Page "Gerald Gardner (Wiccan)" Paragraph 9

In 1907 Gardner returned to Britain for several months ' leave, spending time with his family and joining the Legion of Frontiersmen, a militia founded to repel the threat of German invasion.

During his visit, Gardner spent a lot of time with family relations known as the Sergenesons.

Gerald became very friendly with this side of his family, whom his Anglican parents avoided because they were Methodists.

According to Gardner, the Surgenesons readily talked about the paranormal with him ; the patriarch of the family, Ted Surgeneson, believed that fairies were living in his garden and would say " I can often feel they're there, and sometimes I've seen them ", though he readily admitted the possibility that it was all in his imagination.

It was from the Sergenesons that Gardner claimed to have discovered a family rumour that his grandfather, Joseph, had been a practicing witch, after being converted to the practice by his mistress.

Another unconfirmed family belief repeated by Gardner was that a Scottish ancestor, Grissell Gairdner, had been burned as a witch in Newburgh in 1610.