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David Farrant

The Rain Just Happened

Photo of David Farrant courtesy of Rob Brautigam 1997

I suppose it’s about time that I wrote something here again, as I’ve just realized that it’s been over a week now.

That was after we got back to London after I’d given a Talk at the Pendle Witchcraft Convention.  I did put up a short “Coming Soon” trailer on YouTube, although the main reason we could not put the whole thing up in its entirety was because it is too long (over 1 hour long, not including the questions) and needed quite difficult editing.  I don’t mean ‘run of the mill’ editing, but special attention had to be given to the sound of incessant rain hitting the top of the tent which was somehow intensified in the bleak – but otherwise silent – atmosphere of Pendle Hill which almost seemed somewhat ‘hostile’ to the small campsite that had chosen to invade its privacy.   That sort of editing is by no means easy, but trusted Della has made a good job of it with the help of her friend George Preston.

Anyway’ it’s almost finished now and parts of the unwanted background noise reduced to a minimum.  You can still hear a little rain in parts, but I just suggested we leave it, as am sure people would like to hear what it was really like; and besides, we can put subtitles over it.  Personally, I think it makes the whole thing quite atmospheric; although we didn’t plan it, the rain just happened!

Other things have been happening since Pendle, of course. But I don’t want to Bourre you (yes, ‘Bourre spelt like that deliberately!).

It was a long trip, and we also had a couple of ‘haunted places’ to check out on the way back.  In fact, we were half expecting a couple of more visitors to my Talk, but apparently these apparently chose not to turn up in person.  Pity really as that really would have made a really good group photograph!

Della was glad to get back to London last week anyway.  After that we just took it easy for a while, catching up on correspondence and book orders mostly.

On Saturday, we met with Mickey Gocool of the North London Paranormal Society.  He came with his partner Louise and three other members of their Group.  They couldn’t stay that long as they had to go out on another paranormal investigation in rural Essex; but they stayed long enough to get acquainted.  It was a pleasure to meet them, as they are all very serious people.Della had to stay on a little at work this evening.  Which probably means she will get back a little tired.  In fact, it could be any time now, so I had better leave this and go and air a bottle of wine for her!

But I will keep you all updated on the Pendle film.  Should be early next week I think.

All for the moment,
David

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10 Responses

  1. Hi David,
    Earlier this year, you mentioned being invited to the Brighouse Gala for a talk. It doesn’t seem you’ve gone. What happened?

  2. Hello Anthony. I am sorry that you had a wasted journey to the UK to attend what you hoped would be the debut of a certain film at the rather obscure Brighouse ‘Gala’ in West Yorkshire, England. It seems that there has been some misunderstanding regarding my public appearances in the North of England this Summer. Whilst I did receive some enthusiastic correspondence from the organisers of this event, unfortunately it was always a far too ‘provincial’ event to justify the time and effort of attendance, and this idea was never entertained seriously. Instead our efforts were focused upon the event in the North West of England to which I originally referred to on my Blog – the Pendle Witch Camp 2012 – commemorating the 400th anniversary of the hanging of the Pendle witches. I am sure that you will agree that this event was, due to its politically and socially impactive subject matter, much more important for the BPOS to attend than the Brighouse Gala – essentially a small local fete – , which, as I am sure you will be aware, almost did not take place this year due to extremely adverse weather conditions. My Talk at Pendle a couple of weeks earlier DID take place despite heavy rain and was filmed successfully. I do hope this answers your question Anthony. David (Farrant)

  3. That it does, David. Cheers.
    Apparently you’ve been ‘lying’ about your attendance there – but all I’ve turned up is a reference to you saying you’d been invited (not that you’d confirmed attendance) – and that the Robin Hood flick would be the perfect thing to screen there. That’s it.
    Thanks for clearing it up.

  4. Hi David,
    According to an e-mail Barbara received on July 16: ‘David Farrant was not asked to attend the Brighouse Charity Gala.’
    Could you confirm who, exactly, invited you to the gala? If you’re concerned about disclosing personal information, feel free to ask them if it’s ok to reveal their identity.
    Understand that this is an attempt to chase a lead based on a claiming of ‘lying’ made against yourself.
    And in case other people aren’t aware David’s taking the piss in a rather obscure fashion – no, I did not intend on visiting, nor visit, Pendle.

