|
Leicester Gataker (1874 - 1942) was an English professional water diviner, or water finder. At the end of the 19th century very few people had running water and the skills of a dowser were taken seriously. As an example the Sea - Copse - Hill Estate, Whippingham on the Isle of Wight was sold by auction at Ryde on July 20, 1899. The auction particulars at the time contained the following details: :"Mr. Leicester Gataker, the well-known Water-finder expert, has reported his opinion upon the three fields forming lots 6, 8, 10, 11, which the Auctioneers submit may reasonably be considered as representative of the water existing under the whole estate."〔http://woottonbridgeiow.org.uk/seacopse1899.php〕 ==Early life and career== Melmoth Leicester Swale Gataker was born in Bath, England in 1874. He was the son of Captain Melmoth Gataker of the Bengal Staff Corps. He was educated at Bath College and might have spent his life in a London office if he had not discovered his ability as a Water Finder. He had contemplated joining the church but his health prevented this. He started dowsing in the 1890s and was based originally in Weston Super Mare.〔In Conversation with a reporter: The Derby Mercury 22 May 1985, issue 9411 - from the Pall Mall Gazette〕 He was sufficiently confident of his abilities that he was prepared to work on the basis of “No Water, No Pay.” A letter to the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire dated 23 February 1895 sets out these terms on which he was prepared to be engaged 〔Chatsworth Estate Archives〕 As a result he visited Pentrich Farm on 21 March 1895. The outcome is recorded in a letter from the estate dated 22 June 1895: :"You stated that you believed we should find water at a depth at a depth of between 60 and 70 feet. We found a supply at 69 feet and there is every probability that it will be sufficient for the requirements of the farm. You are no doubt aware that we had before sunk a well to a considerable depth without success. I was much surprised to find that you first indicated the locality of the water with your hands and no rod, only using the rod as a secondary aid to confirm your indication."〔Chatsworth Estate Archives〕 This correspondence and other letters like it are used by Leicester Gataker to produce a brochure in 1901 called ''The Water Under the Earth'' to promote his business.〔http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=168-xclw&cid=1&kw=leicester%20gataker#1〕 In the brochure Leicester Gataker has an assistant, a Mr A W Wills. Alfred William Wills was the son of another Alfred Wills and their business was Alfred Wills & Son, a plumbing business. Alfred first met Leicester Gataker in 1896. The partnership enabled Leicester Gataker to provide the actual water extraction in addition to the dowsing. The work included overseas contracts. Gataker was engaged by the Aboukir Company in Egypt and took Alfred along. Alfred would be paid £100 for six weeks’ work. They were successful in Egypt and their reputation was such that they were asked to do further work for His Highness the Khedive, Abbas II in Cairo. Although originally only a supplier of plumbing Alfred William Wills would also become a dowser in his own right.〔''Alfred Wills and Leicester Gataker'' by Stephen Tollyfield ''Dowsing Today'' volume 40 No. 283 March 2004, page 16〕 Alfred William Wills continued successfully with his plumbing and building business and was an influential figure in Liberal Party politics.〔"Battling Bath Liberal" The Journal of Liberal History, Issue 48, Autumn 2005, page 20〕 However he did not continue with the water finding part of the business. His obituary in the ''Bath Chronicle'' in 1949 contains the following: :"Ambitious he induced his father to add the provision of water supplies to a growing general business. The result was that he carried out big contracts abroad as well as over Great Britain."〔“Bath loses a great public figure” Bath & Wilts Chronicle & Herald 3 March 1949〕 There is no mention of the part Leicester Gataker played in this, or indeed of Leicester Gataker anywhere in the article. It would appear that by the time of his death the part that dowsing had paid in the creation of his fortunes was not something that would be advertised. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Leicester Gataker」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|