Daniel Dunglas Home (pronounced Hume; 20 March 1833 – 21 June 1886) was a Scottish physical medium who could reportedly levitate to different heights, speak with the dead, and create rapping or knocking sounds in homes. His biographer, Peter Lamont, says he was one of the most famous people of his time. Harry Houdini called him "one of the most well-known and praised of his type and generation" and "the first of the mediums who later relied on people’s trust to trick them." Home held many séances attended by important people from the Victorian era. Some people who attended these séances claimed they saw methods he may have used to create illusions or tricks.
Family
Elizabeth Home, also known as Betsy, was a seer in Scotland. Many of her family members, like her great-uncle Colin Urquhart and her uncle Mr. McKenzie, were also seers. The ability to see the future, called second sight, was often considered a bad thing because it predicted events like tragedy and death. Elizabeth’s husband, William Home, was the son of Alexander, the 10th Earl of Home. Evidence shows William was not legally married to his father, as the 10th Earl made payments meant for William. Elizabeth and William married when he was 19 years old and worked at the Balerno paper mill. They lived in one of the small homes built for workers near the mill in Currie, which is six miles southwest of Edinburgh. William was described as a man who was often sad, angry, and drank alcohol. Elizabeth had eight children while living in the mill house: six sons and two daughters. Records about their lives are incomplete. The eldest son, John, later worked at the Balerno mill and later managed a paper mill in Philadelphia. Another daughter, Mary, drowned in a stream at age 12 in 1846. A son named Adam died at sea at age 17 while traveling to Greenland. Daniel Home claimed he saw Adam’s death in a vision and said the event was confirmed five months later.
Early life
Daniel Home was Elizabeth's third child and was born on 20 March 1833. He was baptised by Reverend Mr. Somerville at Currie Parish Church on 14 April 1833, three weeks after his birth. At one year old, Home was considered a delicate child with a "nervous temperament" and was sent to live with Elizabeth's childless sister, Mary Cook. Mary lived with her husband in Portobello, a coastal town 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Edinburgh. Home later claimed that his cradle rocked by itself at the Cooks' house and that he had a vision of a cousin's death. The cousin lived in Linlithgow, a town west of Edinburgh.
Between 1838 and 1841, Home's aunt and uncle decided to move to the United States with their adopted son. They traveled in the cheapest class of a ship called steerage because they could not afford a cabin. After arriving in New York, the Cooks moved to Greeneville, near Norwich, Connecticut. Home, who had red hair and freckles, attended school in Greeneville and was called "Scotchy" by other students. At 13 years old, Home did not join sports games with other boys. Instead, he often walked in the local woods with a friend named Edwin. The two boys read the Bible to each other, told stories, and made a pact that if one of them died, they would try to communicate after death.
Home and his aunt later moved to Troy, New York, about 155 miles (249 km) from Greeneville, though Home later wrote that it was 300 miles (480 km) away. He lost contact with Edwin until one night when, according to Lamont, Home saw a brightly lit vision of Edwin standing at the foot of his bed. This vision made Home believe Edwin was dead. Edwin made three circles in the air before disappearing. A few days later, a letter arrived stating Edwin had died of malignant dysentery three days before the vision.
A few years later, Home and his aunt returned to Greeneville. Elizabeth Home, his mother, later moved from Scotland to America with the remaining family members and settled in Waterford, Connecticut, 12 miles (19 km) from the Cooks' house. Home's reunion with his mother was short-lived, as Elizabeth reportedly predicted her own death in 1850. Home claimed he saw his mother in a vision saying, "Dan, 12 o'clock," which was the time of her death.
