W. W. (William Wortley) Baggally

William Wortley Baggally, usually known as W. W. Baggally, was a British psychical researcher who died on March 14, 1928. He is chiefly remembered for examining the claims of spiritualist mediums and for approaching unusual phenomena with caution rather than easy belief.

He became involved with the Society for Psychical Research in the late 19th century and took part in investigations that brought him into contact with some of the best-known mediumship controversies of his day, including inquiries connected with Eusapia Palladino. He also wrote Telepathy, Genuine and Fraudulent, a title that neatly captures his interest in separating sincere testimony from trickery.

Baggally's appeal for modern readers comes from that careful, questioning attitude. He belonged to a period when psychical research tried to test extraordinary claims in a serious way, and his writing still offers a glimpse of that curious and unsettled world.