THE WESTERN EVENING HERALD

Plymouth, Devon, England

25 November 1909

(page 2)

“MACGREGOR.”

KILTED “LORD” IN AMUSING

DIVORCE SUIT.

“COUNT” AND CABALIST.

In the Court of Session at Edinburgh, to-day. Lord Salvesen heard evidence in an undefended divorce suit brought Rose Edith Kelly or Skerrett or Crowley, against Alister Macgregor Crowley, formerly called Edward Alexander Crowley, of Boleskine Foyers. Inverness-shire, and residing at Warwick-road. Earl’s Court, London.

The plaintiff, who was thirty-five, said that she was married in 1897 to Captain F. T. Skerrett [Frederick Thomas Skerrett]. Who died two years later. In 1902, she met defendant in Paris in the studio of her brother. Mr. Gerald F. Kelly, an artist. He then called himself “Count Skellet,” although she knew his real name. Later he called himself “Macgregor” to identify himself with Scotland, where he had bought an estate. He wore the kilt, and all that sort of thing.

At Strathpeffer, in August 1903, the marriage took place, and shortly afterwards he called himself “Lord Boleskine,” because he said people in Scotland called themselves after their estates. He was a little eccentric, said plaintiff.

They travelled abroad, she continued, and while at Hong Kong in 1906 he left her to go home by America, telling her to go straight to England. Subsequently they lived at Chislehurst.

He had ill-treated her and she left him in July last. By accidentally opening a letter, she ascertained that he was the father of a child by another lady.

Other evidence having been given, his lordship, after glancing at the defendant’s photo, said that he looked as if he belonged to the stage.

Counsel replied that the defendant as a literary character, and affected the artistic.

The “Temple” of Boleskine:

Mr. Gerald Festus Kelly, an artist, said he became acquainted with the defendant when they were undergraduates at Cambridge. After voyaging round the world the defendant lived with Witness at Paris. Defendant was very proud of having, as he thought, Scottish blood in his veins. He had curious ideas of how to fit up a house. He put mirrors round a room at Boleskine and called it a temple. He invented a new kind of religion. He was a Cabalist, and studied ancient manuscripts.

Writing to witness from abroad, he sometimes signed himself “Macgregor” and sometimes “Crowley.” He changed his name from Alexander to Aleister because it was Scottish. Defendant got some mark of distinction from an Indian chief, and thereupon called himself “Lord” Boleskine. There was a lot of land round Boleskine, but it was mostly perpendicular. (Laughter.) The defendant appeared in complete Highland costume, and the “Macgregor” tartan was very, very bright. (Laughter.)

The Judge—Personally, I never have been able to get up any admiration for the Macgregor tartan from an artistic point of view. (Laughter.) Its associations, of course, are very romantic.

Defendant’s father, continued witness, was a Plymouth Brethren. He had lots of money, but was stupid where money was concerned.

His Lordship said he thought he might assume that defendant’s domicile was Scottish, whatever it was originally. He granted a decree, with the custody of the child, and £52 a year ailment for it.