Maureen Brown
Wiccan High Priestess and Transpersonal Psychologist

11 January 1944 -- 25 December 2004

(Article by Melissa Harrington. Photograph by Colin White)

Maureen Brown, was a well-loved long-term member of the Pagan Federation. The matriarch of the “Whitecroft line” of Wicca, she was a deeply intuitive psychotherapist, the proud mother of four, and beloved grandmother to numerous grandchildren on whom she doted.

Maureen was diagnosed with primary lung cancer with other secondaries in the summer of 2004, and died peacefully in her sleep on Christmas day. In the six months between diagnoses and death Maureen fought the disease bravely, undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but never losing her sense of humour or fun. When she was told that her condition was terminal she accepted the news with such grace, strength and dignity that she inspired many people including those who had never met her, but heard her story. 

Maureen led her coven for thirty years until a week before she died, when she passed her coven and her power to her chosen successor. Wiccan author Vivianne Crowley knew Maureen when they were both in the "Whitecroft " coven together,  and remembers her:

Maureen and her late husband Bob were initiated in 1975 into the coven of Honorary Member of the PF Madge Worthington and her High Priest Arthur. When the covenstead had to move and needed a base for London members, Maureen and Bob generously offered to take on running the coven in their home. This led to their founding their Unicorn Coven, which became one of a network of covens that met together for Gardnerian Grand Sabbats. Maureen and Bob’s reaching out to others continued when they became some of the key coven leaders in the 1980s to participate in a series of workshops for mutual learning that brought together Gardnerian, Alexandrian and other Traditions of Craft. These two series of events helped shape European Wicca as we know it today. Healing formed much of the Unicorn coven’s magical work and, in the 1990’s Maureen trained as a transpersonal psychotherapist; a school of psychotherapy that recognises the importance of the human spirit and draws heavily on the work of Carl Jung. While staying true to her Gardnerian roots, Maureen found in this last phase of her life true fulfilment in bringing insights into personal growth into her coven’s initiatory training, to evolve a powerful path of self-transformation work that her coven continues. 

Like many Wiccans the Pagan Federation was something that Maureen fervently believed in , and wanted to help in any way she could, this involved manning the tea stalls at conferences, stuffing envelopes, running open rituals, media work, regional coordinator for South London, and serving on the committee. One of her innovative ideas was writing the Cauldron Cook Book (under the name Dawn Dubois) which is still sold to raise PF funds. Ellen Williams, PF’s longest serving administrative officer, remembers her contribution:

Maureen was a member of the PF Committee during the early '90s, bringing her own unique sense of adventure and enthusiasm to enliven our approach to the problems inevitable in a phase of rapid expansion.

She played a big part in getting Earth Day established as a regular annual PF event, preparing a list of suggested activities and an outline ritual for anyone who wanted one, which I still use on Earth Day. Maureen was an audacious lateral thinker: she not only suggested inviting Terry Pratchett to talk at our annual conference but persuaded him to come. In addition to giving a very entertaining talk, he judged the "Magrat of the Year" competition (another of Maureen's ideas).

Maureen never did anything by halves: as a member of the Committee and then as Regional Co-ordinator for South London, she whole-heartedly supported the objectives of the PF. As an open Pagan, she played a significant role in getting Paganism and the PF accepted by the media and public bodies. She had real elegance and style and could charm and joke the most antagonistic journalist or anti-Pagan into fruitful interaction.

We buried a favourite cat on the day of Maureen's funeral. I like to think of them greeting each other in the boat to the Summerlands.

Since Maureen died many people have spoken of her with fondness, remembering a bright and feisty woman who had a cracking sense of humour. Joint Coordinators of the North Star Wiccan Network, Dave and Sue Weardale said:

Maureen will be sorely missed. My fondest public memory is when we organized a gathering
in Scotland one Samhain and Maureen was in charge of the children. She had them all making "scary food" with tomato sauce as blood on cheese on toast and raisins as flies on the trifle and much other stuff. Even though the children had helped make it all, it was so convincing that they were too scared to eat it to the huge amusement of all the adults there (and a jolly good time was had by all). {She was}not always easy to agree with but always easy to love.

Maureen was a natural Witch, who loved to work healing magic for others, often this was with her coven, but at other times she would sit alone in her rocking chair, and “weave” magic. She would weave light and energy, and things would happen as she willed. Sometimes she just knew they would, without even trying. Stein Jarving, Norwegian author and publisher has never forgotten the time she visited him, and says:
 

I will bid her farewell and wish her a joyful rest, and for her rapid return among us. Maureen was a wonderful person and a great Witch - my fondest memory of her was when she visited here, and she asked when she could see an Aurora Borealis. I told her they never happened so far south in June - and the next night there was one. Blessed be her soul!

Although Maureen is remembered for her humour and vitality, and her skills as a healer and a Witch, she is also remembered for the warmth and compassion at the heart of all she did. Too many people to mention all remember how she was there for them at a time of need, with a phone call, a visit; or sending a card, or a gift, and often sending “sparkles” of light and love to cheer them up and give them strength. The sparkles were always felt, and always appreciated. These things were always backed up by real practical support. Her friendship was one that was highly valued by all those who knew and loved her.  One of her students, Monica said:

 It will be so hard without her. I still think ‘Oh I must tell Maureen’ About nothing really, just my own personal disasters and my mini-triumphs, and now I can’t, I can’t share that with her any more. She was so much to all of us, an initiator, a teacher, mentor, and High Priestess. And above all what I will miss forever will be the one thing about Mo, that you always knew you were loved unconditionally.

Before Maureen died she wrote a short letter to be put on to an Internet forum frequented by many of her friends, and to be passed on. Some of it is irrelevant now she is dead, so we will not quote it is in full, however, much of it still stands today:

“To all my dear friends on the Pagan scene.…Please don’t anybody … feel sad in any way. For me it is one more adventure to be looked forward to with anticipation. I have also been lucky enough to be given time enough to put my affairs in order and to make appropriate farewells.

For all my very dear friends who have already sent so many wonderful cards and gifts and of course amazing magic. Thanks you from the bottom of my heart…

To all of you thank you for all the wonderful and joyful times we have spent together.

Much Love, Blessed Be

Merry Meet, Merry Part and……

Maureen”