Albert Best was born in Belfast on the 2nd December 1917 his mother died when
Albert was an infant and he was brought up by another lady also called Mrs Best
whom he was lead to believed was his Grandmother whilst he was young.
Mrs Best had four adult daughters whom Albert regarded as his sisters, he came from a
strong protestant family and lived a hard and frugal life. The sisters were married and
had their own homes and Mrs Best was left to raise Albert herself.
His childhood was unhappy and Albert, who was a private man, chose later in life, not to
dwell or share information of this period with others as he grew older.
He first experienced spirit at the age of seven when he saw a man standing at the top of
stairs carrying a lamp with string tied around his knees, his grandmother commented he had
ate too much cheese but later he heard her say 'father go away, your frightening the boy'.
From that time onward he was never frightened of spirit again.
As a teenager he had a window cleaning friend who claimed to see spirit, he invited
Albert to visit his spiritual church and whilst at the meeting a medium told him one day
he would wear a uniform and go to Africa. He left school at 14 and found a job making ropes,
Mrs Best however, by this stage, had passed over to spirit.
Albert was very much alone now, relying only on a voice that he kept hearing which kept him on
track within his life, in fact he worried that people might think him mad, as the voice was very
audible to his hearing at times and he would take walks in the countryside so he could talk back
to the voice, this brought him great comfort and he felt reassured by it.
One of his four sisters had moved over to Irvine in Scotland and Albert decided to joined
her there for a while. When he returned to Belfast he attended a Spiritualist Church where he was
told he had 'powers' by the demonstrating medium, who also spoke of his guide and described seeing
lights around him. He was soon invited into a development circle and it wasn't long before others
confirmed seeing wonderful colours around him also.
Whilst standing in a queue for the cinema he met a girl called Rose, she was a
Catholic and he was a Protestant. It was a real love match. They married in St Anne's
Cathedral in Belfast with no relatives present, with someone just invited from off the
street to act as their witness.
War broke in 1939 and Albert, now 22 years of age, decided to join the
Inniskillin Fusiliers. Rose remained with her family in the New Lodge area of
Belfast while Albert was sent to Africa, he arrived in Algiers in November 1940.
The first task he was given was to clear the Goubellet plain of enemy posts which
was no mans land between a ridge on the north towards Tunis held by allies, and a
ridge on the south in the grip of the Germans. When he heard the name Goubellet,
he remembered something that had been said to him by his real Grandmother, whom he
met for the first and last time when he was around the age of 14 years.
Albert Best demonstrating "on the platform"
She had said to him;- 'you'll be a widow before you are twenty four, I haven't seen
you all my life but I'll be with you in Goubellet'. Rose was at home in Belfast with
their three young children at this time.
Albert was wounded and left for dead next to eight corpses but the voice said
'get up' and he did just that. As he walked away from the Germans they were shocked
to see he had survived, but later he was captured and placed in a prisoner of war camp,
he would never talk of this experience later in life as he couldn't bear to recall the
horror of the treatment he received whist there.
He was sent home but immediately on arrival learnt that Rose and her family had been
killed in a terrible bombing raid on Belfast when over 1,000 people were wiped out.
He grieved for Rose and his children for the rest of his life and rarely spoke of his loss to others.
Albert was medical discharged from the army in 1943 at the age of 25. He returned to
Ayrshire, Scotland in 1944.
The following information has been offered by Mrs Olive Field a Spiritualist Medium from Ayr, Scotland. In March 2008 she read in the Psychic News a report from the Belfast Spiritualist Church having held a special service on the 2nd Dec 2007 to commemorate Albert Best’s work on what would have been his 90th birthday that day. Olive fondly remembered Albert’s arrival in Irvine from Belfast. She later wrote to share her memories and I personally spoke with her over the phone on what turned out to be her 70th Birthday.
During our conversation we discussed Albert’s early life in Belfast such as loosing his wife and children during the bombing raids on Belfast during the war. Olive Field had no idea that Albert had ever been married, she said Albert had never shared that information with her even though she remained in contact with him by post from time to time until he passed to the spirit side of life. This confirms what others have shared about Albert being a very private man who liked to keep his own council.
On arrival in Irvine, Albert took on the job as the local postman and later became friendly with a Spiritualist family, Mr George and Mrs Olive Williamson and their teenage daughter Olive (now known as Mrs Olive Field).
