The Barbanell Report

In the 1970s, Paul Beard and Maurice Barbanell (1902-1981) made a pact agreeing that the one who died first would attempt to communicate with the other concerning what he had found in his new existence. Barbanell was the long-term editor of the Psychic News and Other Worlds, two of British Spiritualism's leading periodicals. He was also a medium famous for his contact with "Silver Birch," an American Indian, from whom he channeled messages. Paul Beard was for many years the president of the College of Psychic Studies, a major Spiritualist center in London. While the two were acquaintances, they were not friends, and at times publicly disagreed on various matters.

Barbanell passed away in 1981. Though several mediums claimed to have received messages from him, early in 1982 Beard began a series of sittings with Marie Cherrie, a medium at the college who had never met Barbanell. During these sittings, which continued for four years, Beard came to believe that he was communicating with Barbanell, and several years after the last session, the complete records were transcribed and published.

While two famous British mediums, Estelle Roberts and Ena Twigg, made brief appearances in the sessions, as a whole the conversations adhered to the previously agreed-upon topic. The expectations were that Barbanell, having been a medium, would make an easy transition to spirit existence and that he would be welcomed by Silver Birch. Neither proved the case. The spirit Barbanell professed some confusion distinguishing reality and illusion in his new existence and was still not fully accommodated to his new environment at the end of four years. Also, while he finally encountered Silver Birch, it was only after several years had passed. The indication was that with Barbanell's death their previous relationship ended, and though he was close, he did not make contact.

Barbanell did not try to bring through specifically evidential material. Given the nature of the material, it would leave room for doubt even from those who knew him. Beard believed that the process of communication was limited and incomplete and that unexpected content of the communications would make an important contribution to the continuing development of the Spiritualists' view of the next life.

Sources:

The Barbanell Report. Communicated Through Marie Cherrie. Edited by Paul Beard. Tasurgh, Norwich, UK: Pilgrim Books, 1989.