Longton Church in Stoke on Trent UK were very lucky to have two wonderful hard working Mediums as members in their church and they benefited from years of service from Fanny and Gordon Higginson.

Gordon has sat as the Medium in seances for royalty but never spoke about it publicly. But many a time at Stansted in some of his lectures he spoke of Prince Charles as being the catalyst for change in the attitude of many in the main religions of this country, Great Britain, it is gradually becoming fact.

 

 

I heard Gordon tell these little parts of his life in Stansted Hall at the Arthur Findlay College and in the Liverpool Daulby Street Church.

Gordon's father was not a Spiritualist, but Fanny told him that she must remain a Spiritualist and a Medium. She did not ask him to be one, but knew by the earlier prophecy that she must continue with her spiritual work.

She also said her children must know about her religion, which was Spiritualism, but that they would also know about her father's religion. So they were brought up to know both Spiritualism and Christianity.

The first child born to his parents was a boy so Fanny Higginson thought this was the son that was to be a Medium. The second child was also a boy so she thought, "Well it has to be one or the other." He was also taken along to the church to be named. Then came a girl so it was then decided that three children were enough.

Nearly three years later, they realised another baby was on the way and were not very pleased, but along 'he' came. And it was he that was to become the Medium.

Gordon's two brothers and sister have no mediumistic powers.

The wonder of this story is that Gordon's mother had been told at the age of 14 she would stand on the platform at Longton Church, and she would have a son who would follow her. His mother stayed at Longton Church as their Medium for 70 years. Gordon took his first Spiritualist service at Longton as a Medium when he was 12 years old and so together they spanned over a century of time.

There was nothing wrong with Fanny's mother when she went to the church that afternoon. There was no reason to suppose for one moment she was about to pass, but she had a sudden heart attack. This was just in time to give such marvellous evidence to Fanny to show her the way forward. But not only for Fanny but for Gordon. This shows that Mediums are coming into the world not by mistake, but through the influence of a higher mind, which is in charge of things.

I remember him telling how when he was a baby his mother had to take him to church with her for his father would not look after him.

So from the time he was in 'swaddling clothes' he would be placed in the Circle with his mother during the developing class.

His years of training under his mother's watchful eye helped make him the fine Medium he was to become.

But in the early days, he was convinced he was much better than he really was.

He would always work better when his mother was not present and admitted that he thought he gave really good evidence:-

"Earnest Oaten was one of the finest orators of Spiritualism and he was to be the guest speaker and I was to demonstrate at a very large meeting in Birmingham.

Mr Oaten had given a most marvellous address and I got up to give clairvoyance.

The hall was packed to capacity, for in those days our halls were absolutely crowded.

And of course he thought as he stood up "Oh I'm the boy Medium, and they've all come to hear me. They don't really want to hear the speaker, its me, the wonderful boy Medium they've all come to hear.

I was flying all over the place with messages and everyone was saying "Oh yes luv" to me and I loved it and thought how marvellous it was.

I sat down and had the applause after the demonstration and I thought "Now what do you think of that?"(to Mr Oaten)

But he never spoke to me. He never came up and said how good I was. And I thought 'and who the heck does he think he is?'

You know when we are 14 or 15 years old we think we know everything, and I honestly thought I knew it all!

And as he was going Earnest Oaten just stopped me and said:

"You know Gordon, one day you will make a very good Medium"

That really got me. To think that he had the audacity to say "one day you might make a very good Medium." What the heck does he think I am now?

I admit that I did not have much humility about me.

And then Mr Oaten said to me;

"I have given my whole life to Spiritualism but all my knowledge couldn't cover the head of a pin"

I walked away and did not know where to put myself. He had said exactly the right thing.

My mother who I didn't think had been there listening came to me.

I said "Mother I've given the demonstration of my life tonight!"

"Oh you gave lovely little messages to people and you told them there was such a lot of love with them, and their mother was with them, and their father was with them, and they were carrying a cross, and all that sort of thing."

And I said "Well they understood it!"

