Although Alex Sanders did not really know Gardner, his contribution to the survival of Witchcraft can not be denied. Initiated into the Wica in 1963, though involved in magic much earlier, his enthusiasm, magical knowledge and approach, attracted many people seeking initiation. Alex, along with his onetime partner, Maxine Sanders, were highly flamboyant and their Craft activities created some of the more sensationalist headlines of the 1960s and 70s.

 

Today, initiates tracing their lineage back to Alex are usually referred to as 'Alexandrians' though there is some eveidence to suggest that Alex was originally given a Gardnerian initiation by 'Medea' and Sylvia Tatham. I also think there is signifcant evidence to suggest that due to Patricia Kopinski and Sylvia Tatham lacking a complete Book of Shadows in 1963, Alex copied large chunks of the material from Charles Cardell's 1964 publication WITCH.

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• An verview of Alex Sanders can be read here on Wikipedia.

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• June Johns wrote a book about Alex entitled King of the Witches a small review from Time (1970) magazine about this book, can be found here.

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• A new 2020 website specifically looking at Alexandrian history can be found here

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• Alex Sanders knew the two early Gardnerian Priestesses Patricia Kopinski and Sylvia Tatham.

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• 'Black magic rites on Cheshire Hillside' article from the Manchester Evening Chronicle and News, (Sept. 15th 1962)

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• 'Witches Dance Pagan Rituals Under The Moon' - Manchester Comet (23rd June 1965)

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• Why I Am A Witch by Alex Sanders - another newspaper article from Manchester Comet (June 30th 1965)

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• 'Witches Wedding' - The People (December 5th 1965) and The Sun (December 8th 1965) 

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• Read the article  'England's Nude Witch Cult' which appeared in the American publication Swank in March 1966

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• You can read a newspaper article about Alex, written by Eric Maple and taken from The Sun (October 29th 1970) here

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• Stewart Farrar, a writer who was  later to become associated with the Craft, first met Alex when he had been sent by his newspaper to interview him. You can read the articles that Stewart subsequently wrote here:-Reveille (Jan 10th 1970) and Reveille (Jan 17th 1970)

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• Alex has the last laugh in this Brighton Evening Argus (May 2nd 1988) article about his passