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George Knowles

(Man in Black)

A brief biography

I was born in Oldham, Lancashire, on the 24th July 1954.  Raised in a number of state childcare facilities, I was deprived of a parental upbringing due to the instability of the family unit.  As such from the age of three, I spent most of my early years being shunted around from one facility to another.  In my teen years I was sent to a foster home in Blackpool (the famous holiday resort on the northwest coast of England), and there I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I now consider Blackpool my hometown and frequently return there when I feel the need to rejuvenate myself. 

I was educated in standard Secondary Modern State Schools and had a particular propensity for Music, Art and History.  I left school as soon as I could however, sadly passing the opportunity of further collage education (much to the regret of my teachers).  My main concern at the time was independence from the clutches of state control.  I'd had enough of the stigma associated with being an orphan, and wanted the freedom to make my own decisions concerning my own life and career (see Photo Gallery).   

After leaving school I spent a few years educating myself in manly pursuits (Photo Gallery), before settling for a career in the Army aged 20.  I spent the next 11 years in the armed forces working as a musician playing Cornet, Trumpet and Euphonium (Photo Gallery).  As a civilian, I have worked mainly as a Licensee and Manager of Pubs, Clubs and Hotels (Photo Gallery).  In 1989, I set up my own business as a Driving Instructor and operated my own Driving School, before returning to the License Trade due to the recession in 1993.

Fed up with the fickle nature of the general public, after the turn of the century 2000, I again quit the license trade and took up employment in the Security Industry.  This allows me the solitude and time to concentrate on my new interests "Writing and the History Witchcraft".  My interest in writing started after buying my first computer, and while researching a controversial article for this website I was led into the subject of Paganism and Witchcraft.  I have to say that my initial findings were indeed controversial, but to my skeptical mind at least none of it seemed credible, so I decided to dig deeper.   The more I found and researched, the more it felt like I was working my way home.  I'm still a skeptic however and don’t follow any particular craft or tradition, but work quietly from my home called "Pagan Place" (Photo Gallery) as an Eclectic Solitary practitioner.  My craft name is Man in Black.

Qualifications

As can be seen from the above, I have no academic qualifications to speak of, so you will not find anything here difficult to read.  I am not a scholar or trained researcher, nor am I associated with any educational bodies, organizations or secret esoteric groups.  I am not a professional writer, nor a published author, except for the articles you will find here on this website and others I have contributed to on the WWW.  Neither do I have access to rare documents held in private collections or specialized libraries.  I also have no appreciable prestige in the Wiccan, Witchcraft or Pagan communities, which means I am not out to impress anyone and have no axe to grind against anyone.  I started this website out of self-interest, and while I have my own opinions in some areas covered, I have tried to present the facts as best I can, honestly and without bigotry.  I therefore hope you all enjoy this website??

My dog "Ben"

"Ben" has been with me since 1989, my humble friend and companion.  In all that time, through thick and thin, and my up's and down's,  we have never been apart.  Though he has just passed twelve years old, he is still full of life and mischief.  He has a peculiar "sticky-up-ear" which enhances his character and personality.

Sadly I have to report that at 0400 am two days after Christmas 2001, I let Ben out into my garden and despite searches by myself, neighbours, police and dog wardens, he has not been seen since.  After 13 years in my company he is sorely missed and in my thoughts often, though strangely whatever happened or wherever he be, I feel sure he is well and being looked after.  In the meantime life goes on, and would you believe my home has since been adopted by a green eyed black cat with a single white spot on her chest called 'Jenny'.  As with most felines however, she was a little bossy and vocal initially, but since I put my foot down (and out) we now seem to be living in harmony, hehehe.  

 

Have a nice Day.

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Re-set 18 April 2009

 

Site Contents - Links to all Pages

Home Page

A Universal Message

Let there be peace in the world  -  Where have all the flowers gone?

