Eileen Garrett: Gifted Psychic
She Saw Disaster for the Dirigible R-101 on Its Maiden Voyage
Garrett had two premonitions of the doomed airship and a warning from a dead captain. Later, the crew of the ill fated craft would communicate to reveal what happened.
Premonitions and a Warning
Eileen Garrett was one of the most talented trance mediums who lived. She foresaw the crash of the British dirigible, the R-101, before it happened.
In 1926, she saw a phantom dirigible in the sky over London’s Hyde Park. It seemed to be normal. In 1928, she saw the aircraft again. This time, it was near London’s Holland Park. It wobbled, emitted smoke and disappeared. She believed she saw an actual disaster and was astonished to discover no mention was made of this in the media.
Two dirigibles were being built, the R-101 and sister airship, R-102. Garrett was sure the R-101 would crash. She warned Sir Sefton Brancker, director of civil education, who scoffed at her.
In 1928, she held a séance and received a message from the late Captain Raymond Hinchcliffe to warn his friend, navigator Ernest Johnston, not to go on the maiden voyage because the dirigible would crash. His reaction was the same as Brancker’s. The R-101 crashed in France on October 5, 1930. Both Brancker and Hinchcliffe died with the rest of the crew.
Séances Reveal Sensitive Information
A few days later, Garrett held a séance to communicate with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Her spirit guide, Uvani, began to communicate with the R-101’s captain, Flight Lieutenant H. Carmichael Irwin who was a drop-in communicator, one who is not the person whom the sitters want to speak to. The information given was specific, technical and confidential. Harry Price, a parapsychologist at the sitting, was concerned about espionage and sent a transcript of the séance to Sir John Simon who led the inquiry. When the press released the news, Major Oliver Villiers, a good friend of Brancker, and other military officers were interested in the séance.
There was another séance. This time, Irwin, Ernest Johnson, Wing Commander R. B. Colmore and Major G. H. Scott communicated. The dirigible was experiencing major mechanical problems including a gas leak. The engine backfired, setting the gas on fire.
Villiers was convinced that he communicated with the dead crew members. He gave the information from the séance to Simon. Nothing could be done because testimony from ghosts would not have been accepted in a court of inquiry or law. .
Dr. Nandor Fodor, a highly respected parapsychologist of the time wrote about how Garrett announced Irwin’s presence and gave a highly technical account of the disaster. Someone took notes in shorthand and this was transcribed and given to the Air Ministry. Experts said the information from Irwin matched every detail and was confirmed by the findings of the inquiry.
Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (Facts on File, Inc., 1992)
Encyclopedia of Psychic Science, Nandor Fodor, (University Books, 1966)
