Orwell, Crowley & The Beatles…

By Duncan Roberts   |   Comments Off on Orwell, Crowley & The Beatles…
Tracking people’s movements in the modern era is a worryingly simple affair. I recently met a private detective and was disappointed to learn that he never went on a stake-out, didn’t follow suspicious types through back alleys, and didn’t even own a pair of binoculars. 99.9% of his job was done sitting at a computer, zeroing in on locations via subscription databases and credit card purchases — mainly the latter. Sadly, the days of the trilby and the raincoat are long gone.
 

Police archives, Paris

Pinpointing someone’s whereabouts in the 1920s is a different story. It helps if they traveled, bought tickets, checked into hotels, owned companies, or wrote letters. Being abroad is of particular help as many countries required foreigners to register with the authorities within 6 months of arrival. In France, this meant a trip to the police station where a small document could be signed, giving passport details and a local address. These files, now preserved on microfilm at the Paris police archives in Pantin (just outside the city boundary) give invaluable insight into ex-pat movements. Microfilms on both George Orwell and the Russian captain were instrumental in providing details on their lives and situations for my book. But, as is often the case, one search led to another and some unexpected files fell into my lap. 
 

One such find was the police registration form for Aleister Crowley, renowned occultist who made Paris his home at various points throughout his life. The microfilm from the Paris police archives is dated 21/02/1929. Crowley has written in his own hand: Crowley, Edward Alexander, 12.10.75, Leamington, Britannique, Homme de lettres. His address (partly indecipherable) reads, 53 ?? de Suffren. The file is an interesting enough historical document in itself, but in addition to the fact that Crowley and Orwell were both in Paris in 1928-1929 (let’s face it, who wasn’t) they are linked by association to one woman: Jacintha Buddicom, Orwell’s childhood sweetheart and source of unrequited love. Jacintha knew Crowley towards the end of his life and had done a tarot reading for him; a task she performed for other notables including Churchill and even The Beatles*. 

The full story of Jacintha Buddicom’s friendship with Orwell and Crowley, including fascinating details and extracts from correspondence with both men, can be found in Darcy Moore’s excellent piece – Cini & The Beast, on his website.
 
 
Duncan Roberts, March 2024 
 
 
*John Lennon included Aleister Crowley in his list of cut-outs for the cover of ‘Sergeant Pepper’ in 1966. Unlike some of his other choices (Hitler & Jesus) this one was approved by EMI, and Crowley stares at us from the top-left-hand corner.
 

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