Balfour, Gerald William (2nd Earl of Balfour) (1853-1945)

Brother of Arthur J. Balfour, first earl of Balfour. He was a statesman, classical scholar, and student of psychical research. He joined the Society for Psychical Research soon after its formation and served as president from 1906 to 1907.

Born April 9, 1853, at Whittinghame, Scotland, Balfour was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge University (M.A.). In 1887 he married Lady Betty, daughter of the first earl of Lytton. He was elected member of Parliament for Central Leeds from 1885 to 1906 and held various government posts; he was also private secretary to his brother.

Like his brother, he was very active in psychical research and also took an important part in organizing and studying the group of automatic writings concerned with " cross-correspondence " evidence. He published a number of valuable papers in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, including "The Earl of Dionysius," a study of a cross-correspondence case presenting evidence for survival. He died January 14, 1945, at Whittinghame.

Sources:

Balfour, Gerald W. "The Ear of Dionysius: Further Scripts Affording Evidence of Personal Survival." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 29, no. 74 (1916-18).

——. "Some Recent Scripts Affording Evidence of Personal Survival." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 27, no. 69 (1915).

——. "A Study of the Psychological Aspects of Mrs. Willet's Mediumship." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 43, no. 140 (1935).