After Elizabeth's death, Home turned to religion. His aunt was a Presbyterian who believed in Calvinist views that people's fates were already decided. Home instead embraced the Wesleyan faith, which taught that every soul could be saved. His aunt disliked Wesleyans and forced Home to change to Congregationalist, which she also did not like, but it was closer to her own beliefs. The house was reportedly disturbed by rappings and knocking, similar to those that had occurred two years earlier at the home of the Fox sisters. Ministers, including a Baptist, a Congregationalist, and a Wesleyan, were called to the Cooks' house. They believed Home was possessed by the Devil, but Home believed it was a gift from God. According to Home, the knocking did not stop, and a table moved by itself even after his aunt placed a Bible on it and stood on it with her full weight. According to Lamont, the noises continued and attracted unwanted attention from neighbors, so Home was told to leave the house.
Fame
In March 1851, an 18-year-old man named Home held his first séance in Willimantic, Connecticut, and later in Lebanon, Connecticut. A Hartford newspaper, managed by W. R. Hayden, reported that during the séance, a table moved without anyone touching it, and continued moving even when Hayden tried to stop it physically. After the newspaper story, Home became well known in New England. He traveled to different places, offering healing to the sick and communicating with the dead. However, he said he was not ready for this sudden change in his life because he was naturally shy.
Home did not ask for money directly, but he lived comfortably through gifts, donations, and lodging from wealthy supporters. He believed his purpose was to prove that life continues after death. He preferred to treat his clients as equals, not as employees. In 1852, Home visited the home of Rufus Elmer in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he held séances six or seven times daily. Many people attended, including David Wells, a Harvard professor, and William Cullen Bryant, a poet and editor of the New York Evening Post. These visitors confirmed that the room was well lit, inspections were allowed, and they stated, "We know that we were not imposed upon nor deceived." At one demonstration, five men weighing a total of 850 pounds sat on a table, which still moved. Others claimed to see "a tremulous phosphorescent light" on the walls. Home was examined by several people, including Professor Robert Hare, the inventor of the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe, and John W. Edmonds, a trial court judge. Though they were initially skeptical, they later said they believed Home was not dishonest.
In his book Incidents in My Life, Home wrote that in August 1852, at the home of Ward Cheney, a silk manufacturer in South Manchester, Connecticut, he was reportedly seen to levitate twice and rise to the ceiling. There were louder rappings and knocking than usual, more forceful table movements, and sounds like a ship in a storm. However, those present said the room was poorly lit, making it difficult to see the spirit lights.
New York became interested in Home’s abilities, so he moved to an apartment at Bryant Park on 42nd Street. His most vocal critic in New York was William Makepeace Thackeray, the author of Vanity Fair. Thackeray called Home’s abilities "dire humbug" and "dreary and foolish superstition," though he had been impressed by a table turning during a séance. Home considered Thackeray the most skeptical person he had ever met. Because Thackeray shared his views publicly, Home faced more scrutiny. Over the next few months, Home traveled between Hartford, Springfield, and Boston, and settled in Newburgh by the Hudson River in the summer of 1853. He lived at the Theological Institute but did not participate in theological discussions, as he wanted to study medicine. Dr. Hull funded Home’s studies and offered to pay him five dollars per day for his séances, but Home refused. He hoped to earn a legitimate salary by practicing medicine. However, he became ill in early 1854 and stopped his studies. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and doctors advised him to recover in Europe. His final séance in America took place in March 1855 in Hartford, Connecticut. Afterward, he traveled to Boston and sailed to England aboard the Africa at the end of March.
Europe
Daniel Home was originally named Daniel Home, but when he arrived in Europe, he changed his name to Daniel Dunglas Home. This was because his father claimed to be related to the Scottish family known as the House of Home. In London, Home met William Cox, a man who believed in spiritualism. Cox owned a large hotel at 53, 54, and 55 Jermyn Street. Because he admired Home’s abilities, Cox allowed Home to stay at the hotel without paying. Robert Owen, an 83-year-old social reformer, was also staying at the hotel. Owen introduced Home to many people in London’s society. At the time, Home was described as tall and thin, with blue eyes and auburn hair. He dressed carefully but was seriously ill with tuberculosis. Despite his illness, Home performed demonstrations for important people in daylight, moving objects that were far away.
