Elsie was considered rather poor as a student, but good as an artist. The photo was taken one month after the first, in August, 1917, and is known as "Elsie and the Gnome Fairy." Initially, all parents involved were highly sceptical, but the mothers of both girls were interested in spiritualism and theosophy (which explored the nature of God). Eventually, in 1919, the pictures received public notice and strong interest and controversy grew quickly. The photos were first examined by an expert in 1920 and declared legitimate, but there was, in fact, never a definitive conclusion by experts (possibly, the photos were "sharpened" before examinations). To our 21st-Century eyes, they seem pretty darn obvious, but this was less clear 90 years ago.
This is the third photo, taken some time after the First World War, called "Frances and the Leaping Fairy." The fact that these photos were taken around the time of the Great War and become a sensation for some time after is relevant. According to http://www.cottingley.net/, the site where I found much of my information on this story, many families were heartbroken and desperate after losing loved ones in the war. It's not surprising that many of them turned to a belief in ghosts, fairies and spirits to help them cope with their grief.
Here's Elsie at 19, in a picture called "Fairy Offering a Posy to Elsie." The image of this rather mature looking young lady, next to what is clearly an artist's drawing of a fairy, seems like little more than bad photo doctoring now, but none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the genius behind the Sherlock Homes stories, utterly believed in the veracity of the photos and went to his grave with true faith in the Cottingley Fairies. Like so many English people, he lost close relatives (a son and a brother) as a result of World War One. His belief in fairies and spirits, which predated the war, made him a laughingstock to many people, and harmed his reputation, at least in the short term.
"The Fairy Sunbath" is notable for not including either girl. As the '20s wore on, the pictures were the subject of great debate, and every so often, doing the next 50 years or so, the pictures would show up again and cause a stir. By then, both girls were married and moving on with their lives. In the 1980's, they decided to 'fess up, and admitted that the fairy images were from "Princess Mary's Gift Book." Frances died still saying she believed in fairies.
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When I was introduced to this blog, I didn’t quite know what to expect. As I scrolled through most of the stories, including Grammar Girl, I was amazed at how much information can be on one blog website. I decided to write this first blog entry on The Grammar Girl quiz, as it was the first link I clicked on as I scrolled down the page. Some of the questions I found to be extremely easy for me to answer, but others were somewhat challenging. I didn’t know that Theodore Roosevelt was the US president who is famously known to simplify English spelling! This quiz tested my knowledge on many different things about English. I found that the questions that ask you to choose the best way to attribute the quotation were easy for me. I also discovered that I needed to brush up on things such as a “split infinitive” and a “portmanteau.” When I read the question I didn’t quite know what it was asking. I think that it’s a good idea that widget provided a dictionary link on this site. As I was taking the quiz, I was tempted to look up some words before I answered the question. This website has so much information on it, and a dictionary link I think will be very helpful. This Grammar Girl quiz tested my knowledge on many different things. I look forward to reading more on this page and getting great information for not only my class, but for my own knowledge as well!
m.hunter
This story of the Great Cottingley Fairies Hoax is a great one. I think it is great that the two girls trying to stay out of trouble could come up with such photos. It has caused a stir for many decades now and people are still talking about them. When your a little girl you can come up with some great stories to tell even if they arent true. But Elsie coming up with these pictures was beyond. Townspeople, parents and experts all looked at these pictures and believed them. People can believe what they want even if they believe in fairies. Many great writers have told stories about fairies over the years but none were more believable than this one. Good job girls on the pictures. In the end both girls grew up and went on with their lives but after all Frances dying and still believing is priceless. I really enjoyed this story.
s.curtis
When I first read this blog the story seemed very familiar to me. After some searching around on the internet I figured out why this story was so familiar. A movie was made about the Cottingley fairies called "Fairytale - A True Story. As soon as I saw the movie poster the storyline came rushing back to me. Movies always stray from the real story as this one also did but I really enjoyed it as a child. I find it amazing that so many people believed in the photos these two girls made and also that they knew how to doctor such believable photos. Especially since Elsie was considered a poor student. Obviously, not poor in art of deception or manufacturing photographs. The photos were even examined by experts and they had no real answer to give. That is pretty impressive that two young girls can convince experts and leave them pondering on how it could have been done. I find it surprising that the fairies they used were taken right out of a book. Didn't any other person have this book who could have said, "hey those look like the fairies in my book." But I think that the fairies offered a way to cope for some people and I would not want to take that from them so I am glad the Cottingley fairies gave them that.
c.schedler
Reading this made me laugh. I think that it’s hilarious that so many people believed in those pictures. Just goes to show that people under stress and grief are not in their right minds or at least they are more subject to thinking less logically. But I guess people today still believe in crazy stuff like Bigfoot, the Lochness monster, or even aliens. You have to give the children credit for being creative, I wouldn’t have thought of doing that to get out of trouble. Maybe Frances told the lie so many times that eventually she believed it, very interesting story. Also, I had no idea Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed in fairies. I really enjoyed his books and short stories and I would have thought some of his beliefs would have been somehow reflected in his Sherlock Holmes writings.
Isaiah Counsellor
I love how much I am learning through these posts. There is a lot to learn in the world of fairy tales besides Disney...who knew!?!
I found this post really interesting. It seems Frances and Elsie were "punking" everyone before Ashton Kutcher was. I think that though some people are more creative than others we all have at least a little bit of creativity in us and I do believe creativity level is at its sharpest when we are younger and view the world so carefree and easy. As youngsters, it seems nothing is impossible but then we grow up and deal with grown up situations such as bills, relationships, responsibilities, etc. All of the above can bring down that care-free spitit that was once there in our youth and we do not believe so much in things like fairies, trolls, magic, etc although many of us would love to think these worlds exist.
We have to give credit to these girls for using their creativity and I must admit the pictures look realistic for having been produced in the early 1900's. I probably would have been one of the suckers who believed the images. :)
D.Giles
I once received the Lady Cottingley's Journal as a gift. I have always been very fond of Fairy's and their tales. It was called "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book." This turned out to be one of the best little coffee table books I ever had. It always caught the eye of company and delighted new readers. The pages were filled of journal entries of how to catch fairies, when was the best time of day to catch these little critters and many terrific images of fairies splattered across the pages as if they had been caught right inside the book itself. I don't know whatever became of that book... Probably packed away in a tight little spot, hope to find it again some day.
This story is very interesting! It is easy to see to us high tech people of the 21st century that these are doctored, but they didn’t grow up with anything close to the technology we have now. Although some may have been upset to hear these were fakes, I believe it was probably a good thing for people like Conan. People may have thought he was crazy for believing, but if they were able to give him peace about ones he lost, who were they to judge.
I found this blog interesting in that someone as early as 1900s had made a photoshopped picture that actually looked credible. This young girl at sixteen was quite creative. Even more creative was to explain it as real to get them pardon for getting carried away with their adventure and getting soak and wet. I think that orginally they did it in fun, but with all the excitement they stirred up they almost began to believe it. Having famous people like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle supporting them added more fuel to the fire their tale created. On the website, http://www.cottingley.net/, it is interesting that their father, Arthur Wright, took the camera away from the girls, but did not seem to try to stop the tale of their picture from spreading. Also it is amazing to read how many people believed there really was a fairy. Since it took the young girls many years to finally confess, it makes me wonder if they rather enjoyed the attention that it brought. Although Elsie seems to have tried to "escape" the notariaty, she could have stopped it long before by confessing.
Linda C T-390
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