  My Personal Page My Life - Photo GalleryMy Place in England, UK /  

Wicca & Witchcraft

Wicca/Witchcraft /  What is WiccaWhat is Magick

Traditional Writings:   Wiccan RedeCharge of the GoddessCharge of the God  /  The Three-Fold Law (includes The Law of Power and The Four Powers of the Magus) /  The Witches ChantThe Witches CreedDescent of the GoddessDrawing Down the MoonThe Great Rite InvocationInvocation of the Horned GodThe 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief  

Correspondence Tables:  IncenseCandlesColoursMagickal DaysStones and GemsElements and Elementals

Traditions Part 1  -  Alexandrian Wicca /  Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) /  Ár Ndraíocht Féin (ADF) /  Blue Star Wicca /  British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft) /  Celtic Wicca /  Ceremonial Magic /  Chaos Magic /  Church and School of Wicca /  Circle Sanctuary /  Covenant of the Goddess (COG) /  Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) /  Cyber Wicca /  Dianic Wicca /  Eclectic Wicca /  Feri Wicca /

Traditions Part 2 Gardnerian Wicca /  Georgian Tradition /  Hereditary Witchcraft /  Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (H.O.G.D.) /  Kitchen Witch (Hedge Witch) /  Minoan Brotherhood and Minoan Sisterhood Tradition /  Nordic Paganism /  Pagan Federation /  Pectic-Wita /  Seax-Wica /  Shamanism /  Solitary /  Strega /  Sylvan Tradition /  Vodoun or Voodoo /  Witches League of Public Awareness (WLPA) /

Gods and Goddesses (Greek Mythology)Esbats & Full MoonsLinks to Personal Friends & ResourcesWicca/Witchcraft ResourcesWhat's a spell?Circle Casting and Sacred Space /  Pentagram - PentacleMarks of a WitchThe Witches PowerThe Witches HatAn esoteric guide to visiting LondonSatanismPow-wowThe Unitarian Universalist Association /  Numerology:  Part 1  /  Part 2 Part 3

Sabbats in History and Mythology /  Samhain (October 31st)  /  Yule (December 21st)  /  Imbolc (February 2nd)  /  Ostara (March 21st)  /  Beltane (April 30th)  /  Litha (June 21st)  /  Lughnasadh (August 1st)  /  Mabon (September 21st)

Sabbat Rituals contributed by Crone:  Samhain / YuleImbolc /  

Tools of a Witch  /  The Besom (Broom) /  Poppets and DollsPendulums /

Animals in Witchcraft (The Witches Familiar) /  AntelopeOwl /  Fox /  Frog and Toads /  Serpent /  Pig /  Raven /  Stag /  Goat /  Wolf /  Horse /  Bats /  Mouse /  Cat / SpiderCrowLionRobin RedbreastSquirrel / KangarooPhoenixSheepRabbits and Hares

In Worship of Trees - Myths, Lore and the Celtic Tree Calendar.  For descriptions and correspondences of the thirteen sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft see the following:  Birch /  Rowan / Ash /  Alder /  Willow /  Hawthorn /  Oak /  Holly /  Hazel /  Vine /  Ivy /  Reed /  ElderAlso see:  The Willow Tree (Folk Music)

 

Mystical Sacred Sites  -  Stonehenge /  Glastonbury Tor /  Malta - The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni /  Avebury /  Cerne Abbas - The Chalk Giant /  Ireland - Newgrange /

 

A history of the Malleus Maleficarum:  includes:  Pope Innocent VIII  /  The papal Bull  /   The Malleus Maleficarum  /  An extract from the Malleus Maleficarum  /  The letter of approbation  /  Johann Nider’s Formicarius  /  Jacob Sprenger  /  Heinrich Kramer  /  Stefano Infessura  /  Montague Summers  /  The Waldenses  /  The Albigenses  /  The Hussites.

