The Witch of the West: Or, The Strange and Wonderful History of Thomasine Blight

by Jason Semmens

Thomasine Blight (1793-1856), also known as 'Tammy Blee,' the celebrated 'Witch of the West,' was the greatest of the Cornish cunning-folk of the nineteenth century. Belief in witchcraft and ill-wishing was once widespread in Cornwall, and occult practitioners called cunning-folk, or conjurors, were turned to by those who thought themselves bewitched. Conjurors supplied charms and cures to break the power of witchcraft, and offered other services of theft detection, love magic and fortune telling besides.

This biography appraises the known information about Blight and sets her life and practice as a conjuror in context. It reveals, for the first time, the truth behind Blight's previously mysterious origins and early life, along with details of her first marriage, and her second to a fellow conjuror - the notorious James Thomas. There is also a discussion of the meaning behind Blight's claim to be of the real Peller blood. The Witch of the West will appeal to anyone interested in witchcraft, social history, folklore, or the history of Cornwall.

ISBN: 0-9546839-0-0 Price £3.99

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