2. The Unseen Operators

About this episode

The episode explores the strange experiments of Dr William Jackson Crawford with a teenage medium and the implications of his findings.

The story of Dr William Jackson Crawford, an engineer and teacher, who carried out a series of strange experiments with a teenage medium and her family before his untimely death on the shores of Belfast lough in 1920. Dr Crawford’s findings were extraordinary and widely published – but was it all a hoax? Episode 2 – The Unseen Operators Dr Crawford invites a visitor to attend a séance with Kathleen and her family, known as the Goligher Circle. Sir William Barrett, a highly respected physicist and parapsychologist, is astonished when a wooden table appears to float into the air. Meanwhile, nearly one hundred years later – Reggie Chamberlain King’s plans to give a lecture about Dr Crawford and Kathleen Goligher are disrupted when a protest is announced. Readings by Dave Fleming Lucy McConnell Mark Claney Stephen Beggs Produced by Conor McKay Editor Andy Martin A BBC Northern Ireland production

Topics covered

• parapsychology
• mediumship
• historical experiments
• Belfast history
• seances
• true crime

Keywords

• Dr William Jackson Crawford
• Kathleen Goligher
• Sir William Barrett
• seance
• Belfast lough
• parapsychology
• Goligher Circle
• experiments
• 1920

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC Northern Ireland

Places: Belfast lough

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