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Reel 51.
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1 audio reel (2 hrs., 53 min., 38 sec.)
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Biographical history
Thomas Lacey, a trance and direct voice medium, was born in Glossop, Derbyshire England on November 4, 1895.
Thomas married Edith Emma Lomas on March 18, 1918 in Whitfield. Edith was born in Whitfield, Derbyshire England on September 28, 1895.
Thomas and Edith immigrated to Canada in March 1923 and April 1924 respectively. Thomas worked as a mechanical engineer at companies including Dominion Rubber and Sutherland and Schultz.
Records of Thomas conducting séances in the Kitchener-Waterloo region begin in 1924. Edith, although not a medium, was an active participant in the séances. Thomas and Edith moved to Hamilton in the 1950s before returning to Kitchener-Waterloo in the 1960's. The séances recorded in the 1960s were held in the home of Otto and Nelda Smith in Kitchener. Otto Smith, a local businessman, played the organ at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Kitchener and his organ playing can be heard throughout the séances.
Thomas and the séance sitters believed his main control during the 1960s was a spirit named Amirah and they maintained that his younger brother Walter, who died at a young age, acted as his gate keeper. Thomas Lacey purportedly channeled the spirits of Thomas Edison, Emmanuel Swedenborg, and John Wesley, amongst others. Sitters at the séances were said to have experienced apports, materializations, and automatic writing. One séance recording also contains what is believed to be an example of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP).
The séances fall into three general categorizations: Masters Night when philosophical discussions took place; Visiting Night when spirits of friends and family were welcomed; and Rescue Night when the sitters would help spirits who had not crossed over the veil to do so.
Thomas Lacey died on June 17, 1966 at age 70. Edith Lacey died in 1993 at age 97. Thomas and Edith Lacey were buried in Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo, Ontario.
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Scope and content
One audio reel recording of séances held under the supervision of medium Thomas Lacey. A handwritten note on the original audio reel box provides the following descriptions for each side of the reel:
Side 1. Wed. Dec. 4/63 rescue night. Music - panus angelicus; Amirah - greets sitters amidst all the violence which the sitters will most likely be able to diminish. Welcomes the help; Captain of Regina or Ajax - ships sank during a storm in 1913. Captain is passing through last few minutes before ship sinks; Captain McCrae - manifests; Pilot Snider - of plane which crashed, taking 118 lives including entire crew. Snider evidently well educated spoke philosophically passengers and crew all with him in background. One local man - Murray Killion manifests by tearing up paper - insurance policy which had been sold to him; Walter - spoke showing entire satisfaction.
Side 2. Tues. Dec. 10/63 master's night. Music - dreams and several other selections; Amirah - referred to recent tragedy - death of President Kennedy - being a karma. The difference of the dark forces; Rameses - a Pharaoh who expressed his desire to justify the actions of his kind during the reign of the pharaohs. Referred to records to be found in Abbhu symbols; Ben Jus Assif - spoke of the friendliness and joy of the Christmas season; Margurite - delighted with the music we are now enjoying. Remembering wonderful relationship here with musicians; Dr. Hoffman - feels future will bring many reforms; Dr. Hall - wants to share Christmas spirit with all; Happy Wolfe - not as prince - values everything at Black Foot Bay; Golden Star - brings other squaws - looking forward to Christmas; Walter - closes with appropriate remarks.
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Donated by Stanley McMullin in 2015.
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- English
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This audio reel was digitized in 2022 and access copies are available for research purposes. Transcription not available.
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The dates listed in the handwritten note on the original audio reel box differ from the dates cited in the audio recording. Subsequently, it is possible that the subjects listed in the note are incorrect.
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Described by JB in 2015.
Revised by NM in 2024.
Language of description
- English