Curnow, W. Leslie (d. 1926)
Australian-born journalist who became prominent as a Spiritualist
in Britain. He was born in New South Wales and studied
at Sydney University (B.A.). He was a journalist on the staff of
the Sydney Morning Herald and then moved to London in 1913
to write for the Times.
Curnow became a member of the Society for Psychical Research
and was assistant editor of the Spiritualist journal Light.
He contributed articles to a variety of psychic periodicals and
was responsible for several books, including The W. T. Stead
Borderland Library Catalogue (1923) and The Physical Phenomena
of Spiritualism A Historical Survey (1925).
He is chiefly remembered for his involvement with Sir Arthur
Conan Doyles famous two-volume work The History of
Spiritualism, first published at the authors own expense in 1924
and reprinted in 1975. In this work Doyle gratefully acknowledges
his indebtedness to Curnow, pointing out that such a history
needed more research than his own busy life permitted.
Doyle also states in his preface, I cannot admit too fully the
loyal assistance which he (Curnow) has given me, and if I have
not conjoined his name with my own upon the title-page it is
for reasons which he understands and in which he acquiesces.
Curnow died February 11, 1926.
Sources
Doyle, Arthur Conan. The History of Spiritualism. 2 vols. London
The Author, 1924. Reprint, New York Arno Press, 1975.
