Gerald Gardner (Wiccan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerald Brosseau Gardner
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| Born | 13 June 1884 Blundellsands, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 12 February 1964 (aged 79) aboard ship, en route to Tunis
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| Spouse(s) | Dorothy Rosedale |
| Parent(s) | William Robert Gardner Louise Burguelew Ennis |
Gerald Brosseau Gardner (born June 13, 1884 – died February 12, 1964) was an English writer and a very important person in the modern religion of Wicca. He was also known by his special "craft name," Scire.
Gardner helped introduce Wicca, which is a type of modern Pagan religion, to many people. He wrote important books about it and started a specific way of practicing Wicca called Gardnerian Wicca. He was also interested in studying different cultures and old civilizations, like an anthropologist and archaeologist.
Contents
Early Life and Travels
Gerald Gardner was born into a well-off family in Blundellsands, England. He spent a lot of his childhood living abroad in Madeira.
In 1900, when he was 16, he moved to Ceylon, which was a British colony at the time. Later, in 1911, he moved to Malaya. There, he worked for the government. During this time, he became very interested in the local people and their customs. He studied their magical practices and even wrote papers and a book about them.
After he retired in 1936, Gardner traveled to Cyprus. He wrote a novel called A Goddess Arrives there. Soon after, he returned to England.
Discovering Wicca
When Gerald Gardner settled near the New Forest in England, he joined a group interested in mystical and hidden knowledge called the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship.
He said that through this group, he met a secret group of witches called the New Forest coven. He claimed they initiated him, meaning they welcomed him into their group, in 1939. Gardner believed this coven was a very old group that had kept the traditions of a pre-Christian "witch-cult" alive. This idea came from the writings of a historian named Margaret Murray.
Gardner decided he wanted to help bring this ancient faith back to life. He added ideas from other traditions like Freemasonry (a fraternal organization), ceremonial magic (a type of magic with specific rituals), and the writings of Aleister Crowley (a famous occultist) to the coven's rituals. This mix of old and new ideas became the basis for the Gardnerian tradition of Wicca.
Sharing Wicca with the World
In 1945, Gerald Gardner moved to London. He was very determined to share this new religion with more people. He started getting attention from the media.
He wrote several important books about Wicca, including High Magic's Aid (1949), Witchcraft Today (1954), and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959). These books helped explain Wicca to a wider audience.
Gardner also started his own Wiccan group, known as the Bricket Wood coven. He trained several women to become High Priestesses in the religion. These included Doreen Valiente, Lois Bourne, Patricia Crowther, and Eleanor Bone. Through their work, the Gardnerian Wicca community grew and spread across Britain. Later, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it also reached Australia and the United States.
For a while, Gardner worked with Cecil Williamson, who was also interested in witchcraft. Gardner became the director of the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft on the Isle of Man. He managed the museum until he passed away.
Legacy
Gerald Gardner is widely known as the "Father of Wicca" among people who follow Pagan and occult paths. His claims about meeting the New Forest coven have been studied by historians like Aidan Kelly, Ronald Hutton, and Philip Heselton.
Images for kids
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Gardner with his Irish nursemaid, Com, during the 1880s
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While working in Borneo in 1911, Gardner became friends with members of the Dayak community. He was fascinated by their beliefs and customs.
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A selection of kris knives. Gardner was very interested in these items and wrote a book about them.
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A plaque marking the house where Gardner lived during the Second World War.
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The Temple of the Rose Cross, a drawing from 1618.
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The Mill House in Highcliffe, where Gardner was supposedly initiated into the Craft.
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The Witches' Cottage, where Gardner and his Bricket Wood coven performed their rituals.
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The Witches' Cottage in 2006.
See also
In Spanish: Gerald Gardner para niños
