Siméon Edmunds (1917–69) was a British psychical researcher whose writings focused on hypnotism, spiritualism, spirit photography and parapsychology. A former College of Psychic Studies researcher, he is best remembered for sceptical studies of mediumship and spirit-photography and for introductory surveys of parapsychology.
- Edmunds wrote on hypnotism, ESP, parapsychology, spiritualism and spirit photography.
- He worked for the College of Psychic Studies, joined the Society for Psychical Research in 1956 and was associated with the magazine Tomorrow.
- His 1965 SPR booklet ‘Spirit’ Photography drew criticism for its strongly sceptical treatment of spirit photographers.
Life and Career
Siméon Edmunds, whose name also appears without the acute accent as Simeon Edmunds, was a British psychical researcher and writer on hypnotism, parapsychology and Spiritualism. Born on 13 April 1917, he joined the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1956 and was research officer for the College of Psychic Studies from 1956 to 1962. During this period, he contributed articles to Light, the College’s journal, and in 1962 became an associate editor of Tomorrow, then edited by F Clive-Ross, a former editor of Light.1Anon. (1969a), 93; Shepard (1984). Full runs of Light and Tomorrow have been made available by IAPSOP, the International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals.
Edmunds was very interested in the connection between hypnotism and psychic phenomena and produced three books on the subject.2Edmunds (1961, 1968, 1981).. Margaret Eastman judged his Hypnotism and the Supernormal (1961) to be an honest and unprejudiced survey of the field.3Eastman (1962), 261-62. Edmunds later conducted an experiment with D Jolliffe that attempted to generate ESP through hypnosis but produced results close to chance expectation in both hypnotized and waking conditions.4Edmunds & Jolliffe (1965), 192-204.
Edmunds authored what Donald J West considered a useful text, Miracles of the Mind: An Introduction to Parapsychology (1965).5West (1966).
In 1966, Edmunds published Spiritualism,6Edmunds (1966). a strongly critical historical treatment of its subject matter that compared Spiritualism to what he regarded as a more responsible psychical research. Muriel Hankey7Hankey (1967), 160-62. praised it for its reference value although psychologist L Börje Löfgren8Löfgren (1968). expressed a harsher view, noting that Edmunds was quick to regard many mediums as fraudulent but less critical of reports of psychic phenomena.
The most controversial of Edmunds’ publications was the SPR booklet ‘Spirit’ Photography (1965), in which he argued that professional spirit photographers had repeatedly failed under competent investigation, concluding: ‘Every spirit photographer who has been thoroughly and competently investigated has been proved fraudulent’.9Edmunds (1965), 19. To this D Scott Rogo replied in the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, accusing Edmunds of distorting the facts, omitting important psychological points, and failing to reach a balanced evaluation.10Rogo (1968), 362-65.
Edmunds replied to Rogo by defending his account and noting his competence as a licentiate member of the Institute of Incorporated Photographers.11Edmunds (1968), 366-69. See also Rogo’s response: Rogo (1969), 28-31. Richard Sheargold, reviewing the booklet in the International Journal of Parapsychology, similarly expressed disappointment at what he saw as its entirely negative slant.12Sheargold (1966), 607-9.
Edmunds died suddenly in 1969 at age 52; the cause and exact date are unknown. His death was announced in the SPR journal; a more substantial obituary was promised but never followed.13Anon. (1969a), 93-94. However, Psychic News published an unsigned obituary: ‘Edmunds, 51, who died from liver cancer, had suffered poor health for two years; he was a vegetarian and a humanist.’ The writer focused on the reception of his writings and ended the obituary by stating, ‘It is to be hoped that his prejudice against Spiritualism will not prevent him from using mediumship to return and prove his own Survival.’14Anon. (1969b).
Selected Works
Books
Hypnotism and the Supernormal (1961). London: Aquarian Press.
Miracles of the Mind: An Introduction to Parapsychology (1965). Springfield, Illinois, USA: Charles C Thomas.
‘Spirit’ Photography (1965). London: Society for Psychical Research.
Spiritualism: A Critical Survey (1966). London: Aquarian Press.
Hypnosis: Key to Psychic Powers (1968). London: Aquarian Press.
Hypnotism and Psychic Phenomena (1968, reprint of Hypnotism and the Supernormal). Hollywood, California, USA: Wilshire Book Co.
ESP: Extrasensory Perception (1975). Hollywood, California, USA: Wilshire Book Co.
The Psychic Power of Hypnosis (1981). New York: Samuel Weiser.
Articles and Reviews
Hypnotism: Some facts and some fancies (1961). Light 81, 11-22.
Psychological elements in spiritualistic testimony (1964). International Journal of Parapsychology 6/3, 289-302.
A GESP experiment with four hypnotized subjects (1965, with D Jolliffe). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 43, 192-204.
An automatist’s scripts compared with some original writings by the alleged communicator (1966). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 43, 263-67.
Reviews of From Mesmer to Christian Science and Mediums of the Nineteenth Century by F Podmore (1967). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 201-6.
Melvyn Willin
Works Cited
Anon. (1969a). Notes and notices. [Full text.] Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 45, 93-94.
Anon. (1969b, 22 March). Researcher could not overcome his bias against Spiritualism [PDF Download.]. Psychic News.
Eastman, M. (1962). Review of Hypnotism and the Supernormal by S. Edmunds. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 41, 261-62.
Edmunds, S. (1965). ‘Spirit’ Photography. London: Society for Psychical Research.
Edmunds, S. (1968). Letter to the Editor (in response to DS Rogo). [Full text.] Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 366-69.
Edmunds, S., & Jolliffe, D. (1965). A GESP experiment with four hypnotized subjects. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 43, 192-204.
Hankey, M. (1967). Review of Spiritualism: A Critical Survey by S. Edmunds. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 160-62.
Löfgren, L.B. (1968). Recent publications on parapsychology. [Excerpt.] Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association 16/1, 146-78.
Rogo, D.S. (1968). “Spirit Photography” – a reply to Simeon Edmunds. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 362-65.
Rogo, D.S. (1969). Correspondence: A further reply to Simeon Edmunds. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 45, 28-31.
Sheargold, R. (1966). Review of ‘Spirit’ Photography by S. Edmunds. International Journal of Parapsychology 8/4, 607-9.
Shepard, L. (1984). The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology (2nd ed.). Detroit, Michigan, USA: Gale.
West, D.J. (1966). Review of Miracles of the Mind: An Introduction to Parapsychology by S. Edmunds. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 43, 371-72.