232 – Curse: Poppet

Physical description:

Poppet of stuffed fabric in Edwardian-style black dress with stiletto through face.

Museum classification:

Curses

Size:

380mm

Information:

Contrary to Cecil Williamson's public-facing interpretation texts, evidence from the archive informs us that this poppet was actually made by him in 1953.  Williamson was asked to intervene in a difficult case concerning an elderly lady living in Bavaria, Germany.  It was said that this lady was the wife of a university professor and former member of the Nazi Party, and that the wife had “high connections”.  It was alleged that the woman was unlucky and was possessed of an evil spirit that plagued her landlords (Williamson’s clients).  Cecil advised them by letter (via an intermediary, Juliette Lasserre) to make a poppet of the elderly woman; and this object is the result. 

Williamson wrote:

“The doll image is created and dressed in a gown fashioned from stolen material  from out of the victim’s wardrobe.  The stiletto driven with force through the poppet’s face and eye played a major part in the long-fought quarrel.”

CWOLC 8834, 9826.  MWM Archive letters:  55, 56, 57, 60, 61, 69, 76, 81

Full text by Cecil Williamson: 'To generate deep hate within a person is a most dangerous thing to do. For every once in a while one of those to whom hardship and suffering has been caused will strike back. So it was with this well-to-do lady who unfortunately had a mean and spiteful nature. The doll image is created and dressed in a gown fashioned from stolen material from out of the victim's wardrobe. The stiletto driven with force through the popper's face and eye played a major part in the long-fought quarrel. It too was taken by stealth from the Exmouth home of the victim. An involved story which, when all was said and done - like a Greek tragedy - everyone involved was in the end a loser. Period : 1909-1913.'

There is a photograph of this poppet, in front of the Museum in Bourton-on-the-Water, in the museum archive (1373).

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Fabric, metal

Copyright ownership:

Copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.

Contrary to Cecil Williamson's public-facing interpretation texts, evidence from the archive informs us that this poppet was actually made by him in 1953.  Williamson was asked to intervene in a difficult case concerning an elderly lady living in Bavaria, Germany.  It was said that this lady was the wife of a university professor and former member of the Nazi Party, and that the wife had “high connections”.  It was alleged that the woman was unlucky and was possessed of an evil spirit that plagued her landlords (Williamson’s clients).  Cecil advised them by letter (via an intermediary, Juliette Lasserre) to make a poppet of the elderly woman; and this object is the result. 

Williamson wrote:

“The doll image is created and dressed in a gown fashioned from stolen material  from out of the victim’s wardrobe.  The stiletto driven with force through the poppet’s face and eye played a major part in the long-fought quarrel.”

CWOLC 8834, 9826.  MWM Archive letters:  55, 56, 57, 60, 61, 69, 76, 81

Full text by Cecil Williamson: 'To generate deep hate within a person is a most dangerous thing to do. For every once in a while one of those to whom hardship and suffering has been caused will strike back. So it was with this well-to-do lady who unfortunately had a mean and spiteful nature. The doll image is created and dressed in a gown fashioned from stolen material from out of the victim's wardrobe. The stiletto driven with force through the popper's face and eye played a major part in the long-fought quarrel. It too was taken by stealth from the Exmouth home of the victim. An involved story which, when all was said and done - like a Greek tragedy - everyone involved was in the end a loser. Period : 1909-1913.'

There is a photograph of this poppet, in front of the Museum in Bourton-on-the-Water, in the museum archive (1373).