- Eleanor Bone
Eleanor "Ray" Bone (1910-2001) was an influential figure in modern
witchcraft . She claimed to have been initiated in 1941 by a couple of hereditary witches inCumbria . She later met and became friends withGerald Gardner , and was initiated intoWicca , becoming the High Priestess in one of his covens. She was a friend of several important figures of the modern Wiccan revival, including "Dafo ",Jack Bracelin ,Patricia Crowther ,Doreen Valiente andIdries Shah . Bone was a close confidant of Gardner's initiator Dafo, and she reported that theNew Forest coven was a hereditary coven that followed the old ways of theHampshire region, and that they traced their origins to the time of the death of KingWilliam Rufus in the Norman era. [http://www.hexarchive.com/obituary/eleanor.htm Eleanor Bone obituary] from hexArchive.com. Retrieved2007-02-19 ] [http://www.hexarchive.com/wicca/eleanorbone.htm Fragment of an interview with Eleanor Bone] from hexArchive.com. Retrieved2007-02-19 ]Bone was regarded by some as the "Matriarch of British Witchcraft". She founded a coven in south London in the early 1960s. Among her initiatory down-line are Madge and Arthur Worthington, who went on to found the well-known Whitecroft line of
Gardnerian Wicca . [ [http://www.thewica.co.uk/Elders.htm Elders of the Wica] . Retrieved2007-02-05 .] In May 1966 Bone andPatricia Crowther combined to denounceAlex Sanders , whom they accused of having an invalid initiation. According toRonald Hutton , his response was to claim an entirely independent, traditional line of descent, leading ultimately to the appearance ofAlexandrian Wicca as an entity separate fromGardnerian Wicca .There is some confusion over the spelling of Ray Bone's preferred first name: many modern authors and websites give it as 'Rae', possibly in confusion with
Rae Beth . A 1964 article and photograph from the UK magazine 'Tit-Bits' gives the authoritative spelling. [Glenda Banks [http://www.thewica.co.uk/book%2064%20068s.jpg"As a Matron and as a Witch"] , interview with Ray Bone, Tit-Bits, week ending 6th June 1964]References
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