As Related by P. J. Sinnott

from

page 2 of the 27 December 1952 issue of the

Times-Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)

Roundabout.

By P. J. Sinnott.

Aleister Crowley, referred to as “The Beast 666” in an article on Black Magic in the heart of London in the magazine section of the Victoria Daily Times, was an even more remarkable character than Ex-Detective Superintendent Robert Fabian of Scotland Yard painted him.

Following the article on Satan worship and diabolical rites in England by a cult who bow to sin as their god, P. J. Sinnott, Victoria lawyer, writes more, from his personal knowledge, of one of the leaders at whose funeral the rites of Pan were solemnly used, instead of a Christian funeral service.

The reference to Aleister Crowley (The Beast 666) in the recent installment of Inspector Fabian’s experience as a Scotland Yard investigator, recalls memories of my student days in the chambers of a Scottish firm of lawyers.

I knew Aleister Crowley, one of our important clients, when he purchased a small estate in the Scottish Highlands.

Crowley was an Englishman.

 For some reason best known to himself he wished to become a Scot and legally took the name of Alaistair Crowley Macgregor. With his small estate at Boleskine he made an excellent attempt to secure acceptance by the landed proprietors as a member of the higher social strata of the county.

NOCTURNAL HAPPENINGS.

At Boleskine House there were strange nocturnal happenings, terrified maids, absurd shooting of domestic animals and other disturbing incidents.

Crowley was an eccentric and probably a border-line case but, having become somewhat of a socialite, his peculiarities seem to have been overlooked.

NOW “LORD BOLESKINE.”

Later he joined a party that set out to climb Mount Everest but at the Tibetan foothills a bitter quarrel developed and Crowley left on an expedition to Saudi Arabia where, after the fashion of Lawrence of Arabia, he succeeded in ingratiating himself with an Arab Chief who bestowed upon him the title Kahn.

When he returned to the Highlands he announced that he was now Lord Boleskine by virtue of his Arabian title.

He had silver plate engraved with a coat-of-arms of his own design and stationary to match.

He received a good welcome. His self-bestowed title was accepted without argument.

BUILT, MIRRORED TEMPLE.

Boleskine House was renovated and “Lord Boleskine” built a mirrored temple of circular design where he could go into retreat from time to time and engage in certain ritualistic performances. His meals were pushed through a sliding door by maids but no one was permitted within the temple.

Making another of his sudden decisions he decided to become the founder of “The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Scotland.” Although probably there was no place in the world where there was less need for such a society at that time than Scotland. Nevertheless a number of attractive stenographers were dispatched by my employers to Boleskine House, reams of evangelistic writings poured from the office of the society.

Then the society folded up with the same suddenness that marked its founding.

Mundane titles lost their appeal for Crowley. He renounced his Highland name, flouted Scotland and Christian religion and went to London to propagate belief in Black Magic.

Finally, as Inspector Fabian points out, he was buried at Brighton according to the rites of Pan.