Folklore Frontiers - No 013

Magazine Overview

Title: Folklore Frontiers
Issue: No. 13
Publisher/Editor: Paul Screeton
Description: An independent, non-profit magazine dedicated to folklore, particularly contemporary legends and urban belief tales.
Subscription: £4 for four issues in the UK, $10 internationally. Single issue £1.

Letters to the Editor

Peter Christie (Devon): Shares two stories from about 20 years ago concerning royalty: one about Royals being embalmed and kept in glass-topped coffins at Windsor, and another about a Royal Navy officer claiming a prized exhibit behind a bar was one of the Queen's pickled turds.

Lucy Fisher (London): Mentions a friend convinced by a therapist of satanic abuse, hoping articles in FF might offer alternative explanations. Also shares anecdotes about an eccentric lady buried with her vintage Daimler, and the author of Captain Pugwash denying a widespread slur. She also notes the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle deriving from the coca flower and comments on the presence of nude ladies in a previous issue.

Janet Bord (Clwyd): Suggests reducing the number of nude pictures of ladies or balancing them with an equal number of pictures of naked men.

Michael Goss (Essex): Declines to submit his Jim Morrison piece, deeming it wordy and unoriginal. He also humorously mentions he intended to send a photo of himself as a baby to cheer readers up, noting the absence of corn circles in his picture.

The Diary

Michael Goss recounts his appearance on 'The Late Show,' noting that FF unfairly failed to get a mention. He expresses gratitude for the magazine generating excitement for his work. Kevin McClure, editor of 'The Wild Places,' is quoted praising FF's presentation and content. Goss also mentions a bizarre announcement for a Loch Ness expedition by the Company of Avallon, seeking participants including a skilled archer.

Articles Elsewhere

• Shape-shifting: R. W. F. Poole contributes three tales suggesting a connection between the soul of the hunter and the hunted.
• Tromso, Norway: Nicholas Shakespeare writes about the city where there is no sun for two months, detailing libidinous activity, a giant lifting a stone, the progeny of shipwrecked Spaniards, Roald Amundsen's fate, mackerel turning green from eating bodies, and the Northern Lights affecting automatic garage doors.
• Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: A piece from the Weekend Telegraph discusses this botanical legend.

Im Dead Against the Ordination of Women. They Make Hopeless Railway Fanatics

This section appears to be a satirical or opinionated statement, possibly a headline or a quote, unrelated to the main articles.

Gricer Definition

An explanation of the word "gricer" is provided, relating to trainspotters.

Northampton Central Museum Shoe Index

Details the museum's index of over 1,500 shoes and boots found within UK buildings, with an annual growth rate of 50 cases. It mentions the discovery of good luck charms of dead men's shoes in a Leicester coal mine.

Serendipitous Detritus

This section, by Paul Screeton, explores the nature of serendipity and the accumulation of seemingly trivial information by researchers. It presents two curious anecdotes found while scanning old newspapers:

1. Ventriloquism and Ailurophobia: An allegedly true story of a house wrecked by a man's efforts to cure his wife's fear of cats through ventriloquism.
2. Sir Bartle Frere: An incident involving the African explorer and administrator, Sir Bartle Frere, and a crude meal.

Screeton discusses how these stories, though perhaps apocryphal, fit into the realm of elaborate jokes that misfire spectacularly. He also touches upon animal revenge stories, citing examples like the 'Coyote's Revenge' and hunters being injured by prey.

Accidents Will Happen

Roger Davies, editor of 'Gardening from Which?', shares calamities suffered by readers, including a Jaguar sliding into reverse and causing damage. Screeton notes the hyperbolic language often used in such stories, comparing them to contemporary car-con legends.

Animal Revenges

This section continues the theme of animal revenge, with examples like the 'Coyote's Revenge' where a hero exacts vengeance on a hunter. It also mentions hunters being injured by various animals, a fisherman feeding a shark with a grenade, and a fatal car crash engineered by a ferret. The author suggests a strong sense of justice permeates these stories, where the hunter-perpetrator is punished.

Car-Con Legends

Discusses the theme of 'new aristocrat among stings' involving car dealers, citing a story about a bogus peer who duped a Sussex Porsche dealership. The section also mentions a story about a thief who steals a car and returns it with an apologetic note and concert tickets. The lack of specifics in such stories leads to them being classified as legends. The M25 driving incident is also recounted.