Some early visitors to Home’s demonstrations included Sir David Brewster, a scientist who did not believe in Home’s abilities, and writers Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Thomas Adolphus Trollope. James John Garth Wilkinson, a Swedenborgian, also attended. Other scientists, such as Michael Faraday and Thomas Huxley, were among those who criticized Home’s claims. The poet Robert Browning was one of Home’s strongest critics. After attending a séance, Browning wrote in a letter to The Times that the events were "a cheat and imposture." He also wrote a poem called "Sludge the Medium" (1864) that criticized Home. Browning’s wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, believed the events she witnessed were real. Their disagreements about Home were a frequent topic of discussion. Frank Podmore wrote about a man named Mr. Merrifield, who claimed to have seen Home perform tricks during a séance.
Home became famous for his apparent ability to levitate. William Crookes claimed Home could rise five to seven feet above the floor. Crookes wrote that he saw Home slowly rise about six inches, stay there for ten seconds, and then descend slowly.
In the years that followed, Home traveled across Europe, often as a guest of wealthy individuals. In Paris, he performed a séance for Napoleon III at the Tuileries. He also performed for Queen Sophia of the Netherlands, who wrote that she saw a hand move her finger, a heavy golden bell move on its own, and her handkerchief move and return with a knot. She described Home as pale and sickly but not frightening or fascinating.
In 1866, Mrs. Jane Lyon, a wealthy widow, adopted Home as her son and gave him £60,000, hoping to gain entry into high society. When this did not improve her social standing, Lyon sued Home, claiming the money had been given under spiritual influence. Under British law, Home had to prove the money was not obtained through spiritual means, but no physical evidence existed. The court ruled against Home, and Lyon’s money was returned. The press criticized Home, but his friends believed he remained a gentleman throughout the ordeal.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a spiritualist who supported Home, noted that Home had four types of spiritualist abilities: direct voice (spirits speaking audibly), trance speaker (spirits speaking through Home), clairvoyant (seeing things not in view), and physical medium (moving objects at a distance, which Home was unmatched in).
According to Eric Dingwall, a woman served as a medium and helped Home during séances attended by Henrietta Ada Ward.
Alleged levitations
A low levitation event performed by Daniel Dunglas Home was recorded by paranormal historian Frank Podmore. Podmore wrote, "We all saw him rise from the ground slowly to a height of about six inches, remain there for about ten seconds, and then slowly descend."
In 1867, Home met Lord Adare, who later became the 4th Earl of Dunraven. Adare became interested in Home and began recording the séances they held together. The next year, it was reported that Home levitated out of a third-floor window in one room and back through the window of an adjacent room in front of three witnesses: Adare, Captain Wynne, and Lord Lindsay.
Lord Adare described Home as "swinging out and in" of a window in a horizontal position. However, John Sladek noted that the three witnesses gave conflicting details about the event.
The location of the incident was reported as 5 Buckingham Gate, Kensington (Adare); Ashley Place, Westminster (Adare); and Victoria Street, Westminster (Lindsay). Witnesses described differences in the width of ledges below the windows: 4 inches (Adare), 1½ inches (Lindsay), or no ledge at all (Lindsay). Some claimed there were balconies 7 feet apart (Adare), while others said there were no balconies (Lindsay). The height of the windows from the street was reported as 85 feet (Adare), 70 feet (Lindsay), or 80 feet (Home). The floor level was described as the third floor (Adare) or the first floor (Adare). Some said it was dark (Adare), while others claimed there was bright moonlight (Lindsay). Home was said to have been asleep in one room and the witnesses in another (Adare), or Home left the witnesses in one room and entered the next alone (Adare).
Trevor H. Hall, who studied the case, concluded the levitation occurred at Ashley Place, Westminster, at a height of 35 feet. He suggested that instead of levitating, Home may have stepped across a four-foot gap between two iron balconies. Gordon Stein also noted that a four-foot gap between balconies would make crossing between them possible.
