Elders Past and Present

Our Elders of the Past

ISOBEL MALLARD - 1799-1886

WILLIAM JOHN QUINN

ROSMARY ANNE QUINN

GM STEVENS - 1887-1977

MICHAEL WAITE - 1837-1893

GM ANNE WAITE - 1882-1972

DAVID THE FIFTH - 1892-1976

ADRIANNE REINMAN - 1892-1967

SHIRLEY FINN - 1941-1975

LAYLA DELILLE QUINN -1952-1982

LADY AURORA

LADY DIRETTE

DAVID MOSLEY

All information below provided by Lady Tamara Von Forslun

ADRIANNE REINMAN - 1892-1967

Clan Grandfather Elder - Clan of Boskednan & Black Forest Witches

Adrian Reinman was born in Berlin on the 18th of July 1892 to farming parents Detlev Reinman and Olga Heist. Reinman came from a traditional family of Witches who came from the Black Forest but moved to Berlin for the education of their children. This Blood Witch family had three Covens that convened only once a month for any and all ritual workings that needed to be done.

Reinman at an early age showed so much interest in Witchcraft but due to his age was forbidden from learning or being involved by the Elders until he was old enough to understand and choose for himself. This was the law of the Blood Wicches of The Black Forest. He was taken aside by his father who was der Zauberer (Wizard, Magician, Conjurer or Sorcerer) and explained that in their tradition only women can be Zauberin (Witches, Sorceress, and Enchantress), which they complement each other and are also very different in their Magical elements. He was taught the art of Magic from the male line of his family and showed great talents at being able to tap into the spirit world. He drew close to Natural Medicines from an early age and so embarked on learning all he could about Herbalism, the Elements and Magical Medicine. He studied to become a doctor at the Berlin University but did not complete his studies due to the outbreak of  the 2nd World War. He also became a member of an association of “der Zauberer and Zauberin”, which he did not stay long as he believed it all seemed more theory and not as real as what he had been taught by his kin.

He travelled to the UK as a young adult to study and whilst in Cornwall he met his future wife Margaret DeLille Quinn, who had already a small Coven that was being run by her mother and father in Cornwall called The Tribe of the Crow - Clan of Boskednan. Adrian had to return back to Germany and so Margaret and he packed up and moved to Hertzberg and connected with the family Clan. They went on to have 3 children and only their daughter Layla became interested in the family tradition of Witchcraft.

Reinman met with a Dr. Frederick Santee from the US in early 1924-25 and together they formed quite a friendship and bond due to their interest in the Pagan ways. Santee was initiated into the Black Forest Coven by Reinman and Quin but was also told that secrecy was their main law. Santee was gifted some notes and items that were traditional to the Black Forest, such as a Wand/Dagger and an Altar Pentacle that was made of Oak from the Dragon Tree in the Black Forest, and he was told to carve a personal symbol on in that was personal to himself. This coven never used daggers or swords, as they were not a part of nature, and were not seen as truly of the Craft. He was also given a small vial of oil, that had been added to by all those Elders before him and was to be used when he thought someone was of great benefit to the Witch community as a mentor, where during a high Elevation ceremony their blood was added to the vial (3 drops).

Reinman was an academic in natural medicines and had an alternative store in Berlin, where he had to drive for several hours to get there and then came home to Hertzberg on the weekends. At the onset of WW2, they decided to move back to Margaret’s hometown Boskednan in the UK in Cornwall. Where again they formed their Circle and worked privately as they always did. Reinman tried to open up a Herbal Store, but it failed due to financial issues. Reinman then set up his Natural Medical Practice Apotheker at his home and they turned the front of the home into a consultation room and a small shop with all his natural medicines and products. Margaret had her own room as she was excellent at Spellcraft and Tarot and Tealeaf Reading and together they earnt enough money to support their family comfortably.

Reinman was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1965 and died two years later. Which saw Margaret go into a state of depression, but her family lifted her out of that, and she decided to take the family and move to Australia to a warmer climate due to her health. They sold everything they had and boarded a ship to Fremantle, Western Australia in 1969 where they brought a beautiful small home in East Street, East Fremantle which was an influential suburb. Margaret continued to do her Spellcraft and Readings to make ends meet in Fremantle at her home, Layla became a model and travelled the world, and the two sons took on their careers one as an Economist and the other a mechanic.

The Clan of Boskednan continued through Margaret and Layla, and later with Tamara Von Forslun from the 70’s. Reinman left a legacy in Margaret and their children with the continuance of the Clan of Boskednan Circles now being in 8 different countries, still private but strong.

