New Books Network Tracey Norman and Mark Norman, "Devon's Forgotten Witches: 1860–1910" (The History Press, 2025)
Dec 23, 2025
Mark Norman, a public folklorist and creator of the Folklore Podcast, teams up with Tracey Norman, an expert in witchcraft studies and audiobook narrator, to unveil the hidden narratives of Devon's forgotten witches from 1860 to 1910. They dive into intriguing archival research revealing how public perceptions of witchcraft were shaped by Victorian media. The conversation touches on the blurred lines between herbal remedies and fraud, reflects on the legal attitudes towards witchcraft claims, and highlights compelling cases like the bizarre Miss P involving cocoa.
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Courts Reframe Witchcraft As Fraud
- By the 19th century courts treated magic as fraud under laws like the Vagrancy Act and Witchcraft Act changes.
- Proceedings aimed to expose deception and mock 'incredible superstition' rather than validate occult claims.
Press Ridicule Shapes Public View
- Newspapers used courtroom laughter and ridicule to signal how readers should view alleged witches and their clients.
- Reports routinely framed defendants and plaintiffs as ridiculous and uneducated.
Dual Interpretations Of The Same Acts
- Two interpretations coexisted: authorities saw fraud, participants saw folk-healing and charm work.
- That dual lens explains why prosecutions targeted money/deception rather than supernatural power.