THE DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH AND POST

Dundee, Angus, Scotland

24 November 1909

(page 4)

CALLED HIMSELF MACGREGOR.

AND WAS SO MUCH ATTACHED TO SCOTLAND.

THAT HE WORE THE KILT.

Lord Salvesen, in the Court of Session to-day, heard evidence in the action of divorce by Rose Edith Kelly or Skerrett or Crowley, The Vicarage, Camberwell, London, against Alistor Macgregor Crowley, formerly Edward Alexander Crowley, of Boleskine, Foyers, Inverness-shire.

The pursuer said that she was a daughter of the Rev. F. F. Kelly, vicar of Camberwell, London, and was married in 1897 to Captain F. T. Skerrett [Frederick Thomas Skerrett], who died two years later. In 1902 she was staying in Paris with her brother, Mr Gerald F. Kelly, an artist, and while there she made the acquaintance of the defender.

Was he then calling himself Alister Crowley?—No; he was then Count Skellet. She knew, however that his real name was Alexander Edward Crowley. Later he called himself Macgregor in order to identify himself with Scotland. In July, 1903, she went to Strathpeffer, and again met the defender. He then called himself Alister Croetlent Macgregor. She knew he bought Boleskine before 1900, and that his home was there. It was the only house he ever had. He was much attached to Scotland, and tried to identify himself with it as much as possible.

He gave out that he was a Scotsman. At Strathpeffer he asked her to marry him, and she consented. On Aug. 12. 1903, they were married in the Scottish fashion, and the marriage was registered in the usual way. In the marriage certificate he gave his name as MacGregor, but his father’s name was given as Edward Crowley. They went abroad for the honeymoon, and subsequently resided at Boleskine. Shortly after the marriage defender assumed the title of Lord Boleskine, and said that he did so because people in Scotland took the name of their estates. The defender was a little eccentric. In June, 1904, the first child [Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hectate Sappho Jezebel Lilith] was born, but died in infancy. For a year they travelled in the East, and in 1906 were in Hong Kong. He left her to return home by America, telling her to go straight back to England. She was annoyed at the way he left her. A child [Lola Zaza] was born in her father’s house in September, 1906. Parties then lived at Chislehurst for two years, and in March, 1908, went to Warwick Road, Earl’s Court, where the house was taken in her name. Her husband was becoming impecunious. She left him there on July 21 last. He had abused her, and she consulted her solicitor about his conduct. On August 5 she learned from the charwoman that the defender had had a woman in the house the night before, that the defender asked her sometimes to take care of a child for one of his friends. She thought it was his friend’s child, but, accidentally opening a letter, she learned that the mother was a Miss Swee, and witness called on her and learned that the defender was the father of the child.

In reply to the Judge, witness said her father was Irish and she was born in England. Miss Swee had been employed at Burlington Arcade. The defender was so fearfully interested in the child that he asked her to go to Scotland with it, and take her own also, but she did not go. When she taxed the defender the latter said that the letter referred to his friend. When she learned the truth she asked the friend why he did not tell her. Mrs Danby, the charwoman, said that the defender about midnight on August 4 rang for two cups of tea, which witness took to the library.

After further evidence, decree was granted, with custody, and ailment for the child.