GM MARGARET DELILLE QUINN 1894-1995

Clan Grandmother Elder - Clan of Boskednan & Black Forest Witches

Lady Margaret De Lille Quinn was born in 1894 to her Father William and mother Rosemary Quinn in the town Boskednan in Cornwall, UK. They were a humble and private people who lived and worked from their family rural business of farming.

Quinn married Adrian Reinman in 1915 who was from a bloodline of Traditional Witches of the Black Forest. They had three secret and closed Circles that met in the Black Forest for the occasional Celebrations and also the Family Circle just out of Berlin and Hertzberg. They did not believe in Karma and also believed that only women could be true Witches (Zauberin) and men were (Zauberer) Sorcerer, Wizard, or Magician. They revered and followed the local Goddess Obby Oss Penglas who was the Goddess of horses, and sometimes Quinn would call her Clan the Sacred Clan of Horses, they also honoured other Goddesses connect to the nature such as The Horned God or the Greenman. Reinman was also an academic and also interested in occult circles being involved in the Order of Magicians and Sorcerers in Berlin. Together they ran their Family Clan and eventually had three children, Michael, Jonathon, and Layla.

When WW2 commenced in Germany the family headed back to the UK and went back to the family town of Boskednan in Cornwall. It was during this time that they had formed again their Clan and brought in outsiders – Seekers as Quinn always called them and later, she called them Witchlings when they were serious students who were selected for their worth and genuineness.

In 1967 Margaret’s husband Adrian died and she decided to move to Australia as the cold damp weather was taking its toll on her health. She arrived at the Fremantle Port in Western Australia with her daughter and sons and acquired a beautiful property in East Fremantle, which was at the time a very affluential suburb of the wealthy.

Both Michael and Layla enjoyed being in Australia, but their other brother Jonathon returned back to the UK and later died. This was now their home and Margaret needed to connect with her own kind, the Magical Witchy kind and searched for a working Coven in Western Australia. This was the Coven of Draconis a Traditional working Coven run by the High Priest known as David the 5th. In this closed Coven was a variety of members consisting of 2 well known madams Dorrie Flatman and Shirley Finn.

It was in this Coven that I first met Margaret and Layla, and at once, we connected. Eventually becoming adopted by the Quinn family and becoming a very close member of their family and Clan Blood line through ritual. After David 5th’s passing into the Summerland a few years later, we were invited to join with an Alexandrian Coven run by a High Priest named Simon Goodman and his High Priestess Michelin. Lady Margaret, Layla, Dorrie Flatman, and myself all joined this new Alexandrian Coven.

Sadly, Michael, Margaret’s son also died in early the 70’s with cancer, and on 28th May 1982 Layla was killed in an automobile accident, all that was left was (Ma) Margaret and myself. We became remarkably close, and she taught me as much as she could before her passing on the Autumn Equinox on the 21st March 1995, when I was at a Festival celebration, and when I returned and found that she has passed into the Summerland. Lady Margaret always tried to attend many festivities but only during the warmer weather.

We stayed with The Alexandrian Coven for several years but due to politics we decided to leave and formed our own Coven/Clan (as Lady Margaret did not like the term Coven) with Margaret as the Elder High Priestess, myself as the High Priestess along with my High Priest Imhotep – Geoff Camm (Initiated by Alex and Maxine Sanders) and Layla, we again took on the family name and it too was called “The Clan of Boskednan” or sometimes the Penzance Clan of Boskednan. From this line there are dozens of Covens throughout Australia and the US which are from the line of Boskednan, even the Church of Wicca was under the banner of the Clan of Boskednan.

DR FREDERICK LAMOTTE SANTEE 1906-1980

Lord Merlin Witch Elder

Frederick LaMotte Santee was born on the 17th September 1906 in Wapwallopen, Philadelphia. Born to Charles LaMotte Santee who held degrees as a doctor from LaFayette and Jefferson colleges, and his mother Verna Caroline Lloyd Santee.  Santee’s grandfather was a Civil War Surgeon who helped runaway slaves escape.

Santee from an incredibly early age showed the signs of a genius child and by the age of 3 could read both English and German. He also at a late stage learnt Latin fluently from his grandfather’s grammar books. From the age of eight he was translating Caesar’s Gallic Wars from Latin into English and back again to make sure his grammar was correct. Santee attended Wapwallopen High School and went on to Wilke-Barre High School for his final year. He also went on to Central High School in Philadelphia in Greek which took him onto Oxford University where he was the youngest to have graduated at the age of 22 and received the highest score in the whole of the US, in 1928 with an A.B. and then his M.A. in 1929. While he was in attendance at Oxford he joined “The Alpha et Omega Lodge of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn” where he met with Aleister Crowley, H. P. Blavatsky, W. B. Yeats, Thomas Agee, Dion Fortune, A. E. Waite and also Israel Regardie.

