Old Dorothy Clutterbuck (1880-1951) Dorothy Clutterbuck is perhaps the most elusive and secretive of the witches to have figured in the rise of the modern era of witchcraft. She is also perhaps the most intriguing. Old Dorothy as she was affectionately known, was the witch who initiated Gerald B. Gardner into the Old Religion during September 1939. So little was known about Old Dorothy that for many years skeptics and historians had believed that Gardner, through a figment of his imagination had invented her solely to justify his belief that there was still in existence practicing witches of the Old Religion. In 1980 Doreen Valiente a great friend and colleague of Gardner's, set out to disprove these allegations. After two years of research she succeeded, and was able to prove through birth and death records that Old Dorothy was indeed a real person. Through ecclesiastical records held at India House, London, Doreen was able to establish Dorothy's parents, and to find a record of Dorothy's birth. It began in India were one Capt. Thomas St Quintin Clutterbuck, aged 38, was married to Ellen Anne Morgan, aged 20, at Lahore, India, in 1877. Three years later they had a child and Dorothy was born, in India, in Bengal on the 19th January 1880. She was later baptized in the church of St Paul's, Umbala, on the 21st February 1880. Her father must have been a man of means to hold a commission in the Colonial Forces, most officers of that time where. At the time of Dorothy's birth he was still a Captain, and serving with the 14th Sikhs Regiment, Indian Local Forces. Later that same year he was promoted to Major and from Dorothy's death certificate, we know he reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. >From this we can surmise that Dorothy was brought up with all the privileges and prestige that go along with wealth and position. Nothing further is known of Dorothy until 1933. [snip] http://www.controverscial.com/Old%20Dorothy%20Clutterbuck.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar