Tony “Doc” Shiels, the famously charismatic showman and self-proclaimed magician, has died. NEIL NIXON pays tribute to his lasting legacy in British paranormal phenomena
The death of Tony ‘Doc’ Shiels could mark the end of an era in the British paranormal community. His death, on July 11, 2024, in Ireland, prompted an obituary that opened with a list of achievements: “Artist, musician, actor, magician, writer, playwright, showman and magician of the western world.” A larger-than-life portrayal of a character whose most prominent days were long before the internet and relied heavily on snippets of evidence sneaking out, enough to fuel the discussions that maintained a reputation that was truly legendary.
Born into an Irish family in Salford in 1938, Doc was at the center of strange events in Devon and Cornwall, where he lived for many years, apparently summoning the local sea monster and being involved on multiple levels in the local ‘Owlman’ events. involving a creature that is half human, half owl and is entirely in the tradition of America’s Mothman).
Doc’s paranormal involvement was accompanied by an ability to perform stage magic, working as “The Wizard of the West” at live events across the west country in the 1970s. He had studied the subject as a young man and returned to it after years in the art world. He also wrote non-fiction and plays, all in an uncompromising and highly personal style.
One play – The Gallavant Variations – (starring Doc and his family) so shocked audiences (who objected to his 14-year-old daughter’s swearing and her older sister’s topless performance) that the local newspaper reported of regular strikes by paying customers.
Doc’s only appearance at a Fortean Times Unconvention was a raucous affair, full of explicit photos apparently showing witchcraft taking place deep in the woods. All of the above are just scratching the surface of a life so colorful that anyone interested might want to start reading Doc’s own life Monster: The Story of a Wizardor The Owlman and othersthe second title is a joint venture between Doc and his good friend and partner in many crimes, Jon Downes.
Doc’s best days predated the break-in of the Internet, and the mass explosion of all things awakening, neither the development did Doc nor his work too much good. But his contributions to British paranormal history remain available and the online world is at least user-friendly in terms of keeping his greatest moments accessible.
Doc’s monster revival in the mid-1970s claimed to have summoned ‘Morgawr’, a Cornish sea creature previously largely ignored, and the presence of a coven of naked witches helped attract press and television interest, one of which much of it is now available in the US. predictable online places for interested parties. Monstrum, with an introduction by Colin Wilson, is his insider’s account and remains readily available. His work was tabloid-friendly, although not always likely to make an impression on the scientific community. The Daily Mirror did agree to publish his photographs of the Loch Ness Monster on its front page, although subsequent serious content on the subject sometimes ignored them.
It is unlikely that the many people who met Doc over a long and varied life will soon forget him, and for others digging back into the history of the strangest creatures ever encountered on our Spooky Isles, the discovery of Doc’s work will likely be a welcome discovery. discovery for years to come.
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