Trevor H. Hall

Trevor Henry Hall (1910–1991) was a British author, surveyor, and sceptic of paranormal phenomena. Hall made controversial claims regarding early members of the Society for Psychical Research. His books caused a heated controversy within the parapsychology community.

Hall was born in Wakefield, England. He served as a major in the British army during World War II (1939–45) and became a senior partner of V. Walker and Son (chartered surveyors) (1945–80), he was the vice president of the Huddersfield Building Society (1958–80).

He had a deep interest in magic and mystery. Hall was a student in psychical research at Trinity College, Cambridge (1954–56). His knowledge of conjuring and magic helped him discover the tricks of mediums, many of whom had been caught in fraud. Hall was an ex-member and critic of the Society for Psychical Research and published a series of sceptical books on the paranormal and psychical research. He was a collector of magic books and was a member of The Magic Circle. He also wrote three books on the higher criticism of Sherlock Holmes.

In his controversial book The Spiritualists (1962), Hall stated that the famous medium Florence Cook was a fraud who had an affair with the chemist and psychical researcher William Crookes.

Hall drew upon Francis. G. H. Anderson's statements to the Society for Psychical Research in 1922 and 1941. Anderson claimed to have had an affair with Cook himself, he also stated that she was a sexual maniac who confessed to having an affair with Crookes. In 1964, psychical researchers R. G. Medhurst and K. M. Goldney cast considerable doubt on the reliability of Anderson's testimony and dismissed Hall's allegations. Biographer William Hodson Brock who has praised Hall's book also doubted the claims of an affair.

...
Wikipedia