Gresty

Gresty in the Background

Somebody signing himself 'W. Gresty' sent this letter to Doctor Bartlett from London. It arrived on November 20th 1928.

On November 29th 1928 Dr. Bartlett received a second letter from Gresty, who signed himself 'Wilfred Gresty.

It is notable that at the time this letter was received Bacon's death was not public knowledge.

From these letters several facts can be learned about Gresty.

- Gresty considers the investigators as friends, despite apparently never meeting them.

- Gresty was once a part of the same group as Lawrence Bacon, Malcolm Quarrie, Alexander Roby, Edwards and Coombes.

- This group is no longer together. Gresty still has contact with Bacon and Coombes, but Quarrie has gone away.

- Gresty is from the West Country, like Quarrie and knows Hillary Quarrie.

- Gresty hates London.

- Gresty seems not to share the beliefs of the rest of Bacon's circle, instead serving 'the Goat'(possibly Shub-Niggurath).

- Gresty hints as some kind of power struggle involving himself, Hillary and a man called Atkinson.

Gresty Appears

In December 1929, Gresty was arrested for assaulting a verger in Christ Church, Spitalfields and brought before the magistrate. The report of his arrest in the newspaper brought the investigators to the court to see their mysterious correspondent at long last.

In the Dock

The investigators learn that Gresty's address is 127A Brick Lane, London EC2. Gresty, appearing nervous and penitent, admits to the trespass and breaking and entering charges but alleges that his knocking over of the verger, Mr. Unsworth, was unintentional and unnoticed. The Magistrate, swayed by Gresty's clean record and obvious remorse, gives him a token fine.

Gresty Revealed

Gresty, as it turns out, is a worshipper of what he refers to as 'The British gods', of which the foremost appears to be The Black Goat. He reveals that the architect of Christ Church (and several other churches in London, Nicholas Hawksmoor was himself a follower of 'The British gods' and built these churches as much, if not more, as an altar to them rather than to any Christian God. He reveals that he was praying to 'the goat' when he was accosted by the verger and that the cuts on his hands were a part of that pagan prayer.