M25 Myths

Tom Hibbert's article "London's mad round" is referenced, detailing 'true' M25 comedy/horror stories. The 'Bicycling Granny' and the 'Toffs' Death Race' yarn are mentioned. Inspector Brian Craddock of Surrey Police comments on the logistical impossibility of the 'Toffs' Death Race' due to the Dartford Tunnel.

Dartlington: Buds of Maybe

This article by Mike Amos and Paul Screeton investigates the legend of how Darlington locomotive number 2852 was allegedly named 'Darlington' by workers in defiance of management, who wanted to name it 'Sheffield Wednesday'. The story involves a night shift conspiracy and the creation of 'pirate' nameplates. The article discusses conflicting accounts and variations of the tale, citing sources like 'Railway World' and 'The Northern Echo'.

Newslines

• Rock 'n' Roll Heaven: Reports on the deaths of Liam Knight and the rumours surrounding Robert Smith of The Cure.
• Jim Morrison's 'Death': Discusses speculation surrounding Jim Morrison's demise, including claims of him being spotted in San Francisco and stealing peaches.
• Corn Circles: An article from 'Steam World' by Noel Ingram describes an event in 1962 that he links to corn circles, suggesting a connection to Mercury. The controversy over the Turin shroud is also mentioned, with a scientist calling it a hoax. Prof. Hiroshi Kikuchi's theory of electromagnetohydrodynamic vortices and the Crypto-Phenomenon Museum's conclusion that corn circles are runes are also noted.
• Chernobyl: Reports on a prediction by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society about a 'super-race' of hedgehogs due to nuclear fallout. It also mentions abnormally large plants near the Kyshtym accident site and Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut's comments on radioactivity testing.
• Fungi Fun: Discusses the folklore of drug trips and mushroom cults, referencing Martin Deeson's work.

Magazines

This section provides reviews and information on various magazines:

• Strange Magazine: Described as a US glossy professional magazine equivalent to Fortean Times.
• Fortean Times: Details its content and subscription information.
• The Wild Places: Information on its focus and subscription.
• Mercian Mysteries: A magazine for earth mysteries in the Midlands.
• Northern Earth Mysteries: Journal of the Northern Earth Mysteries Group.
• Touchstone: Published by the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group.
• Pendragon: Journal of the Pendragon Society.
• Wear Wolf: A sporadic zine.
• The Cereologist: The journal for crop circle studies.
• The Crop Watcher: A magazine focused on crop circles.
• The Circular: A journal of the Centre for Crop Circle Studies.
• CRR Newsletter: A publication from Colin Andrews and Pat Delgado.
• Northern UFO News: A magazine from Jenny Randles.
• UFO Brigantia: Journal of the Independent UFO Network.
• Magonia: An independent UFO magazine.

Books

The Devouring Fungus by Karla Jennings: A review of a book about the psychological strain of using computers.

Other Articles

• Folkloric Viewpoint: Advice on fly agaric, stressing its potential for nausea and giddiness rather than hallucinogenic pleasure.
• Alien Foxes: Speculation on the return of foxes to the Isle of Man after 1,000 years.
• Tattoo Hoax: Discusses a hoax involving tattoo stickers laced with drugs, which fooled some authorities.
• Dolphin Outrage: Reports on charges brought against a man for allegedly groping a dolphin. It also includes anecdotes about a bull seal and lustful deer.
• Strangeways Indeed: Mentions the Press Council censoring a tabloid newspaper for presenting speculation as fact in its reporting of the Strangeways riot.
• Turtle Threat: Concerns about red-eared terrapins, possibly released by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans, breeding in UK wildlife.
• Child Abuse Social Workers: Police dropped a probe into allegations of bogus social workers trying to examine young children.
• Killer Fish: Reports on large catfish being released into the Norfolk Broads.
• Cot Deaths: A new theory suggesting nightmares or fear on waking may precipitate cot deaths.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of urban legends, forteana, unexplained phenomena, and curious historical anecdotes. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into these subjects, often presenting multiple perspectives and encouraging readers to share their own experiences and research. There is a clear interest in debunking hoaxes while also acknowledging the possibility of genuine mysteries. The inclusion of reader contributions and the review of numerous related publications indicate a commitment to fostering a community of interest in folklore and the unexplained.