Michael Bentine ex Goon Show & LSM

Just been talking to an old chum from London days. Reminiscing about the LSM. I hadn't known that Michael Bentine the British actor and comic who was one of the 'Goons' had been a regular attender. Did anyone come across him? Chum reckons MB was SNU and that his dad had been a medium but that must have been in the 20s or earlier as Bentine has been passed a good few years and the Goons were only just 'in my time' . Prince Charles was a big fan.

I remember some years back Michael Bentine was a speaker at a spiritualist rally held in Derby. He was a supporter of Doris Collins the medium and healer, so too was Peter Sellers. (Sellers was a friend of Estelle Roberts, he would call on her services from time to time, she's mentioned in his book. Doesn't suprise me Bentine attended the LSM. I well remember LSM days they had some great mediums demonstrate there.

KatyKing wrote:Just been talking to an old chum from London days. Reminiscing about the LSM. I hadn't known that Michael Bentine the British actor and comic who was one of the 'Goons' had been a regular attender. Did anyone come across him? Chum reckons MB was SNU and that his dad had been a medium but that must have been in the 20s or earlier as Bentine has been passed a good few years and the Goons were only just 'in my time' . Prince Charles was a big fan.

I remember some years back Michael Bentine was a speaker at a spiritualist rally held in Derby. He was a supporter of Doris Collins the medium and healer, so too was Peter Sellers. (Sellers was a friend of Estelle Roberts, he would call on her services from time to time, she's mentioned in his book. Doesn't suprise me Bentine attended the LSM. I well remember LSM days they had some great mediums demonstrate there.

Interesting. I' d heard about Peter Sellers but not MB. Was MB on any SNU committees I wonder. LSM still advertises in Two Worlds.

KatyKing wrote:Interesting. I' d heard about Peter Sellers but not MB. Was MB on any SNU committees I wonder. LSM still advertises in Two Worlds.

I am not sure Katy to be honest but I know he did attend many a psychic news dinner dance. LSM is such a great place but sadly they don't get the quality of mediumship they use to. Don Galloway was one of it's most recent popular mediums, before taking his transition back home two years ago.

Michaell bentine was very keen on many areas and was also involved with dowsing. He was part of the group that set up Fountain International in Brighton to help change the energies in the town to prevent the ongoing violence in the mods and rockers days. Fountain is still going.

I used to love watching "Its a Square World" expecially the performing flea circus. Sadly there are no you tube clips about this.

I'd forgotten about Square World. That was a funny show. Don Galloway was a top medium. I had a nice letter recently from the secretary of his Lynwood Fellowship . Still going strong. Don wouldn't challenge peoples pockets getting them to pay 'new regime' AFC inflated residential prices for his courses so began hosting those in seaside hotels at half the cost of AFC. That didn't endear him to SNU bean counters but he pressed on regardless. A real gentleman very down to earth, humble in the best sense of that word. Lovely chap.
LSM still runs to a big ad in Two Worlds but I hear that what money they make these days comes from fee splits from sittings as opposed to bums on seats in the hall.
Ad always makes me smile as alongside the officers names LSM lists a 'Soloist'. Talented though that soloist undoubtedly is I wonder if by flagging up that if you attend then you'll have to sit and listen to her that might not put off as many if not more folk than ever it attracts.
The London causes near tube stations will always scrape a living from sittings.
Out here in the provinces we do still have popular mediums. 'Specials' can get twelve pounds a head,ten from members for a Saturday night on 50-50. If you get fifty or more through the door then both church and medium do well. One thing I have noticed is that whilst specials usually bring merchandise, books they've written and such,these days hardly anyone buys books. I'd not sneeze at three hundred quid a week or more to supplement the eventual pension. Realistically though it'll never happen. Once you set out as a 'cheap date' expenses and occasional gratuity worker one can hardly up the ante later. A prophet is not without honour save in his own area. When we moved here from NW I said 'That's it now. No more freebies and I'm not getting out of bed for less than a fiver a seat' First church phoned up was twelve old dears all on pensions meetng in a community centre! and I've been doing de facto freebies ever since. But we've never ever wanted for anything we need. Even when times were tough there's always been enough to get by plus a bit left over. As the ever wise Mrs. K reminds me [almost daily] 'If you had more you'd just spend more'.

I know what you mean Katy, actually unless its real cheap its hard to fill halls unless it is something special. Tony Stockwell is in Victoria again this year running his residential week using some locals, like Joanne King who is with us this weekend, as subtutors. Sell out week and live demo's. Actually the rates are not too bad for the course and demo's especially as its full accomodation.

You get value for money with Tony. Good medium.