It was labelled as the Last Witch Trial of Guernsey, read on and see what you think.

Aimee Henrietta Lake (nee Queripal) has the dubious honour of being the last person tried for witchcraft on the island of Guernsey.

How & why did this come about?

 

BACKGROUND TO THE STORY

Aimee Henrietta Queripal was born on 7 Jan 1888 on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. On 5 Nov 1904 she married Walter John Lake at the Greffe in St Peter Port, (The Greffe is the main Registry Office) and they had 6 children the last dying at birth.

 

Walter John Lake had served in the Boar War in the 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry and it was said that the experience had deeply affected him. In 1913 he left Guernsey for Canada, as many had done before him, with the idea presumably for the family to follow later. In 1914 he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in WW1. In 1918 he bought some land in Alberta but was never heard of again. During this time Aimee was left in Guernsey to bring up the children.

 

THE TRIAL 28 Jan 1914 (taken from the official report)

The accused was charged with Fortune Telling, Interpreting Dreams & Practising Witchcraft from August 1913 to January 1914. 

The main evidence against her was supplied by Mrs Marie Outen. According to Mrs Outen's testimony, she had consulted Mrs Lake on the advice of a neighbour after the death of her cattle the previous October and had been told by tea cup divination that her husband (Jean Marie Francois Outen, who had died at the age of 61 on 14th April 1912) had been the victim of sorcery and that she herself was under a spell, to counteract which, she had buried a number of "charmed packets" she had bought from Mrs Lake for £3 10shillings. She had also been convinced by Mrs Lake that a metal box she contained was full of "Little Devils" and that she would soon follow her husband to the grave unless she made a substantial payment for the protection powers of the sorceress. The packets that had been buried were found to contain Poulsons Cornflour, Paisley Flour, Brown starch, Salt & Baking powder. Offering to refund the money Mrs Lake pleaded that people came to her of their own free will and were normally quite satisfied when she "read the cups" for them.

 

Mrs Lake was sentenced to 8 days prison for disorderly conduct

 

Conclusion

Aimee was probably at worst guilty of fraud but a witch?  I don't think so.