Margaret Eccles
Margaret Eccles is a professional Spiritualist Medium, now aged 46 she lives in Fleetwood, Lamcashire and conducts services at Spiritualist churches throughout the U.K. I asked her to tell me how she first knew that she had Psychic Powers. This is her sad and amazing story.
'I was born into a working class family living on an housing estate in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Dad worked in a local mill and our house was just like thousands of others' she said and took a deep breath. I could see little tears forming in the corners of her pale blue eyes, telling this was not going to be easy. 'When I was only 7 years old my mother left me to look after my little sister Glynis whilst she cooked the evening meal. Mum was in the kitchen and I sat with my crayons and a colouring book. Glynis had been ill with chicken-pox and was still in her nightie lying on the old red settee in our front room. It was cold outside and we had a huge coal fire burning'.
For a moment Margaret paused, she was gathering her strength to speak of a horror that has literally haunted her life. 'When I looked up I could see Glynis standing next to the fire. Flames flickered all around her and I tried to scream. I tried, but no sound came' Margaret trembled now, reliving that terrible time.'She's burning, she's burning! the thought raced through my mind but I could not move, I couldn't shout, I was frozen with fear. Then the fire spread, the carpet beneath my baby sister's feet began to melt and suddenly Glynis vanished in a ball of flames and fire'. Margaret's tears flowed freely now, she was back, back in that Huddersfield home over thirty five years ago watching her sister die in front of her eyes.
'Mother blamed me. She said it was my fault, I should have watched Glynis more carefully. But I was only a child. The picture in my colouring book was nearly finished'.Like so many others before and since Margaret was made the scapegoat for a tragic accident. But the tragedy did not end there, the shock of seeing her sister burning put Margaret into shock. For days and days she could not eat or speak. Then, on the night of her own funeral, Glynis returned.
'I was crying myself to sleep when I felt a little hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see my baby sister sitting on my bed wearing the very same flowered pink nightie she had on the day she burned to death.'Don't be sad Margaret' 'She said to me..'I'm happy now . It's nice in heaven and I have lots of friends. I will always be with you, when you need me..don't cry' To Margaret the strange thing was that her 4 year old sister was speaking more like a grown up. But the joy of knowing that she was safe in heaven was too much to keep to herself. The next morning she told her mother about Glynis coming back. 'When I told my mum about our Glynis being in heaven and happy with lots of new friends she went bonkers. 'You little liar!' She screamed at me. But I was telling the truth. Glynis was alive and living in heaven. Why would mum not believe me?'
Over the next few weeks the spirit of Glynis continued to visit Margaret and comfort her as she lay alone and frightened in bed. But she dare tell no one, certainly not her mother who was very angry with her. 'I kept Glynis's visits quiet for months. Then one day whilst at my grandparents house I sat on grandma's knee and told her my secret. The next day she took me to a local Spiritualist church in Huddersfield'.
Margaret was smiling know, the tears had passed and she was back in Fleetwood drinking tea and at ease.'At the church that night there was an old lady medium taking the service. She looked at me and said 'You see spirit's don't you child' and I said 'yes'. Then she made a strange prediction. 'By the time you are 25 you will be taking services at Spiritualist churches yourself'.Passing the milk for my second cup of tea Margaret smiled and continued her story. 'She was right. The week before my 25th birthday I took my first service at Fleetwood church. As I spoke to the congregation I began to feel emotional, remembering the tragedy that had brought me into Spiritualism. Then I felt a little hand on my shoulder and a voice from the world beyond spoke to me. 'Don't cry Margaret..I'm happy now'.'It was Glynis and she had come to help me as I took my next step on the pathway to enlightenment and God'.
Since that day Margaret Eccles has gone on to teach and comfort many thousands of people who travel from all over the country to see this very spiritual lady. Speaking to her, as I did, left me in no doubt that in her heart there is and always will be, a place for a little girl called Glynis, her long dead but still living sister.