Morell Theobald, from Spirit Workers in the Home Circle: An Autobiographic Narrative of Psychic Phenomena in Family Daily Life Extending over a Period of Twenty Years. London: T. Fisher Unwin 1887.

[Morell Theobald was an accountant living in suburban London in the 1880s. A committed spiritualist, he wrote credulous accounts of wonderful supernatural happenings in his own home which were too much even for some of his fellow-believers. Frank Podmore of the Society for Psychical Research investigated the case in 1885-6 and concluded unsurprisingly that Theobald was being duped by members of his family. It is probable that the Grossmiths knew of the case; certainly the unintentional humour of these accounts is irresistibly reminiscent of the similar events at the Pooters’. (There are more details in the chapter "At Home with the Theobald Family" in Owen (1989)]

[From Part II Chapter VIII. “A Few Sunday Evening Séances in 1885. Various and Curious Phenomena in Daily Life. Direct Spirit Writings with a Few Facsmiles”]

Sunday, March 15 [1885].—On coming home from church the front door (having been chained after former experiences) was opened for us by Pompom,[1] who drew the chain and opened the door while Mary[2] was downstairs.

At séance during the evening we had five direct writings, one being addressed to a friend who was sitting with us and who came in about an hour beforehand. One to Tom on school life, and telling him not to work so hard for his exam, as it tried his health too much, with a page of good advice, and others of great interest to us. Spirit voices now frequently joined with us during the singing at séances.

Our friend sitting with us was told by Pompom of two of his spirit guides by name—neither being known to Mary nor, as such, to any of us. He was so struck with it that he wrote to me two days after, as follows:—

“What was known to me individually was actually corroborated at the circle last Sunday. The spirit child could not have guessed that those two spirits were present with me, S. and B., although I was aware of the fact—it is a most conclusive test for me—Pompom had probably never heard of such names, for you remember how she spelt them letter by letter, and the first she could not pronounce. Pompom was right! I think one of your guides was with me yesterday, and filled me with the freshness of heaven, it is a most delicious aura, cooling and strengthening.” . . .

We had such visits to this friend confirmed at home.

Hands were now materialized and put outside the cabinet, frequently at the very top (out of Mary’s reach: though, I may remark, she was at these times deeply entranced). A long list of spirit workers in our midst and then present was given (twenty in all); and we were told that while sitting, there was a band of spirits, dressed in white with coloured scarfs, taking hands and forming an outside ring. …

May.—Having workmen in the house for painting, etc, the conditions for mediumship were somewhat disturbed: any new person introduced into the house is liable to alter these conditions. A planchette recently obtained was put on the table sometimes during the séance, and it was put on one side during the week. On one occasion we had a few writings, done during the week, outside a thick pad, composed of several sheets of paper, fastened together by string passed through two corners (top and bottom) and tied closely together. I said jokingly, “Any one could do that!” So they did something which would be very difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to do. They wrote a sheet full, from top to bottom, in the middle of the pad, to which three names are signed. The writing is clear and distinct, but belongs to no one in the house, i.e., to no one in the body! This mode of writing was repeated during the week inside a private pad belonging to my daughter, and fastened up at four corners. Space would fail me to tell of every-day occurrences at this time, in which not only fires were frequently lit under the eyes of my daughter, but cookery of all kinds done to the amazement and amusement of all! Much power was used for new phases of mediumship, and Mary was frequently unfit for much work. (230-3)

[1] An alleged mischievous child spirit.

[2] Mary was the Theobalds’ servant, but when she was virtually adopted by the family on account of her supposed mediumistic gifts, the other servant resigned in protest. After that Mary and Nellie, Theobald’s daughter, handled the domestic chores together. Obviously the two girls were responsible for the “phenomena,” and an adequate motive for the deception may be found in the last sentence.