And for two years I had to struggle hard in the developing class to make my mediumship even better.

But as I look back I realise I was not a good Medium.

I thought I was but I really wasn't."

Over many years Gordon was widely recognised for his exceptional mediumship.

He shared his training and knowledge with many, including students who were to follow his lead and practice his teachings.

They were to share his teachings with others who were not fortunate enough to have studied under such a fine teacher.

Gordon Higginson producing ectoplasm whilst sitting in the cabinet in the library in the Arthur Findlay College in Stansted Hall, Stansted, Essex, UK.

 

 

About Gordon

Gordon Higginson was one of the finest mediums of the last century and an excellent medium, speaker and teacher.  He was known as "Mr Mediumship" since his gifts of mediumship were wide ranging and he was a man of great charisma.  Gordon said that "Spiritual giants have always moved among the nations of the world" and Gordon himself can rightly be called a "Spiritual Giant" owing to his accomplishments, his influence and his dedicated work for Spirit.

Gordon's birth was pre-ordained by Spirit when his mother was just 14 years old and she was given a remarkable message at Longton Spiriualist Church.  The medium told Fanny Higginson that since leaving home and coming to the church, her mother had passed to spirit and that Fanny would herself serve as a medium, as would her son, and together their name would be linked with Longton church for over 100 years.  Fanny remained a medium at Longton church for 70 years until her passing in 1978.

Her son, Gordon Mons Higginson was born on 17th November 1918 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.  He began developing his spiritual gifts at a very early age under the careful supervision of his mother Fanny, who was also an excellent medium.  Gordon began sitting in his mother's circle from the tender age of 3 but was only permitted to pass on spirit communications to other members of the circle when he was 10 years old.  He first publicly demonstrated his mediumship at Longton Spiritualist Church on his twelfth birthday at which point he embarked on his career as a medium known as the "the boy wonder".   He continued to work the platform for another 63 years until the day before he passed to spirit.

Gordon was renowned for the accuracy of his platform mediumship and his evidence often included full names, addresses and telephone numbers.  Gordon was also an excellent physical medium and produced the rare phenomena of materialisation and direct voice.  He was one of the few physical mediums to demonstrate these unique and precious gifts publicly to audiences of up to 300 people.

Gordon was appointed as the President of Longton Spiritualist Church in 1946 at the young age of 28 and he continued to hold this position for the next 47 years until his passing.  Longton remained his spiritual home throughout his life and, together with his mother, the prophecy of 100 years of combined service to the church as mediums came true. 

Gordon became President of the Spiritualist's National Union (SNU) in 1970 at a time when the Union was in severe financial difficulties and had been given less than two years to survive.  In addition, the crippling debt owing on Stansted Hall meant that the Union had no option but to sell it unless a miracle could be performed.  Under Gordon's energetic and determined Presidency, the Union was saved from bankruptcy and the debt owed by Stansted Hall was cleared.  We have so much to thank Gordon for in saving the SNU and the Arthur Findlay College and preserving them for future generations. 

Gordon remains the longest serving President of the Spiritualists National Union, serving for an exceptional 23 years from 1970 until his passing in 1993.  He was also a Minister of the SNU and officiated at many namings, weddings and funerals. 

Gordon had a detailed understanding of mediumship and he was a fine teacher, much in demand across the country.  He taught on the very first  Summer School at  the Arthur Findlay College at Stansted Hall in 1965 and continued to teach there for a period of 28 years.  Gordon was the Principal of the College from 1979 to 1993.  Stansted Hall was always very dear to his heart and a place where many came from far and wide to hear his lectures and see his demonstrations, and for a special few to witness his demonstrations of physical mediumship in the college Library.

Above all else, Gordon was a dedicated spiritualist, an outstanding servant of the Spirit and devoted his entire life to the movement.  He routinely travelled the length and breadth of the country demonstrating his wonderful gifts of mediumship as well as undertaking presidential engagements.  He gave so much of himself and expected such little in return since he did not even charge fees for his spiritual work.  His unrelenting workload often affected his health and in one year he undertook some 300 large publicity meetings.  Few have worked so tirelessly in promoting Spiritualism.

