as to the Fairy Queen, which would seem to be the Smoking Gun.
As for Clutterbuck’s coven some have suggested that it was connected to George Pickingill, while others suggest that Clutterbuck was inspired to found it by the writings of Margaret Murray.
SCOTT CUNNINGHAM
The most popular of all Pagan authors, Scott Cunningham’s short life established a remarkable and enduring legacy in the world of Witches.
Scott Douglas Cunningham was born on June 27, 1956, in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Scott was introduced to Witchcraft by a classmate in High School, and would go on to become a member of the Serpent Stone Family, receiving his Third Degree High Priesthood through them. Later Scott would also study under Raven Grimassi.
A prolific author, Scott would write a total of twenty-two books on Witchcraft and magic –several of which were published posthumously. His book Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, is considered the definitive treatise on Solitary Witchcraft by many, and is among the most popular books on Witchcraft ever written.
In addition to his works on metaphysics, Scott also published a number of romance novels, writing under his sister’s name.
Scott Cunningham died in 1993 at the age of thirty-six from AIDS related cryptococcal meningitis.
Some of Scott Cunningham’s many books include: Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic (1983). The Truth About Witchcraft Today (1988), Living Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1988).
DR. JOHN DEE
Born in 1527 Dr. John Dee was one of the leading magicians of the Elizabethan age.
Dr. John Dee was the royal astrologer and magician to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Dr. Dee cast the horoscope for the Queen’s coronation and served her in both magical and political capacities, including espionage. Dr. Dee also taught the Virgin Queen astrology so that she could practice it directly.
Dr. Dee had been imprisoned under Mary I because of his magical practices.
In 1581 Dr. Dee began to work with Scrying – receiving visions through crystal balls and similar media. Finding he had no talent for scrying, Dee sought out an assistant in the form of Edward Kelly. Thereafter for many years Kelly would scry for visions which Dee would interpret and interact with.
Dr. Dee and Kelly worked with “Angels” who instructed them in the secrets of high magic.
Together Dr. Dee and Kelly brought through a huge body of channeled work which forms the basis of “Enochian” or “Angelic” magic. This included a large number of rituals, magic squares, descriptions of the spirit world and magical beings, and even an Enochian alphabet for magical use. From this material Dr. Dee wrote the Book of Enoch and the Forty Eight Angelic Keys.
After traveling through Europe Dee and Kelly eventually fell out, and Dee returned to England. In his latter years Dr. Dee fell into financial difficulty which prompted his old Patron Queen Elizabeth to appoint him as Chancellor of St. Paul’s Cathedral and later Warden of Manchester College.
Dr. Dee died in 1608.
ED THE PAGAN
Ed Hubbard, better known as “Ed The Pagan”, was born February 10, 1963, in Chicago, IL. Ed is among the most prominent Pagan media people in the World of Witches today, and a leader in the Pagan business community.
Perhaps most notably Ed founded Witch School (WitchSchool.com) on September 4, 2001, along with Don Lewis and Lisa Tuit. Witch School was a revolutionary education system utilizing peer-to-peer teaching and the power of the Internet to bring Pagan religious and magical education to people around the globe. The Witch School system was able to reach people in remote geographical areas who were otherwise unable to connect with teachers, and to provide training in an extremely flexible and effective way that is today providing a model for educational systems in lesser-developed countries.
Today Witch School has over 200,000 students in more than 180 countries around the world.
Ed has been a High Priest in the Correllian Tradition since 1990. Ed served as First Director of the Tradition from From 1992 – 2010. Subsequently Ed served as First Elders of the Correllian Tradition and from 2011-2012 Ed. Ed has also served the Correllian Tradition as Paladin General and has been awarded the Order of the Round Table, one of the Tradition's most prestigious awards. Ed currently holds the title of First Elder Emeritus.
In 1994 Ed also received a Gardnerian initiation through Donna Cole Schultz of Chicago's Temple of the Sacred Stones.
