kayla109’s Blog

This post I am writing a self assigned report on the Cottingley Fairie Case.

Around 1917 two girls, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffith took the most convincing Fairy photos of the 20th century.  The first picture was taken in July, 1917, showing frances with fairies dancing around her.

Nobody every believed them when the spoke of the fairies in their garden. So one day they took their father’s  camera to the back of the garden, an hour later coming back smug. When first saw by Elsie’s father, he asked waht the ‘bits of paper” were doing in the picture.

The next picture of Elsie and a knome. After that they were forbidden from using the camera again. Mr. Wright locked up the pictures, considering them pranks, while Mrs. Wright believed in her daughter’s story.

In 1918 Frances wrote a friend in South Africa, speaking of the fairies as normal everyday events. She also sent a copy of the picture.

Mrs. Wright attended a folklore lecture with a friend. While conversing of the pictures with her companion, another aqaintince by the name of Edward Gardner who asked to see them. He brought them to a photographer named Snelling. Snelling wrote to Gardner in July 1920, claiming that they were completely genuine single-exposer pictures.

When more tests were made on the pictures, the intrest of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Joining Gardner they both brought the pictures to Kodak, hoping to get their approval. Kodak agrred that the pictures were single expser and showed no signs of foul play. But they refused to give a certificate.

Gardner traveled to Cottingley to live with the Wrights for a while, Interveiwing Elsie and her parents. While he was there he searched Elsie’s room and the glen where the pictures were taken. He didn’t find a hint that would sugjest that the pictures were fake.

In 1920 The Strand magazene published an article and copies of the pictures; this sold out within days. And a 63 year old contreversy.

In 1921 it was arranged for Geoffery Hodson, a medium  come with the girls to the garden. He reported seeing wood elves and dancing fairies like that in the picture.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote “Sherlock Homes”, was completely positive of the authenticity of the pictures.

Frances and Elsie went their seperate ways, getting married and moving around the world.

Elsie was quoted that as much as fairies are wonderful, she just wanted to forget them- she was fed up of talking about them.

On Febuary 17th, 1983, Elsie wrote a letter claiming they were fake, paper cut outs they had drawn and fastned in place with hat pins.

But on Frances’ last TV appearence she insisted that there were fairies at cottingley.

Frances always claimed that at least one of them were NOT fake.

Elsie died in April, 1988, Frances in July, 1986.

Many questions are still raised: Didn’t anyone notice them disposing of paper scraps (if they were cutouts)? How could the wings appear transparent in some of the pictures? Why can’t you see the hate pins in the pictures?

What do you think? Do YOU believe in fairies? Comment porforvore!

K2yla