London’s Palmistry Racket

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 9 March 1935, Page 11

London’s Palmistry Racket

Mme. Lnda, the self-styled ‘‘Real Gypsy Palmist,” was fi»ed £2O in London recently for professing to tell fortunes, it was stated that at the time the summons was served on her she replied, “Why sort me out? There are 20 others in Oxford Street.” Yesterday I went out to examine . truth of this statement, says a writer in the Daily Mail. I found abundant evidence for it. Almost every turning off Oxford Street boasts two or three palmists, crystal-gazers and “advice specialists.”

Altogether I visited five of these so-called gypsies. None of them seemed to- have much gypsy blood. I asked each of them why I had come to see them. They were all baffled, and could only suggest the fairly obvious reason that I had. come out of curiosity. None of them could tell me my profession or any facts about my life. One of them thought I was a doctor.

In every case I was either kept waiting by a previous fclient when I arrived ,or else there was someone waiting to take mv place when I left-.

It is under this last description that most fortune-tellers safeguard themselves from the law, for under the dicraft Act of 1735 everyone is guilt of indictable misdemeanour who (1) 'Pretends to exercise or use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or conjuration ; (2) Undertakes to tell fortunes;

At. the last “specialist” I visited I only stayed 10 minutes, but while I was there no fewer than three women came in and waited' for an interview.

The prices are more or less stand-ard—-2s 6d for a Tending of the hands and 5s with a crystal reading thrown

(3) Pretends, from any skill or knowledge in any occult or craft science to discover where, and in what manner. any goods or chattels supposed to have been • stolen or lost may be fouluL

Further confirmation of the scale on which this business is conducted was provided by one of the palmists, who told me that she paid £5 a week rent for her room. She also had four sandwichmen parading Oxford Street. It is an odd commentary on this otherwise comparatively scientific age that inquiries which I made from the police in the neighbourhood resulted in the information that the pijafctice of consulting fortunetellers has greatly increased in the last few years.

The maximum penalty for the offence on conviction is imprisonment for one year. In the guise of “advice specialists” or “gypsy, palmist,” however, many thrive and do a roaring business right in the very centre of London for years without trouble from the police. Some have as many as 50 dr 60 clients a day.

Most- of the clients are women. At Marlborough Street Police Sta-

How Gipsy Fortune Tellers Evade the Law

tion I was told that the police never seek evidence against these fortunetellers unless there are definite complaints from dissatisfied clients. When such complaints are received a detective-sergeant and a policewoman are sent in plain clothes and ask to have their fortunes told. It is sufficient evidence for a summons to be issued if a fortune-teller agrees to do so.

Naturally the police have many more important duties to discharge than merely harrying fortune-tellers —mostly old women who do little harm except to prey on the foolish superstitions of ignorant people. The,view at police headquarters is that it is mo.re important to safeguard the watch of the man and woman in the street from pickpockets than to prevent, them from wasting 2s 6d. Consequently prosecutions are rare, and at Marlborough Street, in the centre of the fortune-telling district-, there have been only two summonses in the last 12 months.

What surprised me was h»w matter of-fact were all the fortune-tellers whom I visited.

All they could say was that I had either recently been on a journey or that they anticipated that I should shortly take one; that I had something on my mind; and that sooner or later I would have to make a decision about it; that, there would be important changes in my life which would be for the better; and 1 that I should have a long life, enjoy good health and he successful in love.