The Leslie Flint Educational Trust
Promoting the Legacy and Archive of the British Independent Direct Voice Medium Leslie Walter Flint
October 1912 - August 1963
Stephen Ward séance
Recorded: August 29th 1963
"I admit that I was foolish."
This is Stephen Ward's first successful communication -
recorded only a few weeks after his death.
He communicates with difficulty at the beginning,
until his voice becomes stronger.
Speaking to Rose Creet
in this short, but fascinating first recording,
Stephen reveals his feelings,
surrounding the events that led to his death...
Please read the transcript below as you listen...
Flint:
[This
séance was recorded] on Thursday the 29th of August. Medium Leslie Flint.
Ward:
Good
evening.
Creet:
Yes?
Hello? Somebody trying to speak...
Ward:
Yes,
very much. Very strange.
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
Hello.
Hello. Hello, hello?
Creet:
Hello?
Ward:
Good
evening.
Creet:
Good
evening to you.
Ward:
Good
evening.
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
I
do not know if I shall be able to speak very well.
Creet:
Oh,
I can hear you...
Ward:
It’s
all very new, very new.
Creet:
What?
Ward:
This
is all so very new to me.
Creet:
Very
new?
Ward:
I
do not understand...
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
...very
much about this.
Creet:
No,
but if you...
Ward:
but
I...I was brought here.
Creet:
Oh
yes?
Ward:
I
was brought here by...[sigh]
Creet:
By
Doctor Marshall?
Ward:
Yes,
that’s his name.
Creet:
Oh
really?
Ward:
Very
kindly...
Creet:
What
was that?
Ward:
...brought
me here. [sigh]
Creet:
Yes?
Try and speak on.
Ward:
How
very odd it all is. How very odd.
Creet:
How
very odd, huh. Yes, but you’ll get used to it. It’s new to you
just now.
Ward:
I
very much...
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
[Sigh]
I very much regret...
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
The
circumstances of my passing.
Creet:
I
know who it is!
Ward:
I...
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
I...
Creet:
I
know. I think it's...
Ward:
I
had no intention...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
I
had no intention...
Creet:
Yes,
oh...
Ward:
I
toyed with the idea...
Creet:
Oh
I see...
Ward:
But
I was not really intending to...
Creet:
No.
But, aren't you very much happier?
Ward:
I
don’t understand this, but I was told about this sort of thing. I’d
heard about it of course. But I once, many years ago, I had some sort
of an experience, but I don’t quite know whether the person was a
medium or whether they were a fortune teller or what.
Creet:
Well
you...
Ward:
But,
um, this is all very strange you know.
Creet:
It
will be very strange. It’s strange to everybody.
Ward:
So
many people have been...
Creet:
So...
Ward:
...thinking
about me in various ways; good, bad and ill...
Creet:
I,
I couldn’t quite catch that.
Ward:
I’m
sorry, but I cannot say...
Creet:
All
right, never...
Ward:
...very
much. Perhaps I could manage...
Creet:
Is
it...
Ward:
...some
other time, but...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
...it's
so extraordinary being able to speak in this fashion. I...I
never believed all this. I...I had some vague ideas about it, but...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
...it’s
all so extraordinary. I, I, I, I....
Creet:
Yes?
Ward:
I
realise now it’s a bit late...
Creet:
Oh
no, it’s never too late. Stephen Ward isn’t it? It is you
Stephen?
Ward:
Yes.
How did you know? I didn’t say who I was.
Creet:
I
know you didn't, no. But you've been in...
Ward:
This
is all so extraordinary this...
Creet:
[Laughs]
Ward:
I've
wanted, if I could, to make contact with people, but...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
...of
course, my...
Creet:
Anyhow,
it, it...look...
Ward:
...my
conscience is clear.
Creet:
I’m
sure it is. I’ve always...
Ward:
I
admit...I admit that I was foolish.
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
But
no more foolish than many another man in my position.
Creet:
Though
you were not...
Ward:
Of
course...
Creet:
You
did a lot of good.
Ward:
...I
tried to do what I could, but in certain things that I were...I’d
been accused of, were not true...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
and
several things that...that were true and I did certain things because
I was badgered to do them to help...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
...and
I didn't like to refuse. But, of course I made my mistakes, who
didn't...who doesn’t? But, a lot of the rubbish that they’ve
spoken about and printed about is, is, is quite, quite untrue. I, I,
I, I'm quite sure that I’ve been made use of.
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
In
more ways than one. I don’t blame anyone. I have no ill will. I, I,
I...
Creet:
You
would never...
Ward:
...I
don’t bear anyone any grudges.
Creet:
No.
Ward:
But
I think I should have faced it - stuck it out.
Creet:
Yes.
You wish you had stuck it out?
Ward:
I
should have stuck it out, but I’m all right now. But perhaps...
Creet:
Oh,
anyhow...
Ward:
...but
perhaps I may be able to come sometime and speak to you about
it.
Creet:
I
would love it, uh...Doctor...
Ward:
Doctor
Marshall and several other friends here have been very kind to
me, and I must try and come and speak to you again. I feel there's
great sympathy...
Creet:
Yes.
Ward:
But
I want to thank, not only you, but anyone else who has sent out their
thoughts and prayers to me. They have helped. Thank you very much.
I’ll come and speak to you, if I may, another night when I am
more used to this sort of thing.
Goodbye.
Creet:
Oh
please...please do.
Goodbye.
Dr
Marshall:
I thought it would interest you. I have been trying
to get him to come, and I think it will help him too. He’s much
more...much more settled now.
Creet:
He
is?
Marshall:
And
if he comes to speak from time to time, it may be a great help to
him. I shall endeavour to bring him through...
Creet:
Oh
yes, please let him come Doctor dear.
This transcript was created for the Flint Trust by Karyn Jarvie - July 2018