The Horned Deceiver appeared in several Scarfolk publications in the early 1970s, one of which we featured a few weeks ago (see here).
As followers of the traditional state religion dwindled, a gap opened in the faith market. The Horned Deceiver exploited this by targeting the lower middle-class, under-12 demographic, relying initially on playground word-of-mouth. By 1973 he had become so popular that he produced a successful range of merchandising including lunchboxes, bed sheets and wallpaper, plush dolls and black candles made from human tallow. He was a regular guest on local radio and on television where he appeared on celebrity panel quiz shows such as Celebrity Squares and Blankety Blank (see below).
Though well-liked, he eventually lost the pagan market to Mr Johnson of the Officist cult (see Discovering Scarfolk for more details) who had the enthusiastic backing of local politicians and business magnates whose families had been kidnapped and threatended by the cult.
The Horned Deceiver on Blankety Blank, BBC 1, 1979.
Don't
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do
DeleteI found that I needed more information, but wasn't sure where to turn.
ReplyDeleteFor more information,please read again.
DeleteSeeing Wendy Craig reminded me of the time I bumped into her at a séance being held at Surrey Downs Golf Club sometime in the late 1970s. Lovely lady - who if I remember correctly worshipped the god Thanatos.
ReplyDeleteI think you may be confusing Wendy Craig with Will Butterfly, for obvious reasons. Will Butterfly was of course the presumed but never found or caught 'Panda' killer, who left his many victims up trees, hence the name, not that he killed pandas. Of course it was never proved and the presumed killer managed to slip out of Britain into some presumably rabies infested country unnoticed and has never conclusively been found or caught, as I say, made harder baby the fact that there was no photo available of Will Butterfly. In fact no other record of the events apart from this exist to this day, 1978, only three years after the vicious killing spree. Will Butterfly was thought to be a member of a local Satanic club, but other members are said to have distanced themselves from any him quickly and took legal action to do so, and denied or stopped meeting in Penge wood in full moons in the summer for orgies and animal sacrifices as they were rumoured to have done. Max Holmes on behalf of Harry Boem.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Will Butterfly star in the 1972 film 'The Great Mimsy'?
DeleteMartini, anyone?
ReplyDeleteAnd let's not forget Terry Wogan’s cheeky musical tribute to the infamous West Country wicker burnings of 1979. Number 21 in the charts and nobody batted an eyelid. “Hiding in plain sight” is what they’d call it today.
ReplyDeleteNor should we forget the power of "Wogan's Wand". One innocent looking touch and your career would be reduced to the summer season at Pontin's.
ReplyDeleteKenny Everett famously bent it, a few weeks later his hands had swelled to an enormous size. He died horribly in a sex ritual with Cecil Parkinson trying to summon Aiwass, desperately trying to reverse Wogan's dark magick.
I've a pretty clear recollection that this never happened at all.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who wasn't there, I agree.
ReplyDeleteGolly, we had this book. I remember my mum telling me that my gerbil had gone to die at a sabbat too far away to visit.
ReplyDeleteThe HD did the caberet and Hammer circuit prior to manifestation in scarfolk. Heretics should refer to The devil rides out where it played a cameo role. Due to copyright issues it took the name Goat of Mendes. After liaison's with Hattie Jacques, Sid James and Hancock it went solo in scarfolk in preference to a guest spot on Arthur Millard's "Yus my dear" the thought of appearing with Romany filth being abhorrent.
ReplyDeleteThe HD did the caberet and Hammer circuit prior to manifestation in scarfolk. Heretics should refer to The devil rides out where it played a cameo role. Due to copyright issues it took the name Goat of Mendes. After liaison's with Hattie Jacques, Sid James and Hancock it went solo in scarfolk in preference to a guest spot on Arthur Millard's "Yus my dear" the thought of appearing with Romany filth being abhorrent.
ReplyDeleteI bought some nice caddies, tea caddies, orange I think, from the horned deciever. He used to mow the verges on Cartwright Crescent.
ReplyDeleteParty Games for Children? We played Pin the Silver Dagger in the Heretic but then Billy’s mother insisted he go to hospital and the party atmosphere was ruined.
ReplyDelete