Club Meeting:- Speaker Derek Rooke

The Pendle Witches by Derek Rooke

Derek Rooke gave a very detailed talk on witchcraft, and in particular the story of the Pendle Witches in the 17^th Century. He began by giving an overview of witchcraft beginning in the Middle Ages with the belief that witchcraft could only be performed with the help of demons and the work of the Devil. Harmful sorcery involved bewitching a neighbour’s cattle or children, causing harm or illness and death, and destroying crops. English Laws against witchcraft deal almost entirely with the effects of enchantments and sorcery and in fact witchcraft in England was not a capital offence until 1542.

During the 16^th and 17^th Centuries there are a number of stories, including those in East Anglia in 1645-46 involving the seeking out of heresy by the lawyer Matthew Hopkins, who became known as the Witchfinder General. However, perhaps the most notorious witch trial of the 17^th Century was the legend of the Pendle Witches. The witches lived during the reigns of Elizabeth and James I and mostly lived in abject poverty. The full and only source of what really happened was a book written following the trial, by Thos Potts Clerk to the Court, in November 1612, and Derek took us through the details of some of the accused and their supposed deeds, which had led them to being branded witches. It was a fascinating insight into life at that time and of the unusual happenings that led to the accusations of witchcraft and the trials.

The vote of thanks was given by Ian McAlpine who thanked Derek for an interesting talk on an unusual topic.