Andrew MacKenzie

Andrew MacKenzie (1911–2001) was a journalist and novelist who also wrote books about psychical research. He was a prolific writer of reviews of books on paranormal topics, listed below.

Early Life and Career

Andrew Carr MacKenzie was born near Dunedin, New Zealand. He worked in Wellington as a journalist until 1938 when he moved to England. He fought in Asia during the Second World War, rising to the rank of captain and distinguishing himself in guerrilla warfare. He then returned to journalism in London, writing for newspapers on the visual arts. He published numerous detective and police thrillers in the 1950s.

Psychical Research

MacKenzie became interested in paranormal phenomena while researching articles for a popular magazine in 1961. He joined the Society for Psychical Research and was elected to its governing council, later becoming a vice president.

MacKenzie regularly participated in fact-finding investigations, for instance visiting the Suffolk village Kersey in 1990 with William Laing, who believed he had earlier experienced a time-slip there.[1] Other topics he researched included the Cheltenham haunting and the Edgar Vandy and Palm Sunday mediumship cases.

His chief contribution was books exploring such subjects as ghosts and apparitions, the Belmez faces and time-slips, and numerous book reviews in the Society’s journal. He was particularly intrigued by Moberly and Jourdain’s experiences at Versailles, and explored alleged folkloric stories of the paranormal in Romania, which he visited frequently.[2]

A reviewer praised the unbiased way in which MacKenzie presented cases in his books.

He tries and succeeds in being very fair in his assessment of the relevance of the many different suggestions that have been offered to account for the phenomena. The very title he has chosen for his book, The Unexplained, shows that he has no cut and dried thesis to advance. But though unexplained, and apparently unexplainable for the present, he is not willing to cast them aside as mere frivolities with no significance’.[3]

His unpublished work, comprising thirty files of articles and correspondence, has been catalogued and is housed at Cambridge University Library.

Works

Books

The Unexplained: Some Strange Cases of Psychical Research (1966). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

Frontiers of the Unknown (1968). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

Apparitions and Ghosts: A Modern Study (1971). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

A Gallery of Ghosts: An Anthology of Reported Experience and Introductory Dialogue with Rosalind Heywood (1972). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

The Riddle of the Future. A Modern Study of Precognition (1974). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

Dracula Country: Travel and Folk Beliefs in Romania (1977). London: Arthur Barker Ltd.

The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer (1977). London: Constable.

Hauntings and Apparitions (1982). London: Heinemann.

The Seen and the Unseen (1987). London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.

Adventures in Time: Encounters with the Past (1997). London: The Athlone Press.

Articles

A case of haunting in Kent (1967). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 131-49.

What happened in Versailles (1967). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 210-11.

Ostensible mother-child ESP (1969). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 45, 165-67.

Two experiences of an apparition (1970, with K.M. Goldney). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 45, 381-91.

An Edgar Vandy proxy sitting (1971). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 166-73.

Obituary: George Vandy (1977).  Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 659.

A modern haunting (1980, with G. Zorab). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 284-93.

Talks with Rosalind Heywood (1980). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 523-26.

Obituary: G.W. Lambert (1984). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 52, 343-44.

Obituary: J.B. Priestley (1985). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 53, 63-64.

Obituary: J.P. Dewsbery (1986). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 53, 482-83.

Obituary: E.J. Dingwall (1987). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 54, 166.

Obituary: Zoe Richmond (1987). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 54, 166-67.

Continuation of the ‘Record of a haunted house’ (1988). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 55, 25-32.

Correspondence [a reply to P. Underwood] (1988). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 55, 171-74 and (1989) 55, 303-4.

Obituary: Brian Inglis (1993). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 59, 157-59.

Correspondence [the Belmez faces] (1993). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 59, 317-18.

Visit to a haunted house (1994). Psi Researcher 13, 8-9.

Precognition of a fatal fire (1995). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 60, 258-60.

Correspondence [fraud] (1995). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 60, 347-48.

A woman in black (1997). Paranormal Review 1, 9-10.

Strange happenings at the estuary (1997). Paranormal Review 2, 13.

At the moment of death (1998). Paranormal Review 5, 12.

Correspondence (1999). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 63, 179; 191-92.

A case of precognition (2001). Paranormal Review 19, 33-34.

Book Chapters

Apparitions and encounters (2005, with J. Henry). In Parapsychology: Research on Exceptional Experiences ed. by J. Henry. East Sussex, UK: Routledge.

Book Reviews

The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdhuir by A. Gray (1971). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 144-45.

Science and the Spook by G. Owen and V. Sims (1972). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 95-96.

Beyond the Senses: A Report in Psychical Research in the Sixties by P. Tabori and P. Raphael (1972). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 193-95.

Gazeteer of British Ghosts. Illustrated Guide to 236 Haunted Sites by P. Underwood (1972). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 46, 193-95.

Premonitions: A Leap into the Future by H.B. Greenhouse (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 58-59.

Phantoms, Legends, Customs and Superstitions of the Sea by R. Lamont Brown (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 58-59.

