The Psychic Circle Of Athol Road, Bradford

Percy Lund is perhaps an unsung hero of occult and Theosophical circles. He was a close relation of David Lund, most likely being his cousin. David Lund of Keighley is renowned for his work as founder of the occult order known as the Society of Dew and Light and whereas David Lund fell foul of both Helena Blavatsky the leader of the Theosophical Society in Britain and Samuel Mathers of the Golden Dawn, Percy Lund was an esteemed figure within Theosophical circles.

As well as being a printer, Percy Lund was a keen photographer and occultist. Between January 1890 and July 1900, he published a monthly magazine called The Practical Photographer. His company at the time was Percy Lund & Co., The County Press, Bradford and Memorial Hall, London, though he later relocated his London premises to 3 Amen Corner and opened a second branch at 97 Bridge Street, Manchester. His business later merged, becoming part of Percy Lund, Humphries & Co Ltd, printers.

Percy printed a number of Theosophical publications, including a book by Herbert Whyte about Helena Blavatsky. He also wrote a number of articles on occultism and theosophy, including a piece in The Seeker magazine. Today, the Bradford Theosophical Society operates from a house in Kirkgate, Shipley.

Percy's father, Joseph, was born at Kildwick near Keighley; his mother Maria was also a Keighley woman. Percy's father was a bookseller which is perhaps why Percy himself had an interest in printing.

Percy spent many of his formative years at a house called Eldermere in Grove Road, Ilkley, from where he attended the Yorkshire College. The property in Ilkley is now a nursing home.

Around 1908, Percy Lund tried to join Arthur Edward Waite's Holy Order of the Golden Dawn, which ran roughly from 1903-1914 and was an offshoot of Samuel Mathers original Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn SRIA (Society of the Rose Cross in England).

Percy lived at 43 Athol Road, Manningham, Bradford, in the 1890's and was a friend of the Walker family at 7 Athol Road. Frederick Walker was originally from High House Farm in Goldsborough, near Knaresborough, and his wife Elizabeth Walker was the daughter of Louisa Makepeace and John Hornshaw of Whinns Farm, Thorpe Arch.

Elizabeth's aunt, Isabella Hornshaw, was a keen and dedicated spiritualist, running Whinns Farm on the instructions of her late husband Thomas who she contacted through her own psychic abilities and at spiritualist meetings. When other farms fell by the wayside, Whinns was always a successful dairy farm, so the information she received from the Spirit World was very accurate.

Elizabeth Walker's brother was Richard Hornshaw a Director of Lister's Mill, which provided velvet curtains to places as far away as The White House in Washington. Ironically the Makepeace family were distantly related to George Washington himself.

Richard Hornshaw's friends included Reginald Reixach, of Trumpeter's House, Richmond, Surrey. Reginald was the son of Jose Reixach who brought the blue print for the automated velvet power loom to Lister's Mill from Spain and developed it with Lister himself. Another friend was American Consul to Bradford, Augustus Eugenio Ingram born on May 8, 1867 in Philadelphia, USA, the son of Scott Ingram and Marie Louise Kinkaid.

Augustus E. Ingram was American Consul to Bradford, West Yorkshire, between 1909 and 1920 and wrote a book about some of his experiences. A couple of articles published in the New York Times during February 1917 report on Ingram's support for plans to manufacture cost effective utility suits made from a specially developed cloth and for a similar scheme to develop utility shoes, both intended for the masses and as a result of the financial constraints during wartime.

Elizabeth Walker's son, Horace Robert Walker, became Lord Mayor of Bradford in 1956-57 and was a Freemason. Another son, Charles Walker, was manager of the Lisrer's Mill Dyehouse. He oversaw the dyeing of the Queen's Coronation velvet and was a member of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes. Another member of the family was American Vice-Consul to Bradford in 1881. During this time, the psychic world was never far away.