Ed served for several years as Head of the Newcastle Society, a utopian social group with a strong emphasis on the use of magic and technology to build a better world. The Newcastle Society united with the Correllian Tradition in 1992 AD after a series of joint projects. This union set the stage for the Tradition's modernization and expansion. At this time Ed was made a member of the Correllian Council of Elders. Ed also served as First Director for the Correllian Tradition from 1992 – 2005. Ed is also founder and First Officer of the Pagan Interfaith Embassy, an organization dedicated to promoting communication and cooperation between Pagans everywhere.
Ed founded the Pagan Interfaith Embassy after being involved as a staff member in the second Parliament of World’s Religions, held in Chicago in 1993. Ed found the Parliament to be a deeply inspirational and lifechanging event. The Pagan Interfaith Embassy went on to sponsor Chicago’s Pagan Leadership Conferences in ‘94, Pagan Unity Night (‘94), and Pagan Expo ‘97, 2000, and 2001.
Ed has an extensive publishing background, having published Psychic Chicago Magazine (1990-1992), The Round Table magazine (1994 – 2000), and The Daily Spell E-zine (1998-present), as well as many books and pamphlets through Witch School.
Ed has hosted several radio programs including Psychic Chicago Radio and Telepathic Radio. Currently Ed is hosting the Pagans Tonight podcast.
Ed is the author of Principle Prophetica, Pagan Cyber-Ministry, and The Witch Wars Defense Manual, among other works.
Ed is known for his innovative ideas and forward-thinking projects, particularly in regard to community building and infrastructure. Ed is known for seeing and finding solutions to problems others miss. He is also known for an emphasis on the importance of involvement of Pagans in the wider world.
ELLEN DUGAN
One of the hardest working women in the world of Witches, Ellen Dugan has been a practicing Witch since 1983.
Lady Ellen is Co-Head of the Greenwood Coven in St. Louis, and offers classes locally in Witchcraft and Magic.
Author of twelve books on Witchcraft, Lady Ellen makes appearances at many festivals and events each year.
A master gardener, much of Lady Ellen’s work focuses on herbalism and Natural Magic – so much so that she has become known as the “Garden Witch”.
Some of Ellen Dugan’s many books include: Garden Witchery: Magick from the Ground Up (2004), Cottage Witchery: Natural Magick for Hearth and Home (2005), Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick (2008)
GERINA DUNWICH
Gerina Dunwich is a Wiccan High Priestess and a member of Circle, the Fellowship of Isis, and the Universal Life Church. Lady Gerina is the author of twenty-eight books on Witchcraft, magic, and paranormal activities.
Born on December 27, 1959, in Illinois, Lady Gerina was introduced to Witchcraft at the age of ten by an older member of her family, and has been devoted to the Old Religion ever since.
In 1980 Lady Gerina began publishing Golden Isis, a magazine dedicated to Pagan poetry and fiction which was to become a staple of the Pagan Press.
In 1996 Lady Gerina established the Mandragora Coven, serving as its High Priestess. She also established the Wheel of Wisdom School that same year, a correspondence school dealing with the Wiccan Sabbats. Also in 1996, Lady Gerina also founded the Pagan Poets Society, a literary circle for poets of the Pagan persuasion.
Lady Gerina is also the founder of the Paranormal Animal Research Group, a paranormal investigation group that investigates cases of hauntings by animal spirits.
Among Gerina Dunwich’s many books are: Candlelight Spells (1988), Everyday Wicca (1997), and Your Magickal Cat (2000)
ENHEDUANNA
EnHeduAnna is the first author in human history known by name. She is also the first known author ever to write in the first person voice.
EnHeduAnna was an Akkadian Princess, daughter of Sargon the Great, ruler of Mesopotamia, and Queen Tashultum. EnHeduAnna was the High Priestess of the Moon God Nanna, and may have been regarded as His consort. She was also a devotee of the Goddess Inanna.
As High Priestess EnHeduAnna wrote a huge corpus of religious literature, most of which was in the form of hymns, paeans and prayers. The liturgical pieces she created continued to be used for hundreds of years after her death. Her most famous hymn is the NinMeSara, or “Exaltation of Inanna.”
Many of EnHeduAnna’s hymns to Inanna celebrate her personal relationship with the Goddess, and constitute the first time a human being ever set down details of their inner spiritual life in writing.
