The Founder of Wicca: Gerald Gardner

     Gerald Gardener is a very important figure in the history of today's neo-pagan system of Wicca. Gerald Gardener was born in Blundellsands, England on June 13, 1884 to a wealthy family, and grew up to study about the far east, archaeology, and mythology.
     In 1939 he became aquatinted with a group, or coven, practicing magick called, The Fellowship of Crotona, which was located in the New Forest area of Hampshire. This coven, which was being lead by the High Priestess named Dorothy Clutterbuck, claimed to be the descendants of Witches that practiced real magick for centuries. Gerald became interested and, days before the outbreak of World War II, was initiated into the coven.
     While attending a large ritual to stop the invasion of England by Germany in the summer of 1940, Gerald met up with some very influential magicians. One of these influential magicians was named Aleister Crowley, who made a very deep impression on him. Later, in 1946, while still a member of The Fellowship of Crotona, Aleister Crowley gave Gerald an honorable membership to the Ordo Temli Orientis, or simply the O.T.O.
     Gerald was also a member of the Ancient Druid Order, or ADO, until 1946. At this time Gerald was still friends with the founder of the Order of Ovates and Druids, or OBOD, Ross Nichols. Ross Nichols also helped to contribute directly to Geralds book that was written in 1954 which was called, "Witchcraft  Today".
     Gerald still wanted to write about the survival of Witchcraft, but was unable to because such practices where still against English law. However, this law was repealed in 1951, and Gerald began to express his beliefs through books dealing with the Craft practices. He soon left The Fellowship of Crotona and formed his own coven, which included all of his own ideas based on his archeological research, the knowledge he gained from Aleister Crowley, and his many years of study and experience. This, as we know it, was the first organized coven of Wicca.
     The coven that Gerald established utilized the rituals he had written about in "High Magicks Aid", in 1949. In 1953 Garner initiated a poet named Dorine Valentine. Together they worked on material that was later published as "The Garderian Book Of Shadows".
     Soon, his book, "Witchcraft Today", published in 1954, became so popular that media interest in Gerald took off, and he was nicknamed "Britain's Chief Witch". A short time later, covens began popping up throughout England. His next book, "The Meaning of Witchcraft" was published in 1959.
     A few years later, Donna, the Englishwoman that Gerald had married in 1927 passed away. After this Gerald begin suffering from asthma and would vacation in the middle east to relieve the condition.
     In 1960 Gerald was invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his distinguished civil service work in the Far East. It was also on one of these trips to the Far East to relieve his asthma condition Gerald meet an Englishman, known as Raymond Buckland. It was because of Raymond Buckland that made Garderian Witchcraft to popularity in North America. However, Raymond soon formed his own brand of Wicca known as Seax-Wicca.
     On February 12, 1964 while Gerald Gardner was on a return trip to his home from the Middle East he died.