Albert frequented their home from time to time and would enjoy their conversation and company. He was also introduced to a lady that lived just over the road from Olive’s home named Mrs Cissie Swan, also a Spiritualist. She had six children and originated from Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Albert would often call in to chat with Cissie.
The Williams family, including young Olive and Albert, were invited to join the home development circle of Mrs Maggie Haffety in Irvine. Mrs Cissie Swan also sat within the circle. Albert sat with the circle for two years before moving on. Olive recalls Albert and Cissie later sitting in a circle in Ayr and later working the Kilmarnock and Ayr churches.
Kind thanks to Olive Field for sharing this information and memories
In 1951 he attended the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church, were he was given a book as a
gift from Arthur Findly called 'In tune with the infinite' by RALPH WALDO TRINE which
was first published in 1897. Albert treasured this book and called it his bible, as it
covered the philosophy of spiritualism.
Albert was invited into a circle for development with the Kilmarnock Church and
he was remembered as being a shy lad, who never shared or spoke of his former life in Belfast.
He sat with this circle for sometime into the mid 50's before being introduced to Maurice Barbanell,
the editor of psychic news who helped him to work further afield.
Albert was well known for his wonderful accurate mediumistic evidence during demonstrations.
Having worked previously as a postman it seemed natural that the spirit world would prove survival
by giving details such as names and addresses along with other private details.
Albert left no doubt in the recipient minds, and proved time and time again spirit survives the
death of the physical body. He was an extremely hard working medium and admired and loved by many.
Albert maintained he was no speaker and preferred someone more qualified to give the address during
services, but still they loved to listen to his anecdotes about all the other wonderful mediums he had know.
As well as demonstrating Mediumship he gave spiritual healing to many during his life.
Later he met a retired businessman who had been so impressed by spirit that he set up a healing
room in his property. He approached Albert to work as his groundsman as well as a healer and offered
accommodation along with the job, which was a flat in Glasgow.
In 1965 the businessman's house caught fire, but the healing room remained untouched,
the fireman couldn't believe it. The sanctuary was moved to another site and Albert worked
there till 1982. Albert worked as a trance healer and had three spirit helpers Dr Wong, Hans and Ally.
Approximately 24,000 people received treatments at the sanctuary during the 24 years it was open.
Albert's work took him to many places, even Africa and India, were he gave healing whilst there.
It is reported that he visited a witch Doctor and during a ritual his wife materialised before
him and looked as alive as you or I, then dematerialised again, for Albert this was proof of the
spirit existing beyond death of the physical body, this gave him great comfort throughout the
rest of his life.
Albert Best last visited the Belfast Spiritualist Church in the 1980's and is still loved and
remembered fondly. In 1994 the chairman of the Psychic Press paper, Mr Roy Stemman, on stage of
the Lewisham Theatre, London made a presentation to Albert Best and named him the 1994 Spiritualist
of the year. Albert often helped young mediums with their development and encouraged those, such as
Gordon Smith and Colin Fry.
Albert Best was taken into hospital on the 2nd April 1996, soon after
he slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness until the evening of Thursday 11th April
when three mediums went to visit him one being Gordon Smith, the others
being Ann Docherty and Jim McManus, both healing mediums.
They all stood in silence looking at Albert, Gordon became aware of a presence at the foot
of the bed, he turned but no one was there physically but as they looked at Albert
he began to stir. In that moment Albert opened his eyes turned his head to Jim and smiled,
then he looked at Gordon and finally he looked up at Anne and tried to speak.
No-one could make out what he had tried to say.
But again he repeated the statement
and this time they heard him say 'my wife is here and the children' his eyes turned to face
the foot of the bed and his eyes opened wide, he smiled and lifted his head.
His smile became bright, Gordon reports that in his minds eye he could visualise a young lady
standing there slim build with long auburn hair.
Albert was transfixed. Albert's gaze went around
all three of them, and then he spoke his last words.
'They've come. You will have to let me go', Anne replied, 'we were never holding you Albert',
he gave one last smile then lowered his head gently to the pillow and closed his eyes.
Albert remained in a coma until he passed to the spirit side of life the following evening Friday 12 April 1996.
Thanks to
Author : Lorraine Brill
