Cottingley Fairies
Two girls photographed fairies in their garden. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed them. Experts were fooled. The photos became world-famous. Sixty years later, the girls confessed—but one insisted the fifth photo was real.
The Cottingley Fairies photographs, taken by two young cousins in England, fooled experts and the creator of Sherlock Holmes for decades, becoming one of the most famous hoaxes in paranormal history.
The Photographs
According to documented history:
In 1917, cousins Elsie Wright (16) and Frances Griffiths (10):
- Took photographs in their garden in Cottingley
- The photos showed the girls with dancing fairies
- They claimed the fairies were real
- The images were remarkable for their clarity
How It Began
The girls’ story:
- Frances often came home wet from playing by the stream
- She claimed she was visiting fairies
- Elsie borrowed her father’s camera
- They produced photographs as “proof”
Five Photographs
The girls took five fairy photographs:
- Frances and the Fairies: Frances with dancing fairies
- Elsie and the Gnome: Elsie offering flowers to a gnome
- Frances and the Leaping Fairy: A fairy in motion
- Fairy Offering Flowers: Close-up of a fairy
- Fairies and Their Sun-Bath: Fairies in nature
Arthur Conan Doyle
The creator of Sherlock Holmes became involved:
- He was deeply interested in spiritualism
- He believed the photographs were genuine
- He wrote articles defending them
- He published “The Coming of the Fairies” (1922)
- His endorsement gave the photos credibility
Expert Analysis
The photos were examined:
- Kodak refused to authenticate them
- Photography experts were divided
- Some noted the fairies appeared flat
- Others found no evidence of manipulation
- The debate raged for decades
The Confession
In 1983, the women finally confessed:
- They had used cardboard cutouts
- The fairies were illustrations from a book
- They held them up with hatpins
- Elsie, trained in photography, created them
The Fifth Photo
A mystery remains:
- Frances insisted the fifth photograph was real
- She maintained this until her death
- Elsie said all were fake
- The discrepancy was never resolved
Why Did They Do It?
The girls’ explanations:
- It started as a joke on adults
- After Conan Doyle believed, they couldn’t confess
- They didn’t want to embarrass him
- It snowballed beyond their control
Legacy
The Cottingley Fairies case:
- Demonstrates the power of wanting to believe
- Shows how experts can be fooled
- Became a cautionary tale about photographic evidence
- Inspired films and books
Cultural Impact
The story has inspired:
- Films (“FairyTale: A True Story,” “Photographing Fairies”)
- Books and documentaries
- Discussions about belief and skepticism
- Analysis of how hoaxes develop