Folklore Frontiers - No 029

Magazine Overview

Title: Folklore Frontiers
Issue: 29
Date: February, 1997
Publisher: Paul Screeton

Folklore Frontiers is an independent magazine dedicated to exploring folklore, with a particular focus on contemporary callers and actions. It is edited and published by Paul Screeton at 5 Egton Drive, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, TS25 2AT. A subscription for four issues costs £5.

Cover Story: The Devil's Driven Off in a Capri

The cover of this issue highlights a remarkable event where a white witch, Kevin Carlyon, exorcised a purple Ford Capri. The car's new owner, Keith Tagliaferro, had sought the witch's help due to the car's number plate, ARK 666Y, which he feared linked it to the Devil and had caused bad luck for previous owners. Tagliaferro believes the plate is now worth £10,000. The article, written by Carla Moss, notes that the DVLA stopped issuing plates with the number 666 in 1991. Carlyon described a struggle between good and evil during the exorcism, which involved sprinkling the car and plate with pagan holy water. Ironically, Carlyon's own car broke down immediately after the ceremony.

Offbeat Tales from the Parish Pump

This section, featured in 'The Mail' and 'The Sport', presents a collection of human-interest stories that balance the often negative news in newspapers. These tales focus on unusual or quirky situations encountered by ordinary people. The 'Parish Pump' column is noted for highlighting local individuals, with some achieving wider recognition.

Bullets and Bibles: A Fortean Perspective

This extensive article delves into the phenomenon of objects, most famously Bibles, stopping bullets. The author, likely Mick Goss writing as himself, explores the origins of this narrative, referencing Mark Twain and Charles Fort. It examines how this trope has evolved from religious narratives to more secularized versions, where everyday items like wallets, credit cards, or even clothing accessories can inexplicably halt bullets. The article cites numerous anecdotes from sources like 'Fate' magazine and 'Fortean Times', illustrating how money, diaries, and even a whalebone corset have served as protective shields. The piece questions the 'truth' of these stories, suggesting they are more about the narrative's purpose and the human fascination with the extraordinary than factual reporting.

The Chequers: Paranormal Powers

This article by Kate Brinton details the experiences of Josh Reid and his wife Kay, licensees of 'The Chequers' pub in Chipping Norton. Since taking over the pub in February 1991, they have encountered several unexplained occurrences. Initially skeptical, they were influenced by local tales about a pair of children's shoes in a cabinet, which were believed to bring bad luck if moved. After experiencing persistent problems, they returned the shoes, after which their luck reportedly improved. However, the most convincing paranormal event for Josh was seeing a figure walking down the corridor, an experience corroborated by his cat's agitated reaction.

Book Reviews

The magazine includes reviews of several books:

• The Legend of the Sockburn Worm - The dragon of the Tees by Paul Telfer: Described as fascinating but confusing, the book attempts to unravel the legend of the Sockburn Worm. The reviewer, Paul Screeton, challenges some of the author's claims and artistic license, suggesting the Lambton Worm is a more famous dragon legend in the North of England.
• Medieval Holidays & Festivals by Madeleine Peiner Cosman: This book details traditional medieval celebrations, including practical instructions for decorations, costumes, and recipes. It is presented as a way to reconnect with neglected traditions.
• The Wrath of Grapes by Andy Toper: Titled 'The Hangover Companion', this book lists degrees of hangovers. The reviewer, while finding some commentary helpful, suggests brisk exercise and fresh air as remedies.
• DICTIONARY OF EARTH MYSTERIES by Janet & Colin Bord: A guide to earth mysteries, with potted entries. The reviewer notes that while useful, some entries could have been more extended.
• A WHITE MERC WITH FINS by James Hawes: A well-received first novel about robbing a bank, praised for its pacing and prose.
• PAST LIVES, FUTURE LIVES by Jenny Cockell: A book exploring reincarnation and past lives, with a focus on the author's own experiences.
• CULTS by Michael Jordan: This book examines prophecies, practices, and personalities of controversial cults, both ancient and modern.
• GHOSTS & HAUNTED PLACES by Peter Underwood: An exploration of paranormal cases and their possible explanations.

Magazines Reviewed

The magazine also reviews several other publications:

• LETTERS TO AMBROSE MERTON: Features articles on ballad heroines, medieval traditions, and various other folklore topics.
• FORTEAN TIMES (Nos. 85, 86, 87): Covers a wide range of Fortean subjects including UFOs, cryptids, psychic detectives, and historical mysteries.
• MAGONIA: Focuses on interpreting contemporary visions and beliefs, with articles on UFOlogy and abduction phenomena.
• NORTHERN UFO NEWS: Discusses UFO sightings, editorial questions about the control of ufology, and features on aerial phenomena.
• AMSKAYA: A newsletter from the STAR Fellowship, featuring content related to Space Brothers and ufologists.

