Finding myself in Bedford recently, with an hour or so to kill, I went for a coffee at Costa. There, to my surprise, I found a wilting leaflet advertising the nearby
Panacea Museum. Being a keen Fortean I drained my extra-shot mocha and set off on foot.
Pausing only to get lost once (which enabled me to look over the side of the town bridge at the place where
John Bunyan, author of
The Pilgrim's Progress, was imprisoned for a year) I soon arrived at 9, Newnham Road, Bedford MK40 3NX:
The place is well-maintained, but one gets the impression of it being run by well-meaning amateurs: the lady at reception seemed astonished that anyone might want to visit, and asked me earnestly how I'd heard of the place; a docent in another room was eating a sandwich at his desk...
The potted history of the Panacea Society is that its founder Mabel Barltrop became convinced that she was the eighth descendant of
Joanna Southcott, the Devon seer who died in 1814. Barltrop accordingly changed her Christian name to "Octavia", and announced that she was the "Shiloh" or Child of God prophecied by Southcott.
Barltrop declared that Bedford was the site of the Garden of Eden, and bought properties in the town to be used for her ministry, and to house the 24 bishops who would have to convene before Southcott's sealed box could be opened revealing her prophecies.
A replica of Southcott's box (the original is "in a secret location")
Barltrop became convinced that water was the cure for all ills, or "panacea", hence the society's name. To further her aims, she formed the scheme of buying bolts of linen cloth over which she would breathe. These bolts were then cut into 1" squares by her followers, and would be posted to believers. The squares were to be immersed in tap water, which would then become imbued with her woo, and could be drunk to heal any ailment. This "Water A" could be saved and diluted to form "Water B", in which devotees could bathe. As one does.
Prepared squares
Documents in the displays name-check numerous contemporary celebs whose names will be familiar to fellow Forteans -
Helena Blavatsky, for example.
The museum also displays Southcott's original grave memorial. Even after death she was associated with weird occurrences: She was laid to rest near the bank of the Thames. In the Victorian era - in line with established 19th-century Health & Safety practices - a barge laden with gunpowder and petrol (!) blew up nearby, cracking her stone in half. It was replaced, and the Society secured the original:
At its peak the Panacea Society claimed over 130,000 followers worldwide. It only died with its last member - Ruth Klein, aged 80 - in 2012.
Today its premises are carefully preserved, together with a pleasant little garden and a tea room. Those with an interest in eccentric esotericism, or anyone looking to have a nice free sit-down in a quiet garden and enjoy a pot of tea and a sarnie, could do worse than spend an hour there.
Part of the garden by the tea room patio
(Opening hours are variable, check
their website for details.)
maximus otter
