19th C Cult in Gloucester

[joroas]

Found this on today's Gloucester news site and thought it might interest others or be the base of a scenario:

Diary revealed notes about clandestine cult
Sunday, July 17, 2011 The Citizen
Follow.YOU may be aware that as President of the Glevum Forum: Researching Local History, I often give talks on our city's past.

My lectures include accounts of Gloucester's links with religion and belief.

I mention Abbot Serlo who in 1809 began building the noble church that became our cathedral.

Other aspects of the subject touched upon are Bishop Hooper's fiery end at the stake, and the work of that splendid son of Gloucester, George Whitefield, more famous in the USA than at home for his key role in the birth of Methodism.

Now added to these stories – in one unearthed only recently – that of a clandestine quasi-religious cult founded in 19th-century Gloucester.

Its participants, who ranged from a member of the peerage to a scene shifter in a Southgate street theatre, called themselves the Scions or Apostles of Onan.

Here I must express gratitude to Miss Nesta Fowles of Churchdown who has generously granted me permission to quote from the writings of her great, great, great uncle Mr Charles Dolge Orlick, wine merchant.

An active member of the Apostles, Mr Orlick recorded their activities in a diary found in a hidden drawer long after his death. What follows is derived from his jottings.

The Apostles were founded by Willem "Willi" can der Wencke, a "Purveyor of Curiously Spicy Sausages and Meat Balls" from the town of Puullenhoorn in the Netherlands, who rented premises in St Aldate Street.

He believed that through certain rituals involving a votive object allegedly of great antiquity called the Scroll of Righteousness he could attract as his spirit-guide Onan, son of Judah, who appears in the Book of Genesis.

Early Onanic gatherings took place in a room above Willi's sausage emporium. Ostensibly they were meetings of a club devoted to readings from the works of Shakespeare.

Later, due to complaints from neighbours who objected to the expostulations and unseemly hubbub which arose during the final ecstatic moments of an "Onanic Manifestation", a move was made to a wooden tabernacle, ie a potting shed – in a garden off Spa Road.

Most Apostles were middle-class local worthies but the cult also drew in some famous names. Following a match on the Spa cricket ground, WG Grace was invited to participate. According to the diary: "Doctor Grace performed the ritual of rolling the scroll with such manly vigour he suffered a sprained wrist."

An accident subsequently blamed on a mistimed batting stroke.

Oscar Wilde visited incognito and, "much tucked-up from frenetic exertion, was assisted to a hackney carriage by a youthful seller of ladies' knick-knacks whom he had befriended on the train down from London".

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came and went. There is a disguised reference to his visit in the Sherlock Holmes short story The Trembling Hands. The Onanians congregated regularly for several years, their activities petering out in January 1887 when van der Wencke hastily and permanently decamped back to the Netherlands following a shaming incident.

It seems that during a new year celebration attended by businessmen, clerics, civic dignitaries and their families at the Bell Inn, the Dutchman disastrously overindulged a predilection for cherry brandy.

His senses in utter disarray, he attempted to perform the chief Onanic rite at the dinner table while pudding was being served, even urging the Mayor, Councillor John Huffam, to follow his example.

Outraged guests pursued him from the hotel into the grasp of a constable and it was only to avoid a scandal that he was spared charges.

The above is merely a brief sketch of this singular topic.

Anyone wishing to learn more will do soon in the book I am currently writing or at my next lecture – at the Guildhall in August, the date yet to be finalised.

Donald A Pinch, BA, FRHS

Maidenhall

Gloucester

[Mister Rab]

Onan? "Rolling the scroll"? Really? 

I always suspected that most members of secret societies were, well, "scroll rollers" and here's the "proof" 

[YPU]

Onan? "Rolling the scroll"? Really? 

I always suspected that most members of secret societies were, well, "scroll rollers" and here's the "proof" 

And founded by a salesman of "spicy sausages and meatballs" no less.

[joroas]

Having read the article again and the letters page, I believe this is a well-crafted spoof and maybe needs to disappear.

[YPU]

I think that with the mention of Doyle it would be better known if this were true, indeed. Still if its a joke its a finely crafted one.

[Mister Rab]

Having read the article again and the letters page, I believe this is a well-crafted spoof and maybe needs to disappear.

Oh no, don't get rid of it! I think the secret society and associated participants and histories is really cool pulp fare. All you'd need to do is strip out the w*nking bits and it's BRILLIANT background.

[joroas]

Yes, I think it is incredibly well-crafted, the author is obviously well-read and intelligent.  It almost reads like the old WHFRP cult blurbs......... 

[Skrapwelder]

This could have something to do with one of Doyle's early unpublished fragments: Onan the Barbarian.

[joroas]

This has been published in the local paper as a factual piece................... 

[Traveler Man]

This has been published in the local paper as a factual piece................... 

 

[fastolfrus]

This has been published in the local paper as a factual piece................... 

For a local paper it's probably as near to factual as you might expect.

Very well written though.

[joroas]

It's still there:

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Diary-revealed-notes-clandestine-cult/story-12959217-detail/story.html

Some of the letters of disbelief on the website:

“What a fascinating piece of research - definitely worthy of a "Fellow" of the "Royal Historical Society". Can I suggest, as a follow up, a medically inclined member of the "Glevum History Forum" looks into the incidence of premature blindness among Gloucester men at the time the cult was at its height.
Can't wait for the book and lecture. The first day of the 4th month next year has got to be the day for both surely.”

“I know, I KNOW! How many times I've commented on this one, but,
... It's a joy to behold and TiG have their hands tied because they've printed it in The Citizen, so they can only 'fess up and then write an apology in the paper... Or ignore the fact that they've proof read and printed such an obscene piece of double entendre! Brilliant!”

[joroas]

Amazingly, they still haven't pulled this story.............

[v_lazy_dragon]

I'm just amazed they printed it.... 

[carlos marighela]

Onanism is alive and well. A goodly selection of its modern day practitioners can be found over on TMP.