Gerald Gardner and the Creation of Wicca

Gerald Gardner (1884–1964) provided the central inspiration for Wicca as a modern revived form of Pagan witchcraft. As such his cultural and religious significance has grown exponentially over the 60 years since his death. ''A Rough Magic'' re-evaluates the sources of Gardner''s inspiration redefines his early life within the context of colonial Malaya and the opium trade and emphasises his vision and ability in fashioning an entirely new synthesis of magical beliefs drawn from both Eastern and Western traditions. In so doing he stripped away the demonic elements of witchcraft and emphasised Wicca as a creative mutable and undogmatic nature religion serving as both fertility cult and a unique source of personal empowerment that was capable of transforming the world.