"[John Dillinger's ... parts]
(by the way folks, it is NOT here and never has been ... please spread
the word to the news media! - just another one of those urban folktales.)"
 
There is an urban folktale that Aleister Crowley's (and possibly MacGregor
Mathers) entire collection of grimoires and other accessories, possibly
including an entire satanic temple, form part of the collections of the
Horniman Museum.
 
This is based on the fact that there is oral evidence that Mathers once worked
for F. J. Horniman (the job found for him by Horniman's daughter Annie, at
one stage of her career an aficionado of various mystical organisations), and
that we do have a very nice collection of charms collected in London by a man
called Lovett, a perfectly respectable folklorist.
 
Members of the public have been quite rude to me when I have explained that we
have no such collection, and obviously suspect me of some form of psychic
embezzlement.
 
In my experience mere denial of such folk beliefs merely re-inforces a
conspiracy theory of public institutions. What I have toyed with, is releasing
an anonymous article to the mystic press strenuously denying that these
collections were ever transferred to the so called "Black Vault" of a
famous national institution, and denying indeed that the "Black Vault"
exists.
 
Of course I'm FAR too responsible and professional to do any such
thing ...
 
 
--
David W. Allen, Librarian
Horniman Museum & Gardens
LONDON SE23 3PQ, UK
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