63- Dafo. Edith Woodford-Grimes ( December 18th, 1887-1975).
Not much is known about the mysterious Edith Woodford-Grimes, one of the earliest adherents to the tradition that has become Wicca and modern witchcraft. What is certain, however, is her participation with the New Forest Coven in England. It is here that she would meet and later initiate Gerald Gardner. Her involvement in the early days of the tradition was kept secret for many decades, until the 1990s when it was revealed by Wiccan historians through secondary sources.
Born in Yorkshire, England, Edith’s childhood is largely a mystery. What is known is that she became an English, Music, and Drama teacher. She would return to this profession periodically throughout her life, and often privately tutored students in elocution. Edith married Samuel Woodford Grimes in 1920, and adopted her own version of his name, creating the hyphenated last name Woodford-Grimes. It has been suggested that she did this to help her professional career, as the elongated version sounds more elegant and sophisticated than the simple Grimes. Edith eventually separated from Samuel (not divorcing him, as that was not a socially acceptable option at the time), and lived alone.
While teaching and living on her own, Edith became involved with several esoteric organizations. One such group, the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship, was an occult Rosicrucian group which sought enlightenment and spiritual truths through access to hidden knowledge. While the exact circumstances are unclear, it is with this group that Edith eventually became involved with the New Forest Coven. It was during this time that Edith met Gerald Gardner, and the two would lay the framework and development of the tradition that would become Gardnerian Wicca and modern Witchcraft.
While not much is known or agreed upon about the New Forest Coven, legend has it that this mysterious coven of witches met in secret in the New Forest area of southern England. It was allegedly the continuation of an historic witch-cult like those theorized by Margaret Murray (#91). While this claim has often been disputed, the New Forest Coven was most likely formed in the 1930s as an offshoot by members of the Rosicrucian Order that Edith had been involved with. Upon merging Rosicrucian philosophies with the rituals of Co-Masonry (a denomination of Freemasonry which admitted both men and women equally and is not officially recognized by most all-male Masonic lodges) the early prototype of Wicca was formed. This amalgamated spirituality, along with the involvement, inclusion, and central focus of women and the divine feminine, eventually became modern Wicca.
By 1939, Edith had initiated Gerald Gardner himself into the tradition. Once he became a full member, Gardner wanted to begin publishing information about the version of witchcraft he had seen and now had access to. Gardner wanted to bring the hidden aspects of the craft mainstream, hoping to cast a positive glance onto a tradition which had been wrought with persecution and superstition. Prior to Gardner formally publishing any material and outing this group and its clandestine rituals, however, Gardner asked permission directly from the witches. This witch is now generally assumed to be Edith, under the craft name Dafo, who nevertheless wished to maintain her secrecy and level of involvement.
When Gardner went on to establish his own Bricket Wood Coven in the 1940s, Edith followed him as a High Priestess, potentially one of the first of the tradition. By 1952, Edith and Gerald met none other than Doreen Valiente (#86), whom they would initiate in 1953. Other than Gardner’s own initiation, Valiente would be one of Edith’s most important and prominent initiates in her line of direct descendants. The three witches, Edith, Gerald, and Doreen, would later take a trip to Stonehenge to watch a group of Druids perform a midsummer ritual.
As Gardner increased in popularity, and by extension witchcraft increased in visibility, Edith began to withdraw. Fearing her own outing, Edith left Gardner and the Bricket Wood Coven (although the two remained friends for many years). By 1954, Edith was living with an adamantly Christian niece, from whom she tried to keep her involvement in witchcraft. Edith’s family had no knowledge of her participation in any occult or esoteric groups, and Edith feared them finding out. Over the years, several groups of witches sought Edith out for her to confirm and/or deny the claims made by Gerald Gardner of uncovering a hidden witch-cult, but she continually declined to comment. Edith’s family’s religion and intolerance prevented her from becoming more visible in the community. The result of this, unfortunately, has been that the early days of Wicca and modern Witchcraft will forever be shrouded in the unknown.
If not for Edith’s fear of the cultural attitudes of her time, perhaps we would know more of this pivotal period in our history. While we do know that Edith was integral in the formation of Wicca and modern Witchcraft, it is unfortunate that she is not more widely acknowledged as the matriarch to our patriarch Gardner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Woodford-Grimes
