please empty your brain below
What a fascinating museum and makes a case for visiting Bedford, like the list of places to visit within a two minute walk.

Victoria | 08.03.20 - 8:13 a.m. | #

I'd wager that the tower builders in Gillingham that DG refers to is related to Jezreel's Tower.

Jamesthegill | 08.03.20 - 8:36 a.m. | #

Insert obligatory Life of Brian Messiah reference here.

D9000 | 08.03.20 - 9:01 a.m. | #

You really couldn't make it up. Had me double checking the date though.

Frank F | 08.03.20 - 9:03 a.m. | #

Never knew anything about this before this post, love the interesting things DG digs up

Tom | 08.03.20 - 9:03 a.m. | #

I can remember as a child (in the 1950s) seeing small adverts in some newspapers about “Opening Joanna Southcotts box” and wondering it was all about.
Now I’m a bit wiser about it, thanks DG.

Ray | 08.03.20 - 9:18 a.m. | #

I'm gobsmacked that it held on until 2012!

Cornish Cockney | 08.03.20 - 9:51 a.m. | #

There is a fantastic documentary about the Panacea Society available to view on Vimeo called Maidens of the Lost Ark originally shown on Channel 4 in 2003. There is a good review giving a flavour of it here.

Also last year saw the publication of a novel by the TV journalist Claire McGlasson called The Rapture which is based on the full access she had to the papers of the society. It's a good read.

Joan | 08.03.20 - 10:22 a.m. | #

...so for them the world really did end in 2012.

Grumpy Anon | 08.03.20 - 11:13 a.m. | #

I'm delighted to read an 'End of the World' post today, the 42nd anniversary of the first broadcast of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which features the destruction of the Earth.

JonathanC | 08.03.20 - 12:54 p.m. | #

Thanks Joan. That is a magnificent documentary, which I've just watched all the way through, and most notable for the unshakeable faith and testimony of the two last Panaceans, Ruth and John.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 08.03.20 - 1:23 p.m. | #

I've been and it's a very interesting visit, the Higgins Gallery is excellent as well.

Don't forget the London link as Joanna Southcott's grave is in St John's Wood, I've not been but it is publicly accessible I believe and the pictures show it might be worth the effort in finding.

Surbitonian | 08.03.20 - 2:29 p.m. | #

I wonder if the original radio was still in the wireless room.

John | 08.03.20 - 4:06 p.m. | #

This post reminds me of the excellent novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gamin, Good Omens, the nice and accurate prophecies of Agnes Nutter witch! Though this was set in Tadfield Oxfordshire and was recently an excellent TV production.

Nick | 09.03.20 - 8:05 a.m. | #











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