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Unfortunately the number of Google hits is not a good guide to the accuracy of usage. 'Ray' is the correct spelling. See Hutton's Triumph of the Moon and the index thereof. 'Rae' has crept in, possibly because of the author Rae Beth whose first name has caused the confusion. Websites copy one another and a mistake in spelling has simply been copied from one site to another. I'm reverting Rae to Ray once more. Kim dent brown 20:05, 14 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, I don't have my books with me. Does Hutton actually discuss the alternative spellings of her name, or are you assuming that as a historian his spelling will be definitive? He's unfortunately quite a sloppy historian, and has included many factual errors in that book (incorrect dates, misattributions, etc). A book search on Amazon shows that on p. 336 of Triumph he himself uses the spelling "Rae Bone". The same search finds another example of "Rae Bone": "Gardner went on to form a coven in the early 1950s, and over the years, initiated several High Priestesses, including Doreen Valiente, Eleanor (Rae) Bone, Madge Worthington, Patricia Crowther, and Monique Wilson." (Farrar, J. and Bone, G. (2004) Progressive Witchcraft: Spirituality, Mysteries, and Training in Modern Wicca p. 26)

I understand Google isn't proof of anything, but it is a strong indication: googling "eleanor ray bone" results in one hit for a web page in some eastern-European language; "eleanor rae bone" gives 22 hits, including several that look fairly authoritative. That also agrees with my knowledge, although as I said, I don't have my books here. I'll check when I'm home, if I remember. Fuzzypeg☻ 00:32, 15 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

No, Hutton doesn't discuss the usage and confusion with Rae Beth - that notion is from Philip Heselton who is also adamant that Ray is the correct form and Rae has crept in more recently. You're right, Triumph of the Moon does have Rae on one page - all the other references are to Ray (including the index entry.) I presume the Rae is a typo that slipped through proofreading. I'll ask Philip H if he has any early citations to prove that Ray is right.Kim dent brown 09:54, 15 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I've spoken to Philip Heselton who has in his posession a photocopy of a typewritten letter from Ray Bone to a friend. She definitely signs her name 'Ray'. I'll try and find an early (pre-Rae Beth) book - perhaps one of Pat Crowther's. That may help confirm it and give us a citation to quote. Happy Equinox!Kim dent brown 08:52, 17 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Brilliant! I looked at Heselton's Wiccan Roots and Gerald Gardner: Cauldron briefly over the weekend, and I didn't find any reference to her alternative name Ray/Rae in either; he just called her Eleanor Bone. I may not have looked hard enough, or else your information is from him personally. Either way, I'm much more convinced now. You too, happy Equinox! Fuzzypeg☻ 22:25, 18 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]