Farewell to Patricia Crowther

With the passing of the Autumn Equinox came the sad news of the passing of Patricia Crowther. The loss of this stalwart of the Craft runs deep & our condolences go out to her family, friends & initiates & Wicca as a whole.

Patricia, along with her then husband Arnold were initiated by Gerald Gardner into the Craft back in 1960. Patricia being a staunch & steadfast supporter of Gerald from the early days of the Craft up until her passing.

As founder of her own line within Wicca She went on to write many books that gave her own flavour & ideas adding to the earlier work of Witches. Her Astrology, her lively, timeless chants (which can be found sung by her on youtube), and her espousal of the Old religion as it was seen as in the nascent days have been so influential.

She can be seen defending Wicca in television interviews, ever fiesty in her manner against those who would seek denigrate it & pronounce it as Devil Worship!

It has to be said at least initially Patricia was hostile to the Alexandrian offshoot of the Craft, especially as Alex so readily engaged with the media as they sought out salacious stories to feed an ever interested & often shocked public. The split though all became water under the bridge. Her line in any case looms large in the history of both Gardnerian & Alexandrian Wicca.

Patricia of course was amongst those early pioneers who paved the way not only for Wicca, but surely for Paganism as a whole making for a more pluralistic & accepting society.

She gave the Craft so much for so long. She was one of the last links to Gerald & the emergence of this magickal Religion she helped so much to shape, defend & promote.

Her loss is such a sad one, but her life so influential to so many.

Above are shown three of Patricia's books. They tend to take the reader to the early days & ideas of the Craft & in themselves are a fascinating look the history of the Wica.