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Alongside Rosicrucianism, Gardner had also been pursuing other interests.
In 1939, Gardner joined the Folk-Lore Society ; his first contribution to its journal Folk-Lore, appeared in the June 1939 issue and described a box of witchcraft relics that he believed had belonged to the 17th century " Witch-Finder General ", Matthew Hopkins.
Subsequently, in 1946 he would go on to become a member of the society's governing council, although most other members of the society were wary of him and his academic credentials.
Gardner would also join the Historical Association, being elected Co-President of its Bournemouth and Christchurch branch in June 1944, following which he became a vocal supporter for the construction of a local museum for the Christchurch borough.
He also involved himself in preparations for the impending war, joining the Air Raid Precautions ( ARP ) as a warden, where he soon rose to a position of local seniority, with his own house being assigned as the ARP post.
In 1940, following the outbreak of conflict, he also tried to sign up for the Local Defence Volunteers, or " Home Guard ", but was turned away because he was already an ARP warden.
He managed to circumvent this restriction by joining his local Home Guard in the capacity as armourer, which was officially classified as technical staff.
Gardner took a strong interest in the Home Guard, helping to arm his fellows from his own personal weaponry collection and personally manufacturing molotov cocktails.

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