Netherwood and Father Divine

Watching the recent harrowing BBC4 documentaries on Jonestown (I remember buying a cassette of the 'Jonestown  Death Tape' from a street vendor in New York many years ago), reminded me of my interest in younger days in religious cults and charismatic cult leaders (Anthony Storr's Feet of Clay is an excellent introduction) - of course Crowley also fits perfectly into this category.

It also brought to mind an episode in the history of Netherwood before the arrival of the Great Beast, that I discovered by laborious wading through microfilm editions of The Hastings & St Leonards Observer (it wasn't digitised until after the first edition of Netherwood was published).

Netherwood under the ownership of Vernon and 'Johnnie' Symonds played host to a series of radical, stimulating and varied events that drew famous speakers and enthusiastic audiences to the Hastings guest house. In January 1939 The Daily Mirror proclaimed that Netherwood was to host: 'Europe's first "Extension Heaven" according to the style of America's Father Divine, the negro who calls himself "God"'.

Father Divine (c1876-1965), probably born George Baker - his early life is shrouded in mystery, he later called himself Reverend Major Jealous Divine - was a charismatic African American spiritual leader who from around 1912 claimed he was God. He built up a significant following amongst African Americans (around 25% of his followers were white) and from 1932 to 1942 was based in Harlem, New York.

Disciples purchased several hotels there, which became known as 'Heavens', where followers could live cheaply and practice his teachings; other local businesses were also bought up - further 'Extension Heavens' were soon established elsewhere. Dogged by controversy and scandal (much of it no doubt racist-inspired), Father Divine relocated to Pennsylvania, where his following and health gradually declined, although he continued to preach in favour of certain civil rights and against bigotry. He died in 1965 and was succeeded by Mother Divine (his Canadian wife Edna Rose Ritchings (c1925-2017). An obituary of Mother Divine here.

Feastings and lavish banquets were part of Father Divine's form of worship and celebration and it was this aspect of a 'Heaven' that was to be emulated at the Netherwood gathering, together with 'all night dancing and singing'. There's a very useful article about the Father Divine and the feasts here.

The 'rally of Father Divine's English disciples' centred around a Mrs Joyce Newton from Fulham who, having spent two weeks in Harlem, returned converted to the doctrine of Father Divine - her husband and three sons were also followers.

In the article Vernon Symonds is quoted as telling the Mirror reporter: 'that there must be something in the doctrine that has attracted so many people black and white' and had therefore, 'agreed to make his home the starting point of a national campaign'. He added 'I have no financial interests in the venture, but believe that these well-meaning people should be given a chance to make their faith known in England.' On the evening of 4 February 1939 around 40 people were to arrive at Netherwood, where 'disciples of Father Divine will mingle with those who want to learn something of the new religion.'

A few days before the event was due to take place the Hastings & St Leonards Observer carried an article with the headline 'Father Divine Party -"Misleading" Newspaper Publicity' in which Vernon Symons commented: 'The statements alleged to have been made by me to newspaper correspondents over the weekend are completely fictitious and should be disregarded.' He explained: 'I do not know anything about the teaching of Father Divine. From what I have been able to gather from the popular press, I imagine I shall have little sympathy for his message, but I am anxious to know all I can about any movement that achieves wide publicity.'

Despite the fact that Vernon's political and religious views would probably have made him sympathetic to Father Divine's cause, the event was cancelled, owing to the 'very unpleasant publicity' (his words) it had received in advance; Vernon Symonds had no plans to rearrange it.