Cottingley Fairies

The Cottingley Fairies: A Century-Old Phenomenon

The History and Background

In 1917, two young girls from West Yorkshire, England, named Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, claimed to have photographed fairies in their garden. What began as a playful game quickly escalated into one of the most enduring mysteries in modern paranormal history. The photographs, taken between 1917 and 1920, sparked global interest and debate among skeptics and believers alike.

Key Events or Sightings

The first photograph was taken on May 5, 1917, by Frances Griffiths at a stone bridge near Elsie’s house. The image shows Frances with what appears to be a small fairy figure standing in the grass. A year later, in August 1918, Elsie took two more photographs, now featuring both girls with fairies in the garden.

The second set of photographs, particularly the one showing Elsie and a fairy sitting on a bench, became the most famous of the series. The images gained widespread attention after being published in The Daily Mail newspaper on December 23, 1918, under the headline “Fairy Photographs.”

Witness Accounts or Evidence

Elsie Wright, born in 1906 and Frances Griffiths, born in 1907, were cousins living with their parents at Cottingley. They claimed that fairies visited them regularly and that they had witnessed them playing near the stone bridge where the first photograph was taken.

Elsie’s father, Arthur Wright, initially dismissed his daughter’s claims as imagination or even pranks, but he eventually took an interest in the photographs. He helped Elsie retake the second set of photographs, which were also convincing to many early viewers. The Wrights kept their involvement a secret until 1981 when Elsie revealed that her father had assisted with the photography.

Investigations or Research

The first major investigation came from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Impressed by the photographs and convinced of their authenticity, Doyle wrote about them in his book The Coming of the Fairies (1920). He claimed that the fairies were genuine evidence for spiritualism.

In 1983, Jeanie Webb, a historian from the University of Hull, conducted extensive research into the Cottingley Fairies. She discovered that Elsie and Frances had used cardboard cutouts and a telescope to create the images. They also used a camera technique known as “double exposure” to superimpose fairies onto existing photos.

The Current Status / Ongoing Mystery

Despite the revelations about the hoax, the photographs continue to fascinate people around the world. In 2017, the BBC produced a documentary called The Cottingley Fairies: A Century of Enchantment, which featured interviews with experts and reenacted the events.

Frequently Asked Questions (5 Q&A pairs)

Q: Were the Cottingley Fairies photographs genuine?

A: The images are now known to be hoaxes, but their initial authenticity was widely believed. Elsie Wright used a telescope and cardboard cutouts to create the fairies, while her father helped by assisting with retakes.

Q: Who were the main characters behind the Cottingley Fairies hoax?

A: The main characters were Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths. Their cousin, Elsie’s father Arthur Wright, assisted in creating some of the photographs but kept his involvement a secret until 1981.

Q: How did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle become involved with the Cottingley Fairies case?

A: As a believer in spiritualism, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was intrigued by the photographs and wrote about them in *The Coming of the Fairies*, claiming that they were genuine evidence for the existence of fairies.

Q: What techniques did Elsie Wright use to create the Cottingley Fairies images?

A: Elsie used a telescope to create the illusion of distance between herself and the fairy figures, which she cut out from photographs. She also employed double exposure photography to superimpose the fairies onto other images.

Q: Why do people still believe in the authenticity of the Cottingley Fairies photographs?

A: Despite evidence to the contrary, the photographs continue to captivate imaginations due to their enduring charm and mystery. Many find it easier to accept the existence of fairies than to dismiss the possibility entirely, leading some to cling to the belief that they are genuine.