Profile of The Ghost Research Foundation International
GRFI
is an experienced non-profit gaining international research organisation
which studies haunted locations worldwide. It is primarily a research
group and secondly a social club in which like-minded people can pursue
their interests in unique surroundings, often making new friends. The
Foundation is funded solely by its Members through annual Membership fees.
Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18.
Hierarchy
GRFI is co-ordinated by a Committee of 5 people, President– Paul Howse, Secretary - Wendy Craig, Senior Investigators - Paul Brown, Elaine O'Regan and Administrator - Dorothy French. The Committee each have their own key responsibilities for the day to day running of the Foundation. Decisions are normally made by the President or Vice-President. During a field study any Committee member or their designate may act as 'Senior Investigator' - who is responsible for the running of the study.
History
GRFI
was formed from a mutual interest between the two Founding Members Jason
Karl and Daniel Holmes in Summer 1992 each Founder taking a position of
President and Vice-President. They were immediately joined by Helen Johnson
as Photographer for GRFI and 'The Great Ghost Hunt' and Richard Taylor
as Senior Investigator. At that time operations were run from an address
in Oxford, UK. Initial objectives of the organisation were to carry out
overnight studies at haunted locations in Britain. Internal news was distributed
via a Newsletter which was published periodically and included information
on completed studies and advertisements for forthcoming events. Initially
it was the intention that GRFI would offer 'Ghost Dinners' where Members
would meet, eat and converse on all things ghostly, but this idea died
a quick death and has not as yet been resurrected.
The fledgling organisation quickly became recognised in the field of psychic research after their initial studies at The Whately Hall Hotel in Banbury, Oxfordshire and Edgehill Battlefield in Warwickshire and in Autumn 1992 GRFI moved to its current address at Walton On Thames, Surrey and although only the Administrator is based permanently at Walton On Thames all enquiries are directed centrally to that address. Investigations were still very much at the forefront of GRFI's work and during 1993 studies were arranged at The Ancient Ram Inn at Wotton under Edge, Chingle Hall in Lancashire and Michelham Priory near Hailsham in East Sussex.
Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire was selected as the main study site for 1994 and the newsletter had its first overhaul and became known as 'The Headless Horseman'. The Ancient Ram Inn was re-investigated and was the first location to be entered on to GRFI's Ongoing Research Programme (ORP) later that year the Founding Vice-President moved onto pastures new and without a current Secretary either GRFI reduced its activities considerably and temporarily ceased existence after a three night study at Chillingham castle in Northumberland during April 1996.
Its
first revival lead by the original Founding Member and President Jason
Karl in 1997 was unsuccessful and saw the organisation re-named 'PARANORTH
- Ghost Club of North Britain' with Sybil Lucas-Brewer as Vice-President,
but it was doomed to failure and only saw one field study completed -
The Railway Inn, Kirkham, Lancashire until its demise in 1998. 1999 began
for GRFI with a new image, a return to its former name, a new Membership
Pack, a new logo and branded newsletter - 'GHOSTFILE', and while remembering
the lessons of the first revival attempt.
The Ghost Research Foundation stepped boldly back into the filed with its original Founding Member and President at the helm. Carla Schmitz joined as Secretary in 2000 and helped to arrange the 'Mission Possible' fund raising Charity Ghost Hunt at Chillingham Castle, Northumberland in collaboration with Richard Branson's company 'Virgin Active', Carla left in December 2000 and was replaced by Diane Lawrence in January 2001. Today GRFI has Members all over the globe and is stronger than it has ever been. With its dynamic new projects, new branding for 2003, the launch of the new newsletter 'PHANTOM' and with Honorary Members like 'King of Ghost Hunters' - Peter Underwood FRSA, Sir Simon Marsden and American Researcher Troy Taylor on board GRFI can only go from strength to strength.
Our Patrons
GRFI is honoured to have the 'King Of Ghost Hunters' - Peter Underwood FRSA and Jason Karl from Living TV’s hit TV series ‘Most Haunted’ as it’s official Patrons.
