a follow up to Early Thelema and A.’.A.’. in New Zealand: an appeal for information .
We have now obtained the memoirs of mr. wragge (such as still exist) and are posting here the section upon which the archaeopedia claims of him being a practitioner of A.’.A.’. seem to rest.
By themselves they are not enough to support the reading of being a practitioner of A.’.A.’. (alternative explanations for what “a’a” may designate in the context of a traveling lecturer on science, meteorology, spiritualism and theosophy in the early 20th century are welcome).
The mysterious sign marked with the words “what is this?” is the only thing in the document that may link Wragge conclusively to A.’.A.’. and so we appeal to any passing thelemites to weigh in one way or another on whether this has anything to do with Crowley’s magical system.
Any ideas about what the SA lectures might designate are also welcome (our guess is spiritualist association but this is entirely speculative) “Doan” appears to be a kind of pill Wragge credits with overcoming an illness around this time.
In the interest of providing something of worth in this post to the artist or writer researching New Zealand history we include a couple of documents relating to Wragge and his spiritual views
THEY SAY
Observer, Volume XXXI, Issue 17, 7 January 1911, Page 7
which may be referring to either of these stories (or similar ones) or just his general character
Dr. Bakewell and the hypnotic cure
with thanks to the national library of New Zealand
EsotericNZ 