Blood Lost — Time Wasted

Carol Page, an American journalist, wrote me on 20 October 1989: “It is clear that you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with the subject [of vampirology] and I will gladly devote an entire chapter in my book to your work.” We met in a London suburb for a little under two hours on 15 November 1989. This was the only time we held a conversation. It became apparent that Page was out of her depth and knew nothing whatsoever about vampires, vampirism or indeed vampirology. 

Despite employing my work to provide, albeit in altered form, one fifth of the text for her book Blood Lust (1991), she failed to mention me in her acknowledgements and would not supply me with a complimentary copy when her book was published. She requested the loan of some photographs, two of which were never returned, and none of which were used, as her book contains no illustrative material. Page wanted inside information about the subculture, and anything remotely sensational. She was to be disappointed. I explained to her that I am a researcher into supernatural phenomena and that my published work The Highgate Vampire might best inform her about my modus operandi. 

During the meeting, conducted in an indoor café, Page wore exceptionally dark sunglasses, which made it impossible to see her eyes. I had no particular wish to constantly look only at my own reflection in her sunglasses and, therefore, averted my gaze from time to time. Page makes an issue of this in her book. Hence she is indescribably petty. I find it quite incredible that her book ever came to be published. Save for the text devoted to misrepresenting and defaming me, her effort dwells on a few people she met, plus a catastrophic television show beamed by satellite from Budapest to the USA on which I, while invited, declined to appear. My instinct once again proved spot on.

Having by now met me and absorbed my work from cover to cover, Page wrote on 23 February 1990: “The chapter about your work is based on your book, The Highgate Vampire, and the transcript of the interview we did in November.” It was nothing of the sort, needless to say. Her letter continued: “I told [Julian Henriques of the BBC] that I did not think any look at the modern vampire ‘scene,’ if you will, was complete without a look at Seán Manchester and his work. I hope that is all right with you.” This was written by Page three months after she had met me, and after she had read and absorbed the contents of The Highgate Vampire. She concluded her letter with the following sentence: “Your work in this area is important and I congratulate you for taking the time to do it.”

When she came to write her book she wrongly attributed the damage to tombs at Highgate Cemetery, not to the person actually convicted of such crimes, but to me whom she portrays in what can only be described as grossly defamatory terms. I have not been convicted of any crime or misdemeanour. She also claimed that I have been banned from entering Highgate Cemetery. This is totally false as the Friends of Highgate Cemetery will gladly confirm. Indeed, FoHC's chairwoman and founding-member of the Highgate Society, Jean Pateman (14 July 1921 - 11 February 2012) and I corresponded. She kept me in touch with the goings-on after I removed myself from London. 

It is hardly surprising Carol Page's publishers showed no interest in reprinting her offensive book.

The catalogue of distortions and half-truths in Carol Page's book will not be dignified with too much repetition, save that one of the milder inaccuracies, ie the false attribution that I consider Lady Caroline Lamb to be a vampire, is not untypical of the journalistic style employed. Her attention to what is a matter of public record took a very poor second place to the agenda which I describe in The Vampire Hunter's Handbook as being reliant on “squalid sensationalism, silly gossip and malicious falsehood.” I also raise the very significant point that “Page sought no comment” from me “on any of the charges she brings.”

Readers of her book were quick to voice their disapproval. A representative sample follows:

“I would treat anything this woman said with the utmost scepticism.”

— Clare Emmett, Norwich, Norfolk, England.

“Regarding Highgate Cemetery, as I recall, the criminal damage was done by David Farant, not Manchester who I believe was on record then as attempting to counter the true offender’s odd behaviour.”

— Phædra Kelly, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, UK.

“I have pretty much concluded that Ms Page doesn’t care about what she has written, she is only waiting for royalties.”

— Dorion Cable, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

“She is snide and condescending, both to the people she interviews and to the reader. She incessantly states her own opinions, interpretations, and snotty comments at every opportunity.”

— Chad Savage, San Francisco, California, USA.

“She’s not at all objective and it definitely colours the way she writes. She takes things I said so far out of context that even though I said certain things they have a totally different meaning than I meant. Carol took one isolated incident and exaggerated it and made me out to be bi-sexual, which I am not. … Sexual preference is a big thing to her, all through the whole book. It seems what Carol wanted to write about was sex, not ‘vampires.’ … I don’t appreciate being used as a tool to sell her book.”

— Shannon, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Shannon, like me, was interviewed by Carol Page for Blood Lust. Chad Savage knew her personally, and at the time was the editor of a Gothic magazine. Aside from rebutting her malicious allegations, I have not mentioned Carol Page, much less have I contacted her since the publication of her book.

Jeanne Keyes Youngson (centre)

Dorothy Nixon was someone who openly supported me and wrote favourably about me. We remained on extremely good terms until losing contact over the passing of time. Like Nixon, Jeanne Keyes Youngson (born 20 December 1924) lives in the USA. Empathetic toward Aleister Crowley and the dark arts, Youngson was obviously hostile toward me, and chose to befriend and give support to David Farrant. She is mentioned in passing in my coverage of vampire societies where some of her unkind and barbed comments are addressed briefly in the process. Many within the subculture are critical of Youngson with whom I have had no relationship. Nor have I ever sought to enter into one.