As a fledgling witch of an oral tradition, I read the first of the Farrars' books many years ago and adopted some of their ideas and rituals as my own. Though I don't use their rituals any longer, I still have a number of their books on the reading list for my students. Even my Mother has a copy of the Witches' Bible.
As a very young woman, I had a vague sense of the Farrars as old, stodgy and far, far away. I never considered the idea that I might one day meet and chat and play with them as friends and colleagues. Or that they would be as fun and as cool as they were to me.
I first met Janet and Stewart Farrar when they came to the United States for a book tour about ten years ago. I was a board member of an organization that sponsored part of their jaunt to the Northwest, and we ended up with them signing books in my (now defunct) store, The Cauldron. They were both friendly, personable and funny, even though they were tired and travel worn after being dragged all over creation. Stewart especially seemed to be patient, kind, protective of Janet and quiet until you got on a subject dear to his heart.
A good part of that day was spent discussing pagan politics. Stewart wasn't impressed by the preening and fawning by some members of local pagan organizations — he felt it silly and unnecessary. I found him refreshing and a bit eccentric, though not nearly as weird as I thought he'd be. Stewart was a down to earth man, especially for a witch. Not the SCA, Dungeons-and-Dragons, huge-pent-wearing, flamboyant type — quiet, intelligent confidence shined in his soft eyes.
The Farrars returned to the Northwest another time. On this visit it was apparent to me Stewart's health was beginning to fail. He didn't have the same energy and enthusiasm that he had before. He occasionally had to take naps during the day and he just didn't seem quite himself. Janet told me he was just tired of it all.
During this trip, the Farrars attended the ATC's annual Spring Mysteries Festival, held each year over Easter weekend. I was fortunate enough to meet up again with them there. This time, there was a twist — they had another person with them. Gavin Bone was introduced to me as Janet's "young man." She laughed at that, Stewart just smiled. It would be the next night before I could get clarification on that subject.
Before I would be enlightened as to Gavin's role, I would become involved with the Farrars' in a completely unexpected way. Seems that they had become interested in the Norse pantheon after hooking up with Gavin and they decided it would be fun to do an impromptu drama based on the trial of Loki from Norse mythology. I guess the Farrars had done this at a few other festivals as well, with great response. Janet came to me and told me she couldn't think of anyone better to be the defense attorney for Loki. Even though my Norse mythology is not the best, I agreed.
We convened a distinguished cast; Janet Farrar, Stewart Farrar, Gavin Bone, my ex-boyfriend Wade, my friend Prudence Priest, Graywolf, Pete, me as defense attorney and others I don't remember right now. So, we gathered the people who wanted to watch and got down to the trial. No rules and — no predestined outcome. I am an effective bluffer, a good poker player and not above bribing the jury. Let's just say I won my case. It was the first time since the Farrars had begun this ritual drama that Loki was found not guilty.
Janet was happy and Stewart told me I should have been a barrister! It was great fun and I'll always remember the stern look on Stewart's face when he pronounced Loki "not guilty!"
The other really enlightening thing that happened that weekend was at a workshop on polyamoury. The workshop was supposed to be given by a local Northwest priest who fell ill and couldn't make it. Stewart and I held the class with about eight or nine others in attendance. That was when he revealed that yes, Gavin was Janet's lover — and Stewart was perfectly fine and happy with it. He said he wasn't jealous and that partly, he wanted to look after Janet when he was gone. It was one of the sweetest, most thoughtful and loving things I had ever heard anyone express sincerely. Stewart spoke about poly relationships with an ease and understanding that you don't often encounter, especially from a man of his generation. I gained a whole new respect for him after that class. We were all moved by a beautiful poem he read to us at the end of the class that he had written about Janet and the Goddess.
I was understandably jealous of Janet, which I later expressed to her. She had Stewart, who was the distinguished older gentleman, wise and worldly and she had the handsome young, energetic man and they got along and treated one another with respect and love. I thought Stewart especially confident and self assured to encourage his wife to take a young lover. I thought they were all very sophisticated, to say the least!
Though I didn't know Stewart Farrar well, or for long, I was privileged to have the opportunity to spend time with him and to share ideas, opinions, inspiration and laughter and I will always treasure that. He touched me in many ways; from his books to his playful nature to his charming manners to his obvious love for Janet and for the Goddess, he was a wonderful man and will be missed by many.
I extend condolences from the staff of Widdershins to Janet, Gavin and coven. I wish them all the best blessings of the Goddess.
Obituary
The son of a bank official and schoolteacher, Stewart Farrar was born on the 28 June 1916, at 239 Winchester Road, Highams Park, Walthamstow, in what is now the London borough of Waltham Forest.
Stewart Farrar's interest in the occult field came very much as a late vocation, having had little more than a passing interest in many other philosophies including communism and Marxism. By the time he met Alex and Maxine Sanders, the well-known London witches, in late 1969 he was, in his own words, an "interested agnostic". In the process of writing his first non-fiction book, What Witches Do, having warmed to its themes and philosophy, he was initiated into the Craft on 21 February 1970. What Witches Do proved to be a milestone for the Craft for many reasons. It was perhaps the first book written from the inside as it were, with a sense of sobriety and intelligence, which many of its cloak and dagger, garbled predecessors lacked. In Stewart's own words, it filled a gap. It combined an overall survey of the basic beliefs and practices of a modern witch with a new witch's reactions to the process of learning those beliefs and practices. It is still recommended reading for serious minded students of the Craft today.
Stewart with his beloved wife Janet, moved to Ferns, County Wexford, Ireland, in the spring of 1976 and it was here that they began to produce the first of their own independent writings. Here, immersing themselves in rural Irish tradition and culture, they formed a coven nucleus and worked out ritual drama for their Eight Sabbats for Witches published in 1981. They spent a short time in the west of Ireland before moving to a rural backwater in Swords close to Dublin City where they began working on another milestone The Witches' Way (1984). From here they moved to Beltichburne near Drogheda and then on to Kells, County Meath where they produced The Witches' Goddess (1987); The Life and Times of a Modern Witch (1987); The Witches' God (1989) and Spells and How They Work (1990). Stewart and Janet co-authored with Gavin Bone, a qualified nurse, The Pagan Path (1995) and The Healing Craft (1999).
Stewart also wrote seven witchcraft novels of which Omega was perhaps the most outstanding and idealistic. It depicts a world ravaged by man's corruption, his rape of the planet and the final coming to terms with a New World through the philosophy of Wicca.
I think it is fair to say that Stewart Farrar did more than any Craft writer on this side of the Atlantic to expound the spirit of Wicca in its `purest' form since Gerald Gardner. Certainly, he has few, if any contemporaries that can rival him for sheer volume alone. His rational, intelligent and easy to read style of writing has proved immensely popular and has given witchcraft the `respectable' image it needed for so long. Farrar was not without his critics who were quick to dwell on his occasional misdemeanors in the field as sometime spokesman for the Craft movement. These however, with the passage of time, along with the critics, will be seen as inconsequential storms in a teacup.
Suffice to say that Farrar was, is and may remain the most prolific writer on the subject of contemporary witchcraft that perhaps the world has ever known. He more than anybody else, has put his shoulder to the wheel of the Western Mystery Tradition to make Wicca a viable and workable path for many to tread.
Peter J. Doyle
Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland
7th February 2000
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