Other Short Articles and Anecdotes

• My Nipple Stopped Mugger's Bullet! by Julian Dyer: A housewife in Miami, Helen Gavin, miraculously escaped death when a mugger's bullet bounced off her bra.
• Suicide bungle kills love rival: An incident where a man attempting suicide accidentally shot and killed his love rival.
• Yule sprig pulled from teen's lung: A case where a Christmas tree sprig was found in a teenager's lung after nearly 15 years.
• Bung of a Gun: A bullet stuck fast in the barrel of an FBI agent's gun.
• Luck of the Draw: An FBI agent's gun barrel stopped a bullet aimed at him.
• Tonya saved by her bra / Wonderbra: Two accounts of women saved by their bras stopping bullets.
• TAIT'S GALLERY: A story about a child who grew a plant from a piece of wallpaper he ate.
• The Baled Boy: A tale told by a visiting health and safety executive about a farmer and his son.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Folklore Frontiers revolve around the unexplained, the supernatural, and the bizarre. The magazine consistently explores folklore, urban legends, ghost stories, and UFO phenomena, often drawing from newspaper clippings and anecdotal evidence. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-mindedness towards these subjects, presenting them for reader consideration rather than outright dismissal, even when the origins are questionable or the events seem fantastical. The publication seems to champion the idea that reality can be stranger than fiction, and that the 'miraculous' elements in stories are what make them compelling.

This document is a scan of page 20 from a magazine, likely a newsletter or journal focused on mysteries, UFOs, and related phenomena. The content appears to be a listing and brief description of various publications and reports, interspersed with short news items and letters.

Content Breakdown

Northern Earth Mysteries Group

• No. 37: Reprints a 1954 claim by Agnes Bernelle (wife of UFO investigator Desmond Leslie) that flying saucers would land the following year. It also mentions contactee George Hunt Williamson and includes letters, notes, and news.
• NORTHERN EARTH: Offers subscriptions for £1.70 for one issue or £6 for four. Cheques should be made out to the Northern Earth Mysteries Group at 10 Jubilee Street, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 5NP.
• No. 63: Discusses cases of strange light phenomena in linear features in the North of England. It features Gordon Harris on linear features on other planets, ghosts and odd stones in West Yorkshire, the significance of sun's dates related to an Irish peak, and includes book reviews and a Q&A feature.
• No. 64: Jeremy Harte argues that sex is not a prerequisite for childbirth and criticizes the editor for being unaware of fertility rites. It also notes the geographical location of Thorsons of Wellingborough. Mentions Great Ayton's "tailed" cairn, Edna Whelan's experience at a stone, and middle-Saxon church alignments.
• No. 65: Details discoveries on a West Yorkshire moor, Dutch astrology from c3500 BCE, constellation pits, and megalithic art. It presents two interpretations for megalithic art: drug-induced or territorial boundaries. It also mentions Bamburgh, Wade and Wade's Stone, and South Harris.

Touchstone

• TOUCHSTONE: A newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, costing £2 for 4 issues. Payment to J. Goddard at 25 Albert Road, Addlestone, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2PX.
• No. 43: Covers two Glastonbury ley centres, a Herts field trip, Dutch archaeological vandalism, and an astronomer's theory for dowsing efficacy.
• No. 44: Features Lionel Beer's report on a holy wells field trip, with editor Jimmy Goddard describing leys in Somerset. It also includes a reprint of a 1969 Surrey Comet article about Philip Heselton's formation of the Ley Hunters' Club, along with other miscellany and news.

Strange Magazine

• STRANGE MAGAZINE: Published twice yearly, costing £14.95 UK for 4 issues, including postage and packing. Cheques payable to "Mark Chorvinsky" at PO Box 2246, Rockville, Maryland, 20847, USA.
• No. 16: Explores topics such as living dinosaurs, cryptozoology with eight pages by Karl Shuker, Maryland Bigfoot, a critique of alien autopsy claims, a search for an obscure Pacific island, an exposed 1965 Warminster UFO photo, and a thunderbird photo search. It also includes book reviews.

The Ley Hunter

• THE LEY HUNTER: Offers 3 issues for £5.80, or $12 US surface mail. Sterling or US cheques/bills are payable to "The Ley Hunter" at PO Box 258, Cheltenham, Glos., GL53 0HR.
• No. 124: The final issue after 20 years, with editor Paul Devereux stepping down. The 1995 Core Moot is reviewed. Articles cover Egyptian topographical and symbolic relationships between temples and places, the geomantic relevance of vampires or giants, an obituary for Brinsley le Poer Trench by Paul Sreeton, and miscellaneous items of interest. The review section highlights contributions from Monica Sjoo and Ronald Hutton, and mentions "lunatic, lunatic frin gist gormless Gordon Harris."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this document are UFO sightings, ley lines, archaeological mysteries, folklore, and cryptozoology. The editorial stance appears to be one that encourages the exploration and reporting of unusual phenomena, with a focus on detailed case studies and historical claims. There is a clear interest in ancient sites, earth mysteries, and the paranormal, as evidenced by the publications and reports being reviewed and promoted.