FJM Stratton (1881–1961), a soldier and professor of astrophysics, was also interested in psychical research. He published reports on telepathy, hauntings and other psi phenomena.
Life and Career
Frederick John Marrian Stratton was born into a musical family at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 16 October 1881. He won a scholarship to King Edward’s Grammar School, Birmingham, then studied arts at Mason University College, Birmingham. He went on to study mathematics under a scholarship at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
Stratton served in the army during both world wars, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was mentioned in dispatches on several occasions and was awarded medals, including the Order of the British Empire and the French Légion d’honneur.
After a few years lecturing mathematics, he became assistant director of the Solar Physics Observatory at Cambridge and then a tutor at Caius College, Cambridge. He was subsequently appointed professor of astrophysics and the director of the Solar Physics Observatory from 1928 to 1947. He was the president of the Royal Astronomical Society between 1933 and 1935 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Psychical Research
Stratton joined the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1902 after becoming acquainted with Oliver Lodge and other of its leading members, including Eleanor Sidgwick 1Haynes (1982), 218. and her brothers Gerald Balfour and Arthur Balfour. His earliest research included telepathy experiments and the investigation of dreams.2For instance, Stratton (1905; 1911/12; 1923). He also attended a sitting with Willi Schneider in 1924.3Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research (1926), 27-33.
Stratton investigated a number of allegedly haunted houses and collected reports from other persons who claimed to have witnessed such phenomena.4Broad (1960), 436. One such case, ‘Abbey House’ in Cambridge, held his attention for many years and was followed up by psychologist Alan Gauld in subsequent investigations.5Gauld (1972), 109-23.
Far from being a sensitive himself, Stratton felt that he inhibited psychic phenomena,6Stratton (1954), 148. but he took a deep interest in new theories concerning their nature.
He was elected to the SPR council in 1947 and was president between 1953 and 1954.
Selected Publications
Some experiments with the sthenometer (1906, with P. Phillips). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 12, 335-39.
Correspondence: Experiments with the sthenometer (1907). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 13, 46.
Review of New Light on Immortality by E.E. Fournier D’Albe (1909). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 14, 78-79.
Correspondence (1912). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 15, 326-27.
The haunting of ——- House. (1914). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 16, 274-97.
Review of The American Séances with Eusapia Palladino by H. Carrington (1954). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 37, 387-89.
Psychical Research: A lifelong interest (1954). Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 135-52.
Obituary: Dr L.P. Jacks (1955). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 38, 100-1.
An out-of-the-body experience combined with ESP (1957). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 39, 92-97.
Review of Four Modern Ghosts by E.J. Dingwall & T.H. Hall (1958). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 39, 288-89.
Some trials in a case of alleged telepathy with E.G. Recordon (1968, with R.A. Peters) [published after Stratton’s death]. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 390-99.
Melvyn Willin
Literature
Broad, C.D. (1960). Obituary: Professor F.J M. Stratton. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 40, 435-37.
Chadwick, J. (1961). Obituary: Frederick John Marrian Stratton, 1881-1960. The Royal Society Publishing. [Web page.]
Gauld, A. (1972). The haunting of Abbey House, Cambridge. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 109-23.
Haynes, R. (1982). The Society for Psychical Research, 1882-1982. A History. London: Macdonald and Company.
Stratton, F.J.M. (1905). Telepathic/ precognitive dreams. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 12, 99-103.
Stratton, F.J.M. (1911/12). Case of spontaneous telepathic/ precognitive dream. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 15 87-95, 107-9, 188-90.
Stratton, F.J.M. (1923). Cases of premonitions. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 33, 101-2, 196-98, 319.
Stratton, F.J.M. (1954). Presidential Address. Psychical research: A lifelong interest. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 135-52.