Joseph McCabe wrote about the alleged levitation: "No one claims to have seen Home move from one window to another. Home told the three witnesses present that he would be 'wafted,' which created a nervous expectation. Lord Crawford and Lord Adare said they were warned before the event. Lord Crawford claimed he saw Home’s shadow on the wall moving horizontally, but since the moon was only three days old, his testimony is unreliable. Lord Adare said he saw Home standing upright outside the window in the dark. However, because the night was nearly moonless, it was unclear whether Home was inside or outside. Adare also noted there was a 19-inch window sill outside the window where Home could have stood."
A few days before the levitation, Home opened the same window, stepped outside, and stood on the ledge in front of two witnesses, scaring Lord Lindsay. Ivor Lloyd Tuckett suggested this action was a way for Home to demonstrate what he intended to do later. Another possible explanation was proposed by Guy William Lambert, a psychical researcher, who claimed Home may have tied a rope to the building’s chimneys and used it to swing between rooms. Lambert’s idea was supported by magician John Booth.
Arthur Conan Doyle noted that many accounts of Home’s levitations exist, but skeptics argue that such events often occurred in dark conditions, which could allow for trickery.
Science historian Sherrie Lynne Lyons mentioned that a possible explanation for Home’s levitations was revealed in the 20th century by Clarence E. Willard. Willard shared his method in 1958 with members of the Society of American Magicians. He showed how he could increase his height by two inches through stretching. Lyons stated that Home may have used a similar technique.
Author Donald Serrell Thomas wrote that Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, a French magician, was not allowed to attend Home’s séances. Spiritualists claimed Robert-Houdin could not explain the events at a Home séance. Peter Lamont noted that these claims lack evidence and are likely false.
Historian Simon During suggested that Home’s levitation was a magic trick inspired by Robert-Houdin.
Critical reception
Some people who study the paranormal and write about spiritual matters claim that a man named Home was never caught cheating during his séances. However, others who doubt these claims say that Home was seen using tricks by different people on different occasions. Gordon Stein, a researcher, explained that although some say Home was never exposed for fraud, this is not true. He was never caught in public, but privately, he was discovered using tricks several times. Also, there are natural explanations for many of his strange events.
During a séance in 1855 at the home of a man named John Snaith Rymer in Ealing, a guest named Frederick Merrifield noticed that a "spirit-hand" was actually a fake limb attached to Home's arm. Merrifield also said he saw Home use his foot during the séance.
The poet Robert Browning and his wife Elizabeth attended a séance in Ealing in 1855 with the Rymers. Later, in 1895, a journalist named Frederick Greenwood claimed that Browning had told him that during the séance, he had touched a glowing object that turned out to be Home's bare foot. In 1902, Browning’s son Robert wrote to a newspaper saying his father had grabbed Home’s foot under the table. This story was later repeated by Harry Houdini and others. However, detailed accounts of the séance written by Robert and Elizabeth Browning at the time did not mention this incident. Browning’s account said he was promised a chance to hold a "spirit-hand," but this did not happen.
A researcher named Count Perovsky-Petrovo-Solovovo wrote about a letter from Dr. Barthez, a doctor who worked for Empress Eugenie. Dr. Barthez said that during a séance in Biarritz in 1857, a guest named Morio de l’lle saw Home use his foot to create fake spirit effects. Home wore thin shoes and cut socks that let his toes move freely. He would remove one shoe, use his foot to move objects, and then quickly put the shoe back on. He stood between the empress and Napoleon III. A guest named General Fleury suspected Home was tricking people and left the room, but later returned to watch from behind Home. He saw Home take off his shoe and touch the empress’s arm, which she thought was one of her dead children. General Fleury then exposed the trick, and Home was sent out of the country. However, these claims are based on secondhand accounts and have caused debate among researchers.
A journalist named Delia Logan attended a séance with Home in London and said he used a trick with phosphorus oil. During the séance, glowing hands were seen, and the host told Logan he had seen Home place a small bottle on a shelf. The host later found the bottle in his pocket, and it contained phosphorus oil.