Rocks and Stones contributed by Patricia Jean Martin:  Stones - History, Myths and LoreAmber AmethystAquamarineAragoniteAventurineBlack TourmalineBloodstoneCalciteCarnelianCelestiteCitrineFluoriteGarnet /  HematiteLabradoriteLapis LazuliMalachiteMoonstoneObsidianOpalPyriteQuartz (Rock Crystal)Rose QuartzRubySeleniteSeraphinite  / Smoky QuartzSodaliteSunstoneTree AgateZebra Marble

Wisdom:  Knowledge vs Wisdom by Ardriana Cahill I Talk to the TreesAwakeningThe Witch in You

Articles and Stories about Witchcraft:  Murder by WitchcraftThe Fairy Witch of ClonmelA Battleship, U-boat, and a WitchThe Troll-Tear (A story for Children)Goody Hawkins - The Wise Goodwife /  The Story of Jack-O-LanternThe Murder of the Hammersmith Ghost Josephine Gray (The Infamous Black Widow) /  The Two Brothers - Light and Dark

Biographies

Witches, Pagans and other associated People.

Ancient, Past and Present

Abramelin the MageAgrippaAidan A. KellyAlbertus Magnus “Albert the Great”Aleister Crowley “The Great Beast” Alex Sanders "the King of the Witches” Alison HarlowAnna Franklin /  Anodea JudithAnton Szandor LaVey  / Arnold CrowtherArthur Edward Waite Austin Osman SpareBiddy EarlyBridget ClearyCarl Llewellyn WeschckeCecil Hugh WilliamsonCharles Godfrey LelandCharles WaltonDion FortuneDorothy MorrisonDoreen ValienteEdward FitchEleanor Ray Bone “Matriarch of British Witchcraft” /  Dr. John Dee and Edward KellyDr. Leo Louis Martello /  Eliphas LeviFiona Horne /  Friedrich von SpeeFrancis Barrett /  Gerald B. GardnerGavin and Yvonne Frost and the School and Church of Wicca /  Gwydion PendderwenHans Holzer /  Helen DuncanHerman Slater "Horrible Herman" /  Israel RegardieJames "Cunning" MurrellJanet Farrar & Gavin BoneJessie Wicker Bell “Lady Sheba” /  John George Hohman /  John GerardJohn Michael Greer /  John ScoreJohannes Junius the Burgomaster of Bamberg /  Karl von EckartshausenLaurie Cabot "the Official Witch of Salem" /  Margaret Alice MurrayMargot AdlerMarie Laveau the " Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" /  Matthew Hopkins “The Witch-Finder General”Monique Wilson the “Queen of the WitchesMontague SummersNicholas CulpeperNicholas RemyM. R. SellersOberon and Morning Glory Zell-RavenheartOld Dorothy ClutterbuckOld George Pickingill /   Paddy SladePamela Colman-SmithParacelsusPatricia CrowtherPatricia “Trish” TelescoPhilip Emmons Isaac Bonewits Philip HeseltonRaymond BucklandReginald ScotRobert CochraneRobert ‘von Ranke’ Graves and "The White Goddess" /  Sabrina - The Ink WitchRosaleen Norton “The Witch of Kings Cross” /  Ross Nichols and The Order of Bards, Ovates & DruidsScott CunninghamSir Francis DashwoodSir James George FrazerS.L. MacGregor Mathers and the “Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn” /  Stewart FarrarSybil LeekTed AndrewsThe Mather Family - includes: Richard Mather, Increase Mather, Cotton Mather /  Thomas AdyVictor Henry AndersonVivianne CrowleyWalter Brown GibsonWilliam Butler YeatsZsuzsanna Budapest

Old Masters of Academia:  Pliny the ElderHesiodPythagoras 

Email_Witches

My online email discussion group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Email_Witches

 

Dove of Peace

Help send a message of peace around the world!  The Dove of Peace flies from site to site, through as many countries as possible.  It does not belong to ANY belief system.  Please help make a line around the globe by taking it with you to your site, by giving it to someone for their site, by passing it on to another continent or to the conflict areas of the world.  May trouble and strife be vanquished in it's path.

 

 

 

 

 

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