Lynn, Thomas (ca. 1928)

A coal miner medium in northern England and the subject of remarkable experiments by James Hewat McKenzie and Major C. Mowbray in photographing the arrival and ectoplasmic mechanism of apports. Lynn's mediumship developed around 1913 in his home circle, but he did not exercise physical mediumship before 1926. Extrusions of ectoplasm, small coils or rods of varying shapes, were seen to issue from the pit of his stomach, to perform minor physical feats, and leave— after their disappearance—red marks like punctures behind on the medium's skin.

Apports of small, insignificant objects were the most impressive phenomena. In earlier séances, held in the dark, it was said that small bottles arrived containing wax in various shapes and molded images. In the experimental séances held in light by the investigators of the British College of Psychic Science, no such bottles were apported.

The first series of these experimental sittings took place in July 1928. Two cameras were used, one whole-plate with ordinary lens, and a half-plate with quartz lens. The medium was put in a bag and his hands were tied to his knees with tapes.

The flashlight photographs showed luminous connections between the medium's body and the apports. The sittings were continued in September 1928 and were repeated at the college in March 1929. By then, Lynn abandoned his former occupation and became a professional medium. At the time, the curious photographs secured in these séances were believed by many to throw new light on the problem of apports, though at present most believe that such apports were simply the sign of the medium's engagement in fraud. For a detailed report on the Lynn phenomena, including photographs, see Psychic Science (Vol. 8, no. 2, July 1929: 129-37).