A syncretist, EnHeduAnna worked to merge the identities of the Sumerian and Akkadian pantheons. EnHeduAnna’s writings particularly helped to identify the Sumerian Inanna with the Akkadian Ishtar.
The ancient Sumerians considered EnHeduAnna’s prayers extremely magical, and revered her highly for many hundreds of years.
STEWART FARRAR
Stewart Farrar was born on June 28, 1916, in Essex, England, and had an extensive career as a journalist and as the author of detective novels, but he is best known for his role in and writings about the Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca.
It was in his capacity as a journalist that Stewart first met Alex and Maxine Sanders, founders of the Alexandrian Tradition, and he quickly became interested in Wicca.
Stewart was initiated as an Alexandrian Witch on February 7, 1970, and achieved his second Degree in October of 1970, on the same day as his future wife Janet Owen Farrar. Together Stewart and Janet formed a coven at Yule of 1970, under the imperium of the Sanders. In April of 1971 Stewart and Janet achieved their Third Degrees and their coven became independent, in accordance with Alexandrian usage.
Stewart and Janet Farrar were handfasted in 1972 and legally married in 1975. Together Stewart and Janet Farrar co-authored some of the most influential books on modern Wicca, including Eight Sabbats for Witches, the Witches Way, the Witches Bible, and the Witches Goddess among others.
Stewart Farrar died on February 7, 2000, at the age of eighty-three.
DION FORTUNE
Dion Fortune was born Violet Mary Firth on December 6, 1890, at Bryn-y
-Bia, Llandudno, Wales.
Violet showed signs of psychic ability at an early age, and began actively developing her psychic skills at age twenty. Violet believed that she had lived as a Priestess in Atlantis, and has visions of this as early as four years of age.
As an adult Violet studied many metaphysical disciplines, becoming a Theosophist, Freemason, and a member of the Order of the Golden Dawn. She ultimately founded her own order, the Society of the Inner Light which remains active to this day.
In 1919 Violet began writing on metaphysical subjects and took the pseudonym “Dion Fortune” based upon her family’s motto “Deo Non Fortuna” meaning “God, not fortune.”
Among Dion Fortunes most famous books are The Cosmic Doctrine, Mystical Qaballah, and Psychic Self Defense.
Many of Dion Fortune’s works, notably The Sea Priestess, The Goat-Foot God, and Moon Magic, deal with themes of religious Witchcraft/Wicca.
Dion Fortune participated in the "Magical Battle of Britain", which was an attempt by British occultists to magically aid the war effort and which aimed to forestall the impending German invasion during the darkest days of World War II. Her efforts in regard to this are recorded in a series of letters she wrote at the time. The effort involved in this endeavor is said to have contributed to her death shortly after the war ended.
Dion Fortune died in 1946.
SELENA FOX
Among the most prominent of all contemporary Witch Priestesses, Selena Fox is the founder of the Circle Craft Tradition of Wicca. Born December 20, 1949, Lady Selena has been in the forefront of the Pagan Press and Pagan civil rights activism for over thirty years.
Lady Selena’s publication, Circle Magazine, is perhaps the most influential of all Wiccan magazines and has played a formative role in the development of the Wiccan community in the US Midwest.
In 1974 Lady Selena founded Circle Sanctuary, one of the oldest Wiccan churches and centers in the U.S. In 1983 Circle Sanctuary established its Headquarters on the 200-acre Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve.
In 1978 Lady Selena began her magazine, Circle Network News. One of the most important magazines of the Pagan Press, Circle was immensely influential in the Wiccan/Pagan community of the US Midwest especially. In 1980 Circle Network News adopted a newspaper format, and in 1997 it took on a magazine format, changing its name to Circle. Lady Selena is the founder and executive director of the Lady Liberty League, an organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of Witches and Pagans.
The Lady Liberty League has been involved in many important civil rights cases, most notably the Pentacle Campaign – the long legal battle to win for Pagan service people the right to have the pentacle as the emblem of faith on their tomb stone if they were buried in a national cemetery.