Janet Farrar
A native Londoner, Janet was initiated by Alex and Maxine Sanders in 1970. It is
here she met her husband to be and co-author, Stewart Farrar, who initially
became involved around Alex Sanders as a reporter for the Reveille, and was
then asked to write What Witches Do.
Janet Owen (later Farrar) became involved in the Craft after a friend started
regularly visiting the Sander’s. Janet, being from a christian background, went
along to dissuade her friend from becoming involved, but was impressed by the
moral structure that Wicca had and joined the Sander’s Coven.
Stewart and Janet first met when Stewart was asked to script and narrate A
Witch Is Born. After receiving their Third Degrees from the Sander’s they left
Alex and Maxine’s coven to form their own. They had found much of Alex’s
teaching sparse in content and developed their own ritual structure as well as
training methods during this time. They married in 1972 and moved to the
Republic of Ireland in 1976. Stewart passed away in February 2000 following a
series of illnesses, but Janet has continued her work as a Priestess and Author.
Their books have become some of the most influential in Witchcraft and have set
the mould for modern Craft writers worldwide. They have lectured both in the
United States and the Netherlands and are now exploring the field of Video as a
way of presenting information on the modern pagan movement.
Since her initial introduction to the Alexandrian Craft, with Stewart and then Gavin
she have been developed her own unique brand of Witchcraft and has honorary
initiated into several other traditions, including traditional Italian Strega. She
prefers just to be called ‘Wiccan’ rather than any specific tradition. In 1999 she
became ordained as third level Clergy with The Aquarian Tabernacle Church, and
now holds the charter for The Aquarian Tabernacle Church in Ireland – Tempal Na
Callaighe.
Janet strongly believe in the idea of Wicca being both progressive and dynamic,
while remaining a clergy of those dedicated to serving the God and Goddess.
Gavin Bone
Born in Portsmouth, Gavin Bone was originally initiated into Seax-Wicca in 1986.
He trained as a Registered Nurse, is a practicing Spiritual Healer and a trained
Reflexologist.
His first introduction into Wicca was shaky to say the least, becoming involved
with individuals claiming to be falsely hereditary. He doesn’t regret these
experiences in the least, believing that the Goddess rather than an individual or a
tradition initiates Wiccans. He developed a fascination with the theory that
Wicca’s roots are in tribal shamanistic healing traditions rather than medieval
ritual magic. He has studied shamanism in a Northern European context, with
particular focus on the Runes.
He met Janet and Stewart Farrar in 1989 at the Pagan Link conference in
Leicester and moved to Ireland in 1992 after accompanying them on a tour of the
United States. He co-authored The Pagan Path with Janet and Stewart and their
latest books The Healing Craft and The Complete Dictionary of European
Gods and Goddesses.
In the UK he was both a Pagan Link and Pagan Federation contact in early ‘90’s
and this led him after his move to Ireland to set up the Pagan Information Network;
a contact network for Pagans in the Republic and the North of Ireland.
Like Janet, he is an honorary member of the Strega tradition, and ordained third
Level Clergy with the Aquarian Tabernacle Church.
