The Séance Mystery
In April 1866, a small spiritualist circle met in a dressmaker's attic room off Pottergate, Norwich. The medium, Mrs Selina Ward, insisted on absolute stillness: hands joined, eyes closed, and no one to move until the sitting had ended.
Among the attendees was Mr Henry Cottam, a retired schoolmaster. Ten minutes into the séance, several sitters reported a faint draught, though the windows were shut and the door bolted.
When the sitting ended and the candle was lifted and turned toward him, Mr Cottam was found dead in his chair, his head turned toward a corner none of the sitters recalled him facing earlier. His hands were still linked with the sitters on either side, and his chair had not shifted. A physician stated that he had likely died instantly of heart failure.
The death was ruled natural. The circle never met again.
The Curious Detail
When Mr Cottam's belongings were collected, his pocket diary contained a single entry for that day: ‘I have agreed to attend. I do not believe I shall remain until the end.’ No earlier page explained what had caused his unease.
The Society invites your verdict.
Fact or Fiction?
This case is a fabrication created for the Society Archive. The setting and séance practices are historically grounded; the individuals and incident are invented.