Gerald Gardner died today back in 1964.
Gerald Brousseau Gardner (June 13, 1884 - February 12, 1964), who sometimes used the craft name Scire, was an English civil servant, amateur anthropologist and archaeologist, writer, weaponry expert and occultist who published some of the definitive texts for the religion of Wicca, which he was instrumental in bringing to public attention through his 1954 book, Witchcraft Today.
Gardner claimed that Wicca was the survival of a pre-Christian pagan Witch cult that he had been initiated into by a New Forest coven. The tradition as he subsequently popularised it through the Bricket Wood coven (of which he acted as High Priest) became known as Gardnerian Wicca, and this in turn spawned or inspired numerous other branches and traditions of Wicca. For this, he has sometimes been referred to as "the father of Wicca".
Love him or hate him, the man led one heck of a life. The Wikipedia entry for him is an interesting read if nothing else.
I find it somewhat telling of our times, that we haven't any pioneers like this anymore. Everyone likes to complain about what is wrong, but when is the last time you (REALLY) saw someone unass the couch and actually do something? It's all become such a blame game with little to no responsibility... It really makes you wonder - what would Gardner think of what it has all become???
Sad really. Disheartening...
Where are our movers and shakers now?
Have we any left?
