Council of Nine

The Council of Nine was a secret Magic Organization formed in Edinburgh, Scotland by Hugh MacKay in 1927 for the purpose of "Magical Research and the discussion of other subjects relative to the Art of Magic". Matters relative to the Council and its work were published in it's official organ The Outlook on Magic.

The Council of Nine conducted its affairs entirely by correspondence and preserved anonymity by the use of symbols. Apart from the Director (Mackay) and the Honorary President, Dr. A. M. Wilson and later Sydney W. Clarke, the identities of the nine debating members were unknown, although their nationalities were divulged in No. 4 of The Outlook as being from the United States, England and Scotland.

Membership was permanent and there were no financial obligations. The topics that were debated were Coloured Hand Shadows, Confederacy, The 12 Best Books on Magic, Publicity in Magic, and Selected Mysteries (three magical effects which mystified the members most when they first witnessed them.

Stanley Collins was invited to join in 1932.

The Council most likely disbanded after the demise of it's magazine in 1933.

Mackay deposited a sealed packet with the The Magic Circle in 1930, which contained the names of the original members with the request that it not be opened until March, 1957. This request was honored the names were eventually revealed 27 years later as Graham Adams, Clinton Burgess, Sidney W. Clarke, Will Goldston, Wilford Hutchinson, Allan Jamieson, George Johnson, Hubert Lea and Harry Leat.

References

• "130. DR. HOLMES, I PRESUME? HUGH MACKAY OF EDINBURGH AND THE COUNCIL OF NINE", A Rich Cabinet Of Magical Curiosities By EDWIN A. DAWES, Magic Circular , JANUARY 1987
• http://www.scamagic.org/index.php/History-of-Magic-Clubs-In-Scotland/council-of-nine.html