Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford Photographing Fairies
Apr 22, 2022
Dive into the whimsical world of two young girls who captured the imaginations of many with their fairy photographs. Discover how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fell for the Cottingley fairy hoax and how the belief in magic clashed with growing skepticism. Explore the art of deception woven into fairy photography and the intricate dynamics between the girls. Uncover the motivations and relationships behind the iconic images, blurring the lines between innocence and manipulation, belief and disbelief.
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Conan Doyle and the Fairies
- In 1920, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, encountered photos of fairies taken by two young girls.
- He declared them genuine, sparking controversy and raising questions about his judgment.
The Cottingley Fairies
- Frances Griffiths, a young girl, claimed to see fairies at the bottom of her garden and took photos with Elsie Wright.
- Elsie's father, Arthur Wright, dismissed the photos as a joke upon seeing paper cutouts he believed to be fairies.
The Photos Spread
- Elsie's mother, Polly, showed the fairy photos at a spiritualist meeting, leading to their wider circulation.
- Edward Gardner, a spiritualist, had the photos examined by Harold Snelling, a photo expert who initially deemed them genuine.
