Man with a 'spirit' of his helper, c 1920

Man with a 'spirit' of his helper, c 1920. A photograph of a middle aged man, taken by William Hope (1863-1933). The image of a young man's face appears prominently over the man, draped in a cloak. The signature at the base of the image belongs to the sitter. The man had links with the person who compiled the spirit album, and he gave the photograph to her as a keepsake. He apparently recognised the young man's face. Hope's spirit album photographs use multiple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter. Hope founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed in 1922, he continued to practice. ©SSPL/National Media Museum