In 1927, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave an interview which was recorded on film. The interview largely revolved around his beliefs in spiritualism. The video (above) presented the sections of the interview that focused on spiritualism and was followed by additional commentary on how spiritualism related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Here is the content of the clip:
“Curiously enough, my first experiences in that direction were just about the time when Sherlock Holmes was being built up in my mind. That would be about the year 1886 and 1887. So nobody can say that I formed my opinions on psychic matters very hastily. It’s been just 41 years now since I wrote a signed article on the subject which appeared in a magazine called Light, so I put myself on record. During these 41 years, I never lost any opportunity of reading, of studying, and of experimenting on this matter.”
“People ask me, will I write any more Sherlock Holmes stories? I certainly don’t think it’s at all probable. But as I grow older, the psychic subject always grows in intensity, and then one becomes more earnest upon it, and I should think that my few remaining years will probably be devoted much more in that direction than in the direction of literature. Nonetheless, of course, I haven’t abandoned writing, one has to earn one’s living. But my principal thoughts are that I should extend, if I can, that knowledge which I have on psychic matters, and spread it as far as I can to those who have been less fortunate.”
“But don’t for one moment suppose that I am taking it upon myself to say that I am the inventor of spiritualism, or that I am even the principal exponent of it. There are many great mediums, many great psychical researchers, investigators of all sorts. All that I can do is to be a gramophone on the subject, to go about, to meet people face to face, to try and make them understand that this thing is not the foolish thing which is so often represented, but that it really is a great philosophy and, as I think, the basis of all religious improvement in the future of the human race.”
“I suppose I’ve sat with more mediums, good and bad and indifferent than perhaps any living being. Anyhow, a larger variety because I’ve traveled so much all over the world. And wherever I’ve gone, either in Australia, America or South Africa, the best that there was to be had in that direction was put at my disposal. Therefore, when people come along and contradict me, who have had no experience at all, read little and perhaps never been to a seance, you can imagine that I don’t take their opposition very seriously.”
“When I talk on this subject, I’m not talking about what I believe, I’m not talking about what I think, I’m talking about what I know. There’s an enormous difference, believe me, between believing a thing and knowing a thing. I’m talking about things that I’ve handled, that I’ve seen, that I’ve heard with my own ears. And I always, mind you, in the presence of witnesses. I never risk hallucination. In most of my experiments, I have had six, eight, or ten witnesses, all of whom have seen and heard the same things that I have. Gradually, I became more and more convinced on the matter, as I studied year in, year out.”
“But it was only in the time of the war when all these splendid young fellows were disappearing from our view, and the whole world was saying, ‘Well, what’s become of them? Where are they? What are they doing now? Have they dissipated into nothing? Or are they still the grand fellows that we used to know?’ It was only at that time that I realized the overpowering importance to the human race of knowing more about this matter. Then it was that I flung myself more earnestly and that I felt the highest purpose that I could possibly devote the remainder of my life to was trying to bring across to other people something of that knowledge and assurance which I had acquired myself. Certainly, the results have justified me. I’m quite sure I could fill a room of my house with the letters that I’ve received.”
Analysis
The interview clearly showed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s firm beliefs in spiritualism. It also indicated that he was a bit naive about some of the evidence he evaluated, particularly in regard to the Cottingley Fairies. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known as the creator of the iconic character Sherlock Holmes. However, later in life, he became deeply interested in spiritualism and the paranormal. He came to believe that communication with the spirits of the deceased was possible through mediums. Doyle attended many seances and spirit-channeling sessions, where mediums claimed to contact lost loved ones, and he was convinced by the apparent messages and clues provided as evidence of their abilities.
However, it is now widely accepted that most mediums relied on trickery and cold reading techniques to fool their clients. One famous example was the Cottingley Faeries. In 1927, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was filmed during an interview, and his words largely centered around his spiritualist beliefs. Excerpts of this interview were shared, followed by commentary on Doyle’s connection to the spiritualist movement. Doyle recounted his initial encounters with spiritualism, which coincided with the period he was creating the character of Sherlock Holmes, around the years 1886 and 1887. He emphasized that his views were not hastily formed, having been involved with psychic studies for 41 years. He had declared his interest publicly in a signed article in the magazine Light and had since never missed an opportunity to learn more through reading, study, and experimentation.
Doyle speculated on the possibility of writing more Sherlock Holmes stories, but he deemed it unlikely, as his passion for psychic subjects had grown with age. He foresaw dedicating his remaining years to the cause of spiritualism rather than literature. Despite needing to earn a living, Doyle stated his primary goal was to expand and share his knowledge of psychic matters with those less enlightened.
He clarified that he was neither the founder of spiritualism nor its most prominent advocate, acknowledging the many great mediums and researchers who had contributed to the field. Doyle viewed himself as a “gramophone” for spiritualism, tasked with educating the public on its merits as a significant philosophical force and a potential foundation for the future of religious thought.
Doyle mentioned his extensive experience with mediums of varying abilities, having encountered many during his travels worldwide. He confidently dismissed critics who lacked his depth of experience, affirming that his talks were rooted in knowledge, not merely belief. His certainty was based on firsthand experiences, always corroborated by multiple witnesses to rule out the possibility of hallucinations. His belief had solidified over the years, and the casualties of war, with its many lost young soldiers, had underscored the vital importance of understanding spiritualism. Doyle felt an urgent need to impart the knowledge and assurance that he had gained, believing that the outcomes had vindicated his dedication to the movement.
Despite Doyle’s sincere convictions, his assessment of certain evidence, particularly the Cottingley Fairies, was seen as naive. Famous for creating the detective Sherlock Holmes, he later became an ardent devotee of spiritualism, convinced of the ability of the deceased to communicate through mediums. Doyle participated in numerous séances and placed his faith in the messages relayed by mediums, many of whom were later exposed as frauds using deception and cold reading techniques.
The Cottingley Fairies incident of 1917 involved two cousins who produced photographs claiming to depict real fairies. Doyle endorsed these images as authentic, which were later revealed to be hoaxes. Despite this, he continued to champion spiritualism and contributed to the magazine Light. His unwavering acceptance of spiritualist claims, even in the face of contradictory evidence, is now viewed as a significant oversight in his intellectual endeavors.
References
Doyle, A. C. (2006). The coming of the fairies. U of Nebraska Press.
Homer, M. W. (1990). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Spiritualism and” New Religions”. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 23(4), 97-121.
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