THE BIRMINGHAM GAZETTE

Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

4 February 1930

(page 1)

OXFORD BAN ON LECTURE.

“Disciplinary Action if Delivered”

COPIES TO BE SOLD.

An extraordinary situation has arisen in connection with the Oxford University Poetry Society. A meeting had been arranged for last night to be addressed by Mr. Aleister Crowley on the subject of “The Medieval Magician,” but at the last minute the lecture was cancelled. The secretary of the society, Mr. H. Speaight [Hugh Speaight], sent a letter to Mr. Crowley as follows:—

I am writing to tell you that we have unfortunately been forced to cancel the meeting of the Poetry Society. It has come to our knowledge that if your proposed paper is delivered disciplinary action will be taken involving not only myself but the rest of the Committee of the Society. In these circumstances you will, I trust, understand why we have had to cancel the meeting.

Sandwich-men paraded the streets of Oxford yesterday afternoon announcing that the lecture [The Banned Lecture] which had been banned would be printed and on sale tomorrow.