  5. Thanks Anthony,
    Can we be clear about this, It was Babs who stated that she had a letter from the Brighouse Gala (dated July 16th, I believe) to say that I had not been invited. So let’s be clear about this, it was Babs herself who is quoting a response to her OWN letter, and which she is now apparently quoting (in her own typically perverse way) to somehow ‘prove’ that I am a ‘liar’.
    I have not seen this alleged response, so really am not in any position to comment upon it. But I will say this much however: Babs is known by organisers of the Gala as the ‘local mad woman’, and perhaps (with her persistent claims about attempting to identify herself with the ghost of Robin Hood) with good reason!
    I am under no obligation to justify myself with my communications concerning the Brighouse Gala. Just as indeed, I am under no obligation to prove the identity of my wife, Della. Both these issues are simply none of her business.
    In answer to your question, I can only repeat what I have said before:
    I did NOT attend the Gala this year, but gave a Talk at the Pendle Witch Camp on July 16th instead. Babs was fully aware of this before my Talk (it was published widely on the Internet) and would have been quite willing to attend should she have wished to do so. For reasons perhaps best known to herself, she chose to stay away. (This was a pity really, as she could have also met Della as well!).
    For the record – lest you think I am trying to avoid your question – I AM in regular contact with a person on the full Committee of the Brighouse Charity Gala. I could prove this if necessary, but am under no obligation to do so or to betray such communications in public.
    Apparently Babs has no such scruples in this direction (as we have apparently seen), so I really think she would be better employed to concentrating her energies to protecting the Green Belt near Brighouse which is currently under threat of re-development. Might give her something more useful to do than waffling on about her misconceptions about my private life all the time, and trying to turn this into some sort of ‘Emmerdale’ soap opera!
    David Farrant

  6. David,
    Yes, Barbara said she had an email from the Brighouse Gala executive stating, ‘David Farrant was not asked to attend the Brighouse Charity Gala.’ It was July 16th, yes. That’s the date I referred to. More specifically, it was Monday, July 16, 2012 9:07 PM.
    In terms of the invitation, she was following up something you said on your blog about being invited to the Gala, as distinct from not attending.
    However, Barbara wasn’t quoting herself. Here’s what she posted, in total:
    From: Brighousegala Executive
    Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 9:07 PM
    To: barbara green
    Subject: Re: david farrant
    Hi Barbara
    David Farrant was not asked to attend the Brighouse Charity Gala.
    This, of course, suggests you weren’t invited at all – despite what you said on this blog – which is why I asked for the name of the person who invited you. As it stands, you were either invited or you weren’t. I think that’s something worth following.
    You said you hadn’t seen the response. Here’s the thread it appears on:

    I’d agree that you’re under no obligation to prove the identity of your wife – however, that’s not the issue being discussed here. You did mention on your blog that you’d been invited to the Gala – but now we have an email from the Gala’s executive saying that you weren’t invited, so – what the hell’s going on here? lol
    A shame Barbara didn’t attend Pendle, as I’m sure she and Della would’ve got on like a house on fire!
    As to the person you’re in contact with, I anticipated you’d say something like that. I wasn’t asking you to betray their confidence, but asked if it’d be ok with them to reveal their name (after you asked them). Remember, this is only to establish – beyond all reasonable doubt, that you were, indeed, invited – despite claims to the contrary.

  7. I wonder if Babs with her perpetual curiosity about the utterly pointless and banal is aware of Br Drew’s longstanding involvement with the Brighouse Gala organising committee?!

  8. Thanks for that observation, Anthony.
    However, I have to refuse your request to name the person (with whom I am still in contact) on the Brighouse Gala Committee, neither do I intend to raise the matter with him in view of the circumstances.
    The ‘circumstances’ relate mainly to Bab’s and Catherine’s comments recently and their intentions to turn up at the Gala when I was there and pelt Della and myself with ‘rotten eggs and tomatoes’. Babs even add that she thought a ‘flour bomb’ might be better! My friend on the Committee was well aware of these comments and I would not want to embarrass him further by asking him if I could link his name publicly with their actions.
    As I explained earlier, Babs is regarded locally as ‘that local mad woman’; what with her obsessive behaviour of trying to persuade people to visit the gravesite without permission, and her incessant attacks on the name of the late Lady Armytage.
    You might understand why no respectable person would want their names linked to the antics of these two people and it is not really reasonable of yourself to expect myself to take such a course of action.
    Perhaps you would care to relay my reason to Babs and, who knows?’ she might even care to enlighten you about their ‘plan of action’ if we visited the Gala. As it happened, we did not, although this does not in any way negate their motivations (stated publicly on their childish message board, I might add!).
    We really cannot be bothered to waste further time on them, Anthony. Quite frankly, I do not see why you do.
    All for now,
    David

  9. Della,
    That’s certainly news to me! But in light of what David’s said, that certainly sounds like a, let’s say, ‘coincidence’. 😉
    David,
    You’re welcome.
    As to your refusal to name the person, I’ll respect that. Can’t push the matter any further than what you’re willing to oblige.
    I’m sure Catherine and Barbara’s comments were made in jest, but I can see why you wouldn’t want to take the risk. Their hostile attitudes have obviously done them no favours.
    I’ve some inkling of Barbara’s local reputation and I gotta say, some of her commentary doesn’t help matters much.
    My querying, however, was to allay the ‘lying’ charges. That’s all. Certainly not to indemnify anyone. So I hope you respect them in that spirit.
    I’ll relay your concerns to her. After all, I’m sure she’d appreciate clarity on the matter. It certainly beats going round in circles.
    Cheers.

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