Local Topics (article 29 september 1888)
Local Topics is an article published in the Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle on 29 september 1888.
Article
The formation of the Hampshire Psychical Society — the most recent of the scientific societies of the county — took place at a special meeting of the members held at the Holy Trinity School-rooms in Northam-road, Southampton, on Monday evening last. The following officers were elected:— President, Lieut.-Colonel G. L. Le M. Taylor, of the Royal Military College, Farnborough Vice-Presidents, Professor W. F. Barrett, F.R.S.E., Royal College of Science, Dr. A. Conan Doyle, M.D., Southsea, and the Hon. Percy Wyndham, Clouds, Salisbury; Hon. Treasurer and Secretary, the Rev. E. Smith, 7, Portland-place, Southampton. The objects of the Society are the investigation of various rare and obscure mental phenomena, such as those of hypnotism, thought-transference, and allied states. The Society will conduct their inquiries by experimental methods. It is found that most persons are acquainted with someone who has, or is said to have, experienced some abnormal or supernormal mental phenomenon. The Society will be glad to hear of such cases. Communications should be addressed to the Secretary, from whom the Society's prospectus may be obtained. The past decade has witnessed considerable activity on the part of scientists in these branches of psychology. The formation of such societies as the English and American Societies for Psychical Research, the Psychological Societies of Paris and Munich, and the positive results which have been obtained by these and similar centres, show that the time has arrived in the development of the sciences when these studies can be profitably undertaken, and when fresh light will be thrown on the nature of intelligence.