Messages from our Patrons:
After
spending 10 years officially investigating haunted mansions, castles and
an assortment of other locations I am delighted that I am still associated
with the organisation which I originally Co-Founded way back in 1992.
Although my career commitments no longer permit me to participate in the day to day running of GRFI, I look forward to attending its events, talks and investigations in the future. GRFI has survived the trials and tribulations that cause many smaller groups to collapse and I am proud that it now stands amongst the premier psychic research groups throughout the world.
Keep it up, and remember ghosts don’t exist… or do they?
Jason
Dexter Karl
London February 2003
I regard it as a great pleasure to be closely associated with The Ghost Research Foundation.
I
have been fortunate enough to take part in the very first official investigation
of a haunted house and attend physical and mental seances at the invitation
of The College Of Psychic Studies. 
In 1947 I joined 'The Society For Psychical Research' and 'The Ghost Club' at the invitation of the late Harry Price. 'The Ghost Club' ceased to function shortly after Price's sudden death in 1948 and I helped to resuscitate the club in 1951.
In 1993 I was elected President and Life President of The Ghost Club Society. I have contributed articles on Psychical Research, Spiritualism, Poltergeists, Harry Price etc, to the authoritative 12 volume Everyman's Encyclopedia 1958 and 1967 editions.
My first book to be published was 'A Gazetteer Of British Ghosts', subsequently published as a 'Gazetteer Of British, Scottish and Irish Ghosts' by BELL of New York and as 'The A-Z Of British Ghosts' in 1992 - this publication was the first comprehensive volume of alleged ghosts and haunted houses in the British Isles. In the years that followed I have written over 40 books including 2 biographies, an autobiography and a Dictionary Of The Supernatural but mainly various books on ghostly activity, dowsing, vampirism, exorcism, reincarnation and the highly rated 'Ghosts Of Borley - Annals of the Haunted Rectory', with Dr. Paul Tabori - whom I succeeded as Literary Executor to The Harry Price Estate.
I played a leading role in the TV film 'The Ghost Hunters' which was screened for 6 years in succession on BBC TV, and have in fact have appeared in more than 30 television programmes and more than a hundred radio broadcasts including 'Start The Week', 'Midweek', 'Late Nite Line Up', 'Panorama' and Jimmy Young. I wrote and narrated the Radio series 'The Ghost Trail' and was the subject of a radio profile which was selected for 'Pick Of The Week'.
I have lectured nationally including giving invited appearances at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Sheffield, Birmingham and Sussex. I have also delivered lectures to The Society For Psychical Research, The Unitarian Society For Psychical Studies, The Savage Club and a monthly lecture for over 5 years at Grayshott Hall. MENSA have also invited me to lecture for them on ghosts and hauntings.
I am a Member of The Savage Club, The Society of Authors, Vice President of The Unitarian Society for Psychical Studies and in 1987 was elected a Fellow of the illustrious Royal Society Of Arts.
Some of my outstanding investigations are those I organised and conducted into the Borley Rectory Hauntings, Langenhoe Church, The Queen's House at Greenwich, The Grenadier in Belgravia, London, Marble Arch, Eton Vicarage, Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon, Newark Park in Gloucestershire, Glamis Castle and Farnham Castle in Surrey.
I have known and worked with many famous notaries including Mediums Eileen Garrett, Leslie Finch and Tom Corbett; Researchers Muriel Hankey, Professor H. H. Price, Dr. Oskar Goldberg and Mollie Goldney; Ghost Enthusiasts Charles Chaplin, Michael Bentine, Sir. John Geilgud, Sir. Alec Guinness, Sir. Ralph Richardson and Dennis Wheatley. I regard it as a great pleasure to be closely associated with The Ghost Research Foundation, to which I give every good wish for the future.
Peter Underwood
FRSA
Surrey May 2001.
|
LYNDI
TELEPNEFF email lynditelepneff@grfi.org |