A sculptor named Hiram Powers, who believed in spiritualism, attended a séance with Home but later wrote to Elizabeth Browning saying Home had faked the table-moving movements.
Researchers such as Frank Podmore, Milbourne Christopher, Trevor H. Hall, and Gordon Stein believed Home was a fraud and studied how he might have tricked people during séances.
Skeptics have pointed out that the lighting during Home’s séances was very dim, often only a few candles or the glow from a fireplace or window. Home controlled the lighting as he saw fit, and no one stopped him. One witness said, “The room was very dark… Home’s hands were visible only as a faint white heap.” Home chose his séance guests carefully, and his hands and feet were not monitored. Frank Podmore wrote that no steps were taken to prevent trickery.
Science historian Sherrie Lynne Lyons suggested that the glowing hands in Home’s séances could be explained by rubbing phosphorus oil on his hands. It has also been proposed that the "spirit hands" were made of gloves filled with a substance. Robert Browning thought they were attached to Home’s feet. Home was a sculptor, and his studio in Rome had carved hands. Lyons speculated that he might have used these sculpted hands instead of his real ones during séances.
Home was known for supposedly handling a hot piece of coal from a fire. A magician named Henry Evans thought this was a juggling trick using a hidden piece of platinum. Another researcher, Hereward Carrington, said this idea was clever but noted that William Crookes, a chemist, was present during one of these events and could have told the difference between coal and platinum. Frank Podmore wrote that many of Home’s fire-related tricks could have been done with magic tricks, and some people might have been tricked into thinking they saw flames from Home’s fingers.
Between 1870 and 1873, a scientist named William Crookes tested three mediums—Florence Cook, Kate Fox, and Home—to see if their abilities were real. Crookes claimed that all three produced real effects, but many scientists disagreed. He tried to control Home by placing his feet on top of Home’s feet, but this method later failed with another medium named Eusapia Palladino, who simply slipped her foot back into her shoe. Crookes’ work with Florence Cook was also questioned, which made people doubt his conclusions about Home. In 1875, a medium named Anna Eva Fay tricked Crookes into believing she had real psychic powers. Fay later admitted she had faked the results.
In 1871, Crookes studied Home in a laboratory he built at his home in London. No plans or descriptions of the lab have been found. Crookes wrote that an experiment with a board and spring balance proved the existence of a "psychic force" but was later criticized because vibrations from nearby trains might have caused the results. The experiment was not repeatable and sometimes failed. Scientists rejected it because it lacked proper controls. During the experiment, Home refused to let Crookes stay close and would distract him by talking or pointing to something else in the room.
In 1871, a scientist named Balfour Stewart wrote in a journal that the experiments were not done in daylight with an unbiased audience, so the results were unclear. He thought the strange effects people saw were more likely due to personal feelings or tricks rather than real psychic powers.
Personal life
In 1858, Home married Alexandria de Kroll ("Sacha"), a 17-year-old girl from a wealthy Russian family, in Saint Petersburg. Alexandre Dumas, a famous writer, was the best man at their wedding. The couple had a son named Gregoire ("Grisha"), but Alexandria became very sick with tuberculosis and passed away in 1862. In October 1871, Home married again, this time to Julie de Gloumeline, a wealthy Russian woman he met in Saint Petersburg. During this marriage, Home joined the Greek Orthodox religion.
In 1869, Lord Adare wrote about his experiences with Home in his diary, titled Experiences in Spiritualism with D. D. Home. He described sleeping in the same bed as Home. Some parts of the diary suggest there were hints of a romantic relationship between Adare and Home.
Death
The person retired from home because of poor health. He had struggled with tuberculosis for most of his life, and the illness was getting worse. He was losing his strength. He passed away on June 21, 1886, at the age of 53. He was buried in the Russian cemetery in St. Germain-en-Laye, Paris.
In popular culture
In the 1976 Granada TV series Victorian Scandals, the episode The Frontiers of Science includes Home, a major character played by Australian actor Lewis Fiander. The episode focuses on the relationship between Florence Cook, William Crookes, and Home.