Album of Crewe Spirit Circle

A photograph of a couple, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A woman's face appears above the couple - identified at the time as the sister of a man prominent in the Spiritualist Church. Her cloak adds to the ethereal effect.

The signature in the upper left hand corner is by one of the sitters, to authenticate the plate. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a family group, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

Two faces, those of a man and a girl, appear surrounded in 'mist', above the group. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A portrait photograph of a woman with two boys, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A woman's face draped in a transparent cloak appears over the group. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

The woman is identified as the sitter's deceased first wife. Hope may have already held her photograph in his studio, or he may have asked the man to supply her photograph under the pretence of using the image to contact the spirit world.

The signature in the upper left hand corner is the sitter's, authenticating the plate. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A portrait photograph of two men, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

The face of a younger woman appears between the men, surrounded in an ethereal-looking 'mist'. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of two women, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A woman's face appears above the heads of the women, surrounded in an ethereal-looking 'mist'. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man, taken by William Hope in 1923.

A woman's face appears in 'misty' drapes around the man. He was asked to sit for a photograph by a voice heard at a seance held on 6 May 1923.

This man had also identified the 'spirit' of his deceased first wife in an earlier photograph. He now identified this 'spirit' as his deceased second wife. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of Will Thomas, taken by William Hope (1863-1933) in about 1920.

A man's face appears in a haze of drapery on the right of the photograph. Thomas, a medium from Wales, did not recognise the superimposed image. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

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, who apparently recognised the young man's face. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of an elderly man, taken by William Hope on 5 April 1920.

A face appears over the man's image on the left of the photograph, covered in a cloak. Although indistinct, the man apparently identified the 'spirit' as an ex-work colleague who had died thirty two years earlier. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

The clergyman and his wife had attended a seance at which a voice was heard, claiming to be their stillborn daughter - whom the 'spirit people' had named Rose. The voice asked them to sit for a psychic photograph, telling them she would try to appear in it.

'Rose' is not clearly apparent in the image. The image of the man was identified as the long-deceased father of the clergyman. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

The Thomas family claimed that the image superimposed over the sitters was the only photograph of their deceased grandmother in existence. Hope, however, would have used an existing photograph of a woman to create the illusion. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of the Welsh medium Joe Thomas, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

The shrouded woman's face appearing in the photograph was not identified by Thomas - but it may indicate some form of collaboration between him and Hope. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a group gathered at a seance, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

The information accompanying the spirit album states that the table is levitating - in reality the image of a ghostly arm has been superimposed over the table.

A photograph of a mourning scene, probably taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A woman mourns for her husband in a Chapel of Rest, the woman's son stands beside her.

The image of a man's face has been superimposed over the original photograph. The spirit album notes that the family were Roman Catholics and believed in life after death. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of Mrs Bentley, once the President of the British Spiritualists Lyceum Union, taken by Edward Wylie, about 1920.

A superimposed image - that of Mrs Bentley's deceased sister's face - appears at the lower right of the photograph. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a couple leaning against a car, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

Two of Hope's friends lean on their motor car whilst a figure - the couple's deceased son - is revealed at the wheel. Hope had suggested a photo opportunity for the 'chance' of obtaining a spirit impression. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photographic portrait of two women, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

The face of a young woman appears over the woman on the right of the photograph. The reverse of the photograph reads: 'Why is the child always pushing to the front?' and 'Do we get messages from the higher spirits?' - perhaps questions the women wanted answering. One of the sitters, at Hope's request, has signed the plate for authentication. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man and two women, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

Two faces appear around the group - one, an elderly person, and the other that of a younger woman shrouded in a cloak. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A portrait photograph of a seated elderly couple, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A young woman's face appears as if floating above the sitters, draped in a cloak. Hope may have already held her photograph in his studio, or he may have asked the couple to supply photographs of deceased relatives under the pretence of using the image to contact the spirit world.

William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although Hope's deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A portrait photograph of a man, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

Swirls of light appear to surround the sitter. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man, taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A male face appears on its side above the sitter's head. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.

A photograph of a man, possibly taken by William Hope in about 1920.

A man's blurred face appears next to the sitter, surrounded in an ethereal-looking 'mist'. The signature in the upper right hand corner belongs to the sitter. William Hope's spirit album photographs use double and triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter.

Hope's work gained momentum in the aftermath of World War One, a time when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator, Harry Price (1881-1948), in 1922, Hope continued to practice.