page_title: National Laboratory of Psychical Research
section_title: Rudi Schneider
hierarchical_section_title: National Laboratory of Psychical Research / Investigations / Rudi Schneider
caption_attribution_description: English: The medium Frederick Tansley Munnings with a trumpet.
context_page_description: The National Laboratory of Psychical Research was established in 1926 by Harry Price, at 16 Queensberry Place, London. Its aim was "to investigate in a dispassionate manner and by purely scientific means every phase of psychic or alleged psychic phenomena". The honorary president was Lord Sands, K.C., LL.D., acting president was H. G. Bois, and the honorary director was Harry Price. In 1930 the Laboratory moved from Queensberry Square, where it had been a tenant of the London Spiritualist Alliance to 13 Roland Gardens. In 1938, its library was transferred on loan to the University of London.
  The National Laboratory of Psychical Research was a rival to the Society for Psychical Research. Price had a number of disputes with the SPR, most notably over the mediumship of Rudi Schneider. Price paid mediums to test them, the SPR criticized Price and disagreed about paying mediums for testing.
  In 1934 the Laboratory was replaced by the University of London Council for Psychical Investigation under the Chairmanship of C. E. M. Joad with Harry Price as Hon. Secretary. John Flügel, Cyril Burt, Cecil Alec Mace and Francis Aveling were members of the Council.
context_section_description: In 1920s and early 1930s Price investigated the medium Rudi Schneider in a number of experiments conducted at the National Laboratory of Psychical Research. Rudi claimed he could levitate objects but according to Price a photograph taken on April 28, 1932 showed that Rudi had managed to free his arm to move a handkerchief from the table. After this, many scientists considered Rudi to be exposed as a fraud. Price wrote that the findings of the other experiments should be revised due to the evidence showing how Rudi could free himself from the controls.
  After Price had exposed Rudi, various scientists such Karl Przibram and the magician Henry Evans wrote to Price telling him that they agreed that Rudi would evade control during his séances and congratulated Price on the success of unmasking the fraud. In opposition, SPR members who were highly critical of Price, supported Rudi's mediumship and promoted a conspiracy theory that Price had hoaxed the photograph. SPR member Anita Gregory suggested that Price had deliberately faked the photograph to discredit SPR research and ruin Rudi's reputation. However, a photographic expert testified that the photograph was genuine. SPR member John L. Randall reviewed the Price and Schneider case and came to the conclusion the photograph was genuine, Price had caught Rudi in fraud.
caption: Frederick Tansley Munnings with trumpet.
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