Yorkshire Writers' Lunch

Friday 8 December 1854 The Gymnasium Hall, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield Some thought it the most wicked sorcery they had ever witnessed. They were pleased to scurry home through the wet streets to bolt their doors, say their prayers and try to dispel the images of the piercing, demonic gaze of the man billed as a Lecturer in Mesmerism, Phrenology, Clairvoyance and Animal Magnetism. But these stubborn sceptics were in the minority. Most left the Hall that night believing they had seen acts of wonder and supernatural powers. They had watched volunteers being placed in a mesmeric sleep and then told to get into an imaginary rowing boat before being cast adrift on a stormy sea. As these entranced sailors held on to the sides of a boat only they could see, their bodies were flung from side to side on waves which washed only through their own imaginations. Under the influence of the celebrated Captain Hudson, others were persuaded to assume the identity of a steam train, their shushing...

   Let’s see what’s on the television tonight.   Oh, this drama looks good.   Wait a minute, here comes a warning.    This programme contains violence and scenes of a sexual nature.   That’s put me off a bit.   I don’t think I want to watch anything like that.   I suppose I could start watching it and see how I feel.   No, I’ll look for something else.    Now, what about this one.   I love hospital programmes.   It sounds quite interesting.   24 hours in A and E.   Here we go again, another warning. This programme contains scenes of graphic medical procedures which some people may find upsetting.   Oh dear, how graphic?   That’s the question.   I’ll give it a miss.    There’s a cowboy film on some remote channel.   I’ve seen it before and I remember it was really good.   It’s quite old and pretty tame, so it should be clear from censorship.     ...