About Spiritualism Pioneers of Spiritualism Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh on May 22nd 1859. A physician and writer, he is noted for his fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. His interest in psychical research began in the 1880s. Beginning his public campaign for Spiritualism, he announced his acceptance of it in around 1916. On July 7th 1918 he addressed the Spiritualists’ National Union’s sixteenth AGM at Sheffield, publishing his first Spiritualist book, ‘The New Revelation’, in this year. For over a decade Sir Arthur and Lady Doyle travelled thousands of miles propagating Spiritualism, addressing hundreds of meetings in this country and abroad, including America, Australia and South Africa. In 1925 he was nominated Honorary President at the International Spiritualist Congress in Paris. On July 1st 1930 Conan Doyle led a deputation by the ‘United Spiritualist Organisations’ to the Home Secretary, J.R. Clynes, for the amendment of the Witchcraft and Vagrancy Acts. Six days later Sir Arthur died on July 7th. At the time of his passing he was the Honorary President of the SNU; today he is our Honorary President-in-Spirit.