Ronald Baker

Anyone remember Medium Ron Baker?

I was fortunate enough to meet him a couple of times when I was younger (he was a friend of my Father), both at Stanstead and at a couple of Healing Demonstrations (he would do the a demo of mediumship, sometimes before the healing demo).

_Leslie_ wrote:Anyone remember Medium Ron Baker?

I was fortunate enough to meet him a couple of times when I was younger (he was a friend of my Father), both at Stanstead and at a couple of Healing Demonstrations (he would do the a demo of mediumship, sometimes before the healing demo).

Yes, Leslie, I do. I still have tape recordings of some of his lectures. I often chaired meetings for him.

He was a former General Secretary of the SNU and a first class medium.

He travelled extensively demonstrating and lecturing and was in Glasgow quite often and appeared in the audience as a member of the public.
From memory, he was instumental along with Albert Best, in exposing Paul McIhoney' deceit. His view was that it was preferable and more beneficial that Spiritualism should clean its own house before a hostile Press did.

hiorta wrote:He travelled extensively demonstrating and lecturing and was in Glasgow quite often and appeared in the audience as a member of the public.
From memory, he was instumental along with Albert Best, in exposing Paul McIhoney' deceit. His view was that it was preferable and more beneficial that Spiritualism should clean its own house before a hostile Press did.

Very true, hiorta.

My Father enjoyed working with him and still speaks highly of him. As for me... I have very fond memories and a high regard for Ron Baker, his mediumship was something I can only wish of aspiring to!

When I was younger I used to drive my Mother crazy... in my quest for knowledge and information - Ron was one of the people she directed me towards - he was a great inspiration.

If I remember correctly, he was also in the sitting I mentioned in a different post with Paul McIlhoney - as was Denis Jackson (who then lived in Denton)

zerdini wrote:

_Leslie_ wrote:Anyone remember Medium Ron Baker?

I was fortunate enough to meet him a couple of times when I was younger (he was a friend of my Father), both at Stanstead and at a couple of Healing Demonstrations (he would do the a demo of mediumship, sometimes before the healing demo).

Yes, Leslie, I do. I still have tape recordings of some of his lectures. I often chaired meetings for him.

He was a former General Secretary of the SNU and a first class medium.

Certainly was a fist class medium...
Now those are lectures I'd very much love to hear!

Leslie, I also knew Ron very well and worked with him many years ago on the platform in Scotland. He was a marvelous medium, and a charming man.

Is there any background info on Ron?

obiwan wrote:Is there any background info on Ron?

Perhaps those who claim to have known and worked with him can supply some background info for obiwan.

zerdini wrote:

obiwan wrote:Is there any background info on Ron?

Perhaps those who claim to have known and worked with him can supply some background info for obiwan.

Well, that's seem to have successfully flattened the thread

Seriously, I'd appreciate any information about Ron - are there any lectures, books, audio's, videos that anyone may be able to point me towards please? My limited recollections of him as a very down to earth, well respected man (wasn't he from or living in the Birmingham area?).

_Leslie_ wrote:

zerdini wrote:

obiwan wrote:Is there any background info on Ron?

Perhaps those who claim to have known and worked with him can supply some background info for obiwan.

Well, that's seem to have successfully flattened the thread

Seriously, I'd appreciate any information about Ron - are there any lectures, books, audio's, videos that anyone may be able to point me towards please? My limited recollections of him as a very down to earth, well respected man (wasn't he from or living in the Birmingham area?).

He was indeed, Leslie.

Seems those who claim to have known and worked with him are unable to supply the background information that Obiwan asked for!!

I doubt you will find anything on the internet. The AFC may have some information if you write to them.

Thanks Zerdini.

I'm hoping to attend a healing demo in Manchester later this year (think it's around May time), I know that a couple of the organisers worked with him and shall bend their ears as much as possible during the visit

I am not making any claims, I am stating the facts, I use to know Ronald Barker during my days in the movement. I am now in my 87th year and retired now. Being a tecnophobe I am not on the computer every day, hence the delay in responding. To answer your question about being unable to supply the background information that Obiwan asked for, I do not keep material on other mediums, so I would not be able to be of much help.

Maureen Harrison wrote:I am not making any claims, I am stating the facts, I use to know Ronald Barker during my days in the movement. I am now in my 87th year and retired now. Being a tecnophobe I am not on the computer every day, hence the delay in responding. To answer your question about being unable to supply the background information that Obiwan asked for, I do not keep material on other mediums, so I would not be able to be of much help.

Thanks for replying, Maureen. Over quite a number of years I never saw you on a platform with Ron Baker (not Barker) nor did your name ever come up in conversation. I did see him demonstrate on the same platform as Gordon Higginson - in fact they were very good friends - and a brilliant demonstration it was.

Those were the days when in addition to the abovementioned mediums we also had Mary Duffy, Betty Wakeling, Margaret Pearson etc who were first class mediums.

By the way, I am also retired and have been for many years.

Maureen Harrison is a pseudonym, so that is why you wouldn't be familiar with the name. Your quite right it's Baker.

Ok how about - where was he from? When did he die? Where did he demonstrate? What kind of mediumship did he practice?

Although it was many years earlier that I last saw Ron, would I be correct in assuming he passed to the higher side about twelve to fourteen years ago?

If it is of any help to you, Ron was my Uncle, My Mother's brother.
He was one of 7 children and was raised in very humble conditions in Kingstanding Birmingham.
His Mother was a staunch catholic, and Uncle Ron was destined for the priesthood at one time! Until he started questioning things.
I remember him as Minister of Kings Heath Spiritualist Church where he married my cousin.

Yes, I remember Ron Baker very well. He was a friend of Paul McElhoney and I and used to stay with us for many private circles when we lived in London. I didn't realise until now that he was among the people who set Paul up. Shame. I believed him to be a nice guy.

Hello Swordmaiden, I knew both (Paul and Ron) and also never knew this until much later... I've a photo of Paul with my Father - way back in 1976

Hello Leslie. I met Paul in 1980 at Stansted Hall. We married in 1982. Haven't seen him for a very long time but I know he's ok.

Swordmaiden wrote:Hello Leslie. I met Paul in 1980 at Stansted Hall. We married in 1982. Haven't seen him for a very long time but I know he's ok.

Thanks - its good to know.
Our paths must have crossed at some point in time... Perhaps during one of Paul's mediumship / healing demo? Or even Stanstead.

Quite possibly.
x

Swordmaiden wrote:Yes, I remember Ron Baker very well. He was a friend of Paul McElhoney and I and used to stay with us for many private circles when we lived in London. I didn't realise until now that he was among the people who set Paul up. Shame. I believed him to be a nice guy.

You say people set Paul up, perhaps you might like to share with us what you believed actually happened. Do you believe others planted things on him to discredit him? He was at one time ''Medium of the Year.

Yes I was with him at the Psychic News presentation and he was very much the golden boy of the hour. I was not at this sitting. As I understand it, there was a lot of bitching going on among Mediums at the time. I didn't get involved. But knowing the News of the World's reputation, even if I didn't know the people involved I would have been doubtful of the story's validity. All I know is that the hundreds of sittings I sat in with Paul in our home, all with no money changing hands, all, at that time, with one small group, hundreds of apports had appeared. They were not the purpose of the sitting, the lhours of ectures by Ceros were. Why would Paul squash a carnation into the battery compartment of a tape recorder when for years he was producing fresh, unsquashed flowers for people, including under test conditions? Its all a bit dodgy. I am no longer a Spiritualist and have nothing to defend but I still find the whole episode decidedly dodgy and only a few loyal friends stood by Paul to at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Very sad.