Gordon suffered a couple of strokes during 1990 following the SNU Centenary celebrations at Wembley.  Following his strokes, he feared he had lost his remarkable gift of mediumship but he did recover and continued his unrelenting work for spirit until the day before his passing.  He took his transition to spirit at his home on 18th January 1993 after returning home from serving Blackpool Spiritualist Church, one of his favourite churches.

Gordon Higginson was not only an exceptional medium and teacher, but a man of great warmth, humour and charisma and he is still very much missed by many today despite it being some 16 years since his passing.  Men of his spiritual stature and charisma are few and far between and we are only graced with a few every century.

Gordon Higginson with the May Queen and his mother Fanny in the old Longton Church

Gordon Higginson with his brother Arthur

From the right sister Hazel, Gordon, Frank Tams at a bring and buy sale in Longton Church.

From right Gordon Higginson, Glyn Edwards, Jean Matheson.

 

Gordon's Mediumship

Gordon Higginson is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest mediums of the last century and he was known as 'Mr Mediumship'.  Gordon referred to Estelle Roberts as the 'perfect medium' due to the variety of different types of mediumship she demonstrated to the highest standards.  Gordon gifts of mediumship paralleled those of Estelle’s and were equally as wide-ranging in nature as well as being of the highest quality.  They comprised mental mediumship, trance control, physical mediumship and spiritual healing.

Gordon was trained from a very early age to be a platform medium and to demonstrate at large venues in front of capacity crowds.  His mother paid for him to have elocution lessons and he commenced working in public at the youthful age of 12.  He was known as the "the boy wonder" in his early years and he continued to demonstrate his gift of mental mediumship on the platform for another 63 years until the day before he passed to spirit.  Gordon was renowned for the accuracy of his platform mediumship and his evidence often included full names, addresses and telephone numbers.  Gordon was a master of his craft and would often set up several links amongst a large audience and work the links simultaneously.  Gordon worked with many of the well known mediums from yesteryear including Estelle Roberts, Helen Hughes, Bertha Harris and Nan Mackenzie and he demonstrated at many of the largest venues in the UK including the Royal Albert Hall on many occasions.  Some videos of Gordon demonstrating can be found on the 'Video Recordings' page.

Gordon was also a fine and eloquent speaker and his addresses contained his trademark style and charisma.

Gordon was a fine trance medium and many have witnessed the various guides and mentors who worked with Gordon.  His principal guide Choo Chow provided spiritual words of wisdom, whilst his childhood friend Cuckoo and his Irish guide Paddy provided gentle fun and humour, as well as Paddy providing clairvoyance in the trance state.   Gordon also had another guide called Light who would make predictions and who only come through once per year usually during the trance address at the Christmas morning service at Longton church.

Gordon was also an excellent physical medium and produced a wide range of physical phenomena including materialisation, transfiguration, independent voice and apports.  He regularly demonstrated his physical mediumship in the Library at the Arthur Findlay College to large audiences of 90 or so people.  Despite receiving several injuries over the years due to inappropriate acts from sitters, he was not deterred and continued to demonstrate in  public.  Because of his desire that this remarkable form of mediumship be shared with the public, perhaps more people have been able to witness physical mediumship with Gordon than with any other medium.  Gordon is also one of the few physical mediums to demonstrate physical mediumship publicly to an audience of 300 people at the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists.  Despite his results, this was one area of his mediumship where Gordon felt there was room for improvement since he felt that he could have achieved better results were he able to sit more regularly.

Although well known for his platform work and physical seances, Gordon was also an accomplished spiritual healer.  Together with his healing guide Dr John, Gordon was able to diagnose and provide healing for a wide range of ailments.  Up until the time of his passing in 1993, queues regularly formed outside Longton Spiritualist Church when he was holding spiritual healing sessions.   In addition, Gordon practiced spiritual healing on animals and vets supported claims of a number of miracle cures with cases where all hope appeared lost.