A Dictionary of Psychic Terms by L. Keating (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 113-14.

Ena Twigg Medium by E. Twigg and R. Hagy Brod (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 114-15.

The Book of Psychic Knowledge by H.B. Greenhouse (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 203-4.

The Ghosts, Spirits and Spectres of Scotland by F. Thompson (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 204-5.

Ghosts and Legends by R. Christian (1973). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 204-5.

The Welcoming Silence by D. Scott Rogo (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 334-37.

The James and John Experiment by P. Beard (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 334-37.

Margery by T.R. Tietze (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 375-78.

Psychics by Psychic Magazine (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 387-88.

Life is Forever. Evidence for Survival After Death by S. Smith (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 388-89.

Encyclopedia of the Unexplained. Magic, Occultism and Parapsychology edited by R. Cavendish (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 450-52.

Uri by A. Puharich (1974). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 47, 512-15.

Beyond Belief by B. Branston (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 51-52.

A Casebook of Military Mystery by R. Lamont Brown (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 52-53.

Life Without Death? On Parapsychology, Mysticism and the Question of Survival (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 115-17.

The Flying Cow by G. Lyon Playfair (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 174-75.

Psi. What is it? by L.E. Rhine (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 238-39.

Second Time Round: Total Recall of a Seventeenth-Century Life by E.W. Ryall (1975). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 241-42.

The Power of the Mind by S. Smith (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 281.

The Indefinite Boundary: An Investigation into the Relationship between Matter and Spirit by G. Lyon Playfair (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 315-16.

The Psychic Realm: What Can You Believe? by N.A. Hintze and J.G. Pratt (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 316-17.

Parapsychology: A Century of Inquiry by D. Scott Rogo (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 349-50.

My Story by U. Geller (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 352-53.

Exploring ESP and PK. Selections from the American Society for Psychical Research Newsletters and Other Material (1976). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 48, 404-7.

Extra Sensory Powers. A Century of Psychical Research by A. Douglas (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 453-55.

Phantoms by D. Scott Rogo (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 453-55.

The Language of Smell by R. Burton (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 548-50.

The Probability of the Impossible. Scientific Discoveries and Explorations in the Psychic World by T. Moss (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 615-17.

In the Minds of Millions by M. Manning (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 665.

Thinking with Horses by H. Blake (1977). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 666-67.

They Saw Tomorrow. Seers and Sorcerers from Delphi till Today by C. Neilson Gattey (1978). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 756-57.

The Shattered Mind: The Person after Brain Damage by H. Gardner (1978). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 759-60.

Hauntings by P. Underwood (1978). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 837-41.

The Mask of Time by J. Forman (1978). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 956-58.

August 1999 by F.H. Stuckert (1978). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 49, 956-58.

The Ghost of Flight 401. An Extraordinary True Story by J.G. Fuller (1979). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 38.

Mysteries by C. Wilson (1979). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 123-25.

The World Atlas of Mysteries by F. Hitching (1979). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 123-25.

Les Phantomes de Trianon by C.A.E. Moberly, E.F. Jourdain and R. Amadou (1979). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 187-89.

Our Sixth Sense: An Organic Theory of the Unknown by J.M. Sanchez-Perez (1980). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 307.

The Airman Who Would Not Die by J.G. Fuller (1980). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 50, 314-16.

The Ghosts of Today by A. Green (1981). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 51, 29-30.

The Secret Life of Humans by S. Gooch (1981). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 51, 177-78.

An Experiment with Time by J.W. Dunne (1982). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 51, 257.

The Case for Life After Death. Parapsychologists Look at the Evidence by E.E. McAdams and R. Bayless (1982). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 51, 316-17.

No Common Task. The Autobiography of a Ghost Hunter by P. Underwood (1984). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 52, 319-21.

Visions, Apparitions, Alien Visitors. A Comparative Study of the Entity Enigma by H. Evans (1986). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 53, 462-63.

The Ghosts of the Trianon. The Complete ‘An Adventure’ by C.A.E. Moberly, E.F. Jourdain, edited by M.H. Coleman (1989). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 56, 46-49.

Prophecy and Prediction in the Twentieth Century by C. Neilson Gattey (1990). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 56, 305-6.

A Sense of Something Strange by A. Roy (1991). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 58, 45-47.

The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits by R. E. Guiley (1995). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 60, 270.

Ghosts, ESP and Psychology. My True Experiences in the UK, New Zealand and Australia by S.R. Rolls (1996). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 61, 55.

Haunted Sussex Today by A. Green (1997). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 62, 82-83.

Melvyn Willin

Literature

Farge, E. (2002). Obituary: Andrew MacKenzie. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 66/2, 126-28.

Fisk, G.W. (1967). Book review: The Unexplained by A. MacKenzie. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 38-41.

MacKenzie, A. (1997). Adventures in Time: Encounters with the Past. London: The Athlone Press.

Endnotes

Footnotes

- 1. MacKenzie (1997), xiii.

- 2. Farge (2002), 127.

- 3. Fisk (1967), 40.

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