Cynthia Sandys
The young girl staring confidently into the distance
became a clairaudient and a key figure in 'spiritualism’ (1).
In 1898 Alvary was excited for days viewing his portrait on display at Lotherton Hall. For Cynthia, viewing the full-length portrait of herself on display at the castle must have been a similar experience.
Hughes portrait becoming part of the Gascoigne family life, holidaying in the summer at Craignish Castle.
’Every summer the Gascoignes sailed their yacht up the coast to Inverewe’ (2).
CLAIRAUDIENT
At Himbleton Manor, Cynthia Sandys held medium sessions in the 1940’s for relatives of killed servicemen. In contact with Air Marshal Lord Dowding regarding his growing interest in spiritualism after the war (3).
In contact with Air Marshal Lord Dowding Sir Victor Goddard and Sir George Trevelyan, providing financial support for the founding of the Wrekin Trust in 1971 (Spiritual Education Centre)
Sandys of Ombersley: fragments of nine lives No.8
Confirms how effortlessly, belief in spiritualism influenced her life (4).
CO-AUTHORSHIP WITH ROSAMOND LEHMANN (5)
Rosamond Lehmann visited Cynthia Sandys at Himbleton Manor on 11th September 1958 for a session of mediumship and was convinced her deceased daughter Sally, had made contact. Both Cynthia Sandys and Rosamond Lehmann went on to believe that their deceased daughters, Patricia and Sally, knew each other in the afterlife and sent messages of comfort; which were published (6).
Their literary friendship extended to the publication of 'The Awakening Letters’ (7).
(1) 'The Awakening Letters: Exploring the Mediumship of Cynthia Lady Sandys’ by Fiona Bowie (Afterlife Research Centre). Research Paper presented on 24th – 25th September 2010 at the university of York
(2) 'The Edwardian Garden at Lotherton’ (page 6) by Mette Eggen
Published in Leeds Art Fund Calendar Issue: No.104 1989
(3) 'Assisting Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding while he was collecting for publication post-mortem messages from airmen killed in WWII’
Rosamond Lehmann: A Life’ by Selina Hastings
Published by Chatto & Windus, London, 2002
(4) 'Colonel Frederic Trench-Gascoigne was of course long dead but Cynthia Sandys ”kept in touch” with her father, as she did with many of the departed’ : No.8 Page 62
(5) Rosamond Lehmann (1901-1990)
1927 novel 'Dusty Answer’ was a succes de scandale and established her in the Bloomsbury set; publishing a series of acclaimed works of fiction. 1967 autobiographical work 'The Swan in the Evening Fragments of an Inner Life’
(6) 'Letters of Our Daughter: Part 1 Sally Part 2 Patricia’
Published in 1972 by the College of Psychic Studies, London
(7) 'The Awakening Letters: varieties of spiritual experiences in the Life and Death (Volumes 1 and 2).
Published in 1978 and 1986