Santee also joined the “Theosophical Society of England”. Whilst at Oxford his main esoteric and occult influence was from his philosophy teacher, Professor Brabhart. He also travelled to and went to the University of Berlin between 1924-1925 but cut his studies down due to pending tensions in the country. It was hear that he met with a Blood Witch Coven and because of his massive interest in Witchcraft he was Dedicated into the Coven of The Black Forest in 1925, by the Clan Father Arnold Reinman and Clan Mother Margaret De Lille Quin where he was presented with a Wand/Athame made from the Dragon Tree (Oak) of the Black Forest and also a vial of Traditional oil and blood from several generations which was added to by others who dedicated their lives through Initiation at the highest level. Where he learnt as much as he could before travelling onto the Middle East where he met fellow adepts in the High Magic of Egypt.

Santee spent additional years in teaching positions at Harvard, Temple, Kenyon, John Hopkins, but held no tenure due to his socialist ideas. In 1928 on his return to the US he met with and married Edith Rundle from Allentown, and in 1930 had a daughter Ruth who died in 1938. In 1930 Santee was a “Sheldon Fellow” and Fellow at the “American Academy of Rome” for 3 years. Santee also joined the “Rosicrucian Society” and was Initiated into the “Illuminati”. Santee graduated in 1938 from John Hopkin’s University in Baltimore Maryland with his MD degree. From 1938-1941 he taught classical languages at Kenyon College Ohio. He opposed the US involvement into the WW2 since he was an avowed Socialist. Santee divorced Edith in 1942 and married Betty Addis of Cumberland, also a MD. They adopted Tao and Betty died in 1966. Santee was drafted into the Navy and served in the South Pacific but never saw any action. Santee still interested in Witchcraft started collecting ancient books and built one of the world’s largest esoteric, occult, spiritual and Witchcraft libraries with around 50,000 books.

In 1956 Santee met Edna Jane Kishbaugh Williams who became his High Priestess and took on the name Lady Phoebe Athene Nimne (still as acting Elder HPs today), together they created one of the earliest covens in the US. Santee returned back to Wapwallopen to continue his medical practice, where his home and office were at the same address of 5 River Street, Wapwallopen. Due to his massive collection of books in 1970 he built a library to contain all the 50,000 books, this was next door to his medical centre where he employed 2 nurses and 4 secretaries, and even had 2 librarians for his massive collection. He also wrote in a local newspaper column called “The Country Doctor” and Santee wrote a column called “The Witches Kettle”. The locals always spoke highly of him as a gentle and kind compassionate man/doctor, but they all agreed he was a bit eccentric as he always treated the poor who could not afford to pay for his services, many times also paying for their surgeries if they needed and could not afford, so he paid out of his own pocket.

Santee rubbed shoulders with many of the occult and Witchcraft community, as he was also a scholar of the Faust novels and legend and also wrote his own Faustian story titled “The Devils Wager”, which was set in modern times. He loved cats and due to his love of animals supported the Humane Society and money from his will was donated to them. He often went to New York and visited a bookstore called “The Magickal Childe”, where he had met with Sybil leek and invited her to his established Covenstead. It was Lady Phoebe who encouraged him to be Initiated by her due to her notoriety and start a new Coven. This eventuated and he was Initiated by Sybil Leek in 1967 and received a charter from her, they named the Coven the “Coven of the Catta” named after their cat totem. This Coven still exists today with many offshoots who are dedicated to keeping this line going.

Sadly in 1979 someone broke into his library and stole some ancient texts and books, and to escape the law torched the place and destroyed nearly the entire library and much of their Covenstead tools, regalia and writings as well, this devastated Santee and also much of Lady Phoebe’s personal Craft items were also destroyed, and losing his entire collection of rare books and artefacts was something he never got over as he saw the destruction of books as barbaric and pictured Hitler’s burning of the books as sacrilegious.

Santee suffered a long battle with liver failure and on the 11th April 1980 at the age of 72 he slowly slipped away into the Summerland’s. His remains are buried at the Old River Church just north of Wapwallopen, Pa. His gravestone says: “I shall return when Spring’s shadow trails”.

RHIANNAN RYALL – 1921 – (Death Unknown)

January 5th, 1921, West Country Wiccan Elder

Rhiannon Ryall is the Magical name of English born Australian Witch, who achieved notoriety for her controversial claims regarding the existence of a Coven of Witches living in England’s West Country during the 1940’s, known as the Coven of Boskednan, although doubted in the early days it was found out that Boskednan was the Clan of Lady Margaret DeLille Quinn and Dr. Adrian Reinman, and that she was in fact an initiated member of this group. These facts are true, and it was only in 1993 when the UK company Capall Bann published Ryall’s “West Country Wicca: A Journal of the Old Religion”, in which she states that as a child growing up along the borders between the English counties Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, she was Initiated into a local Witch Tradition that many of the people in the surrounding villages were actual members of. Ryall stated that they were old Traditional and pre-Gardnerian, she asserted that her family had been Witches, and as such she was not a hereditary witch, but at the age of sixteen, she like many other children of the same age were taken to the female “Elders of the Village” who taught them about the old traditions of the Craft.

Ryall always backed up her claims even when I met her in the 80’s through my dear friend Lady Elizabeth Paterson, unbeknown to her that her mentor and Clan mother was also now living in Western Australia, Lady Margaret, and I was invited to learn from her and so we formed a circle of woman (eight of us) and we were taught by Ryall and Lady Margaret a very different form of Witchcraft, she only called it Wicca because the word was more accepted than the word Witchcraft. Ryall taught about the connection to nature asserting always that her traditional followers worshipped the Divine Feminine, The Goddess, who was rightly known as “The Green Lady”, and who was believed slept during the winter months, along with the Horned God “The Green Man”, whom they referred to as “Old Horny”. .

Ryall later embellished the notion that they were part of a large organization of Covens, but to me had stated several times that there was only 3 covens that she knew of, one in Cornwall, Australia and the US. Ryall had a great family here in Australia but sadly her son married and the couple both became heavily addicted to drugs, and they had a son which Ryall absolutely adored. Her son and wife neglected their son profusely and tried legally to have her grandson removed from them and into her custody, but the Court deemed they were worthy, and she lost the battle and also her family turned against her. But her grandson was still being neglected, and so Ryall decided to kidnap him and take him away from them to save him and left the state illegally and went to South Australia.

Ryall was eventually caught and arrested, she went to trial and lost the battle and went to prison as a kidnapper. She went to prison for several years, of which she had no contact again with her family, and she was devastated. Elizabeth and I went to visit her several times in prison, but even that was too hard for her. No matter what many people may say about her, she was a kind and gentle soul who cared about life and nature and her tradition, and no-one in this world to her was more special than her grandson, which she never saw again.

In later years, Ryall went on to write and publish a number of books on Wicca and Magic through Capall Bann.

Rhiannon Ryall’s Books:

• Celtic Lore and Druid Ritual - 1994

• Weaving the Magic: A Potpourri of Rituals, Chants, Dances, Webs, Cords, Runes, Talismans and Magical Information – (1996)

• Teachings of the Wisewoman – (2000)

ELIZABETH EA PATERSON 1940s-2022

High Priestess Traditional Witch Elder

Elizabeth “Patto” Paterson was a remarkable friend and woman, she was the mother of four children and then when she was 44 years of age fell pregnant with twins Michael and Renae, my Goddess Children. Elizabeth was a mentor to many and was well known and loved, even admired for her bush-style witchcraft. I first met her when she was working at “The Magic Circle” bookstore in Perth as a tarot reader and healer for David Mosley, also her working partner and High Priest. She was such a tiny lady but had an enormous heart. She loved the country and always lived in a rural setting. We built a bond that was magical and survived and blossomed as did our friendship.

Elizabeth is one of the most respected and highly held Priestesses to come out of Australia, she dedicated her entire life to the craft and her children. Elizabeth never wrote any books, or founded great legal bodies, but she was my backbone and assisted me with every venture that I went into, and if she were not in aggreance she would let me know. She had an amazing sense of humour and always laughed at everything in particular herself. Elizabeth supported the pagan community and between her and her High Priests lastly John, she initiated many welcoming Witches into the community. It was myself and my High Priest Geoff Camm that took her and David Mosley 3rd Degree assisted by all the High Priesthood of Perth in her rented two-story house in Perth Central. She was a true representation of the Goddess and an exceptional High Priestess that taught from the heart and soul, she never taught what most taught but instead everything was practical, as her Coveners worked with the raw energies of the living earth. She was my greatest friend for over 30 years, and I have always loved and respected her greatly for everything that she stands for. She is truly honoured and missed. She was a proud High Priestess and Elder of The Church of Wicca and the Clan of Boskednan and supported our undertakings and my adventures.