Fairy Investigation Society
Fairy Investigation Society
Founded in Britain in 1927 by Sir Quentin Craufurd, M.B.E., to collate information on fairy sightings. Craufurd, claimed to have, himself, observed nature spirits, he claimed.
During its heyday, the society organized meetings, lectures, and discussions, collecting evidence of fairy life. With the out-break of World War II, however, members were dispersed and the society's records were largely lost or destroyed by enemy action, and so the society became inactive. In 1955, with an energetic secretary, the society was revived and began to issue a regular newsletter, listing reports from members or other individuals. During the 1950s, there were some 50 members, including such famous persons as author Alasdair Alpin MacGregor, Hugh Dowding (of the Battle of Britain in World War II), Walter Starkie (of gypsy lore fame), and Walt Disney.
As the society grew and became known, newspaper articles ridiculing the study of fairies appeared, saying they were only a superstition of past centuries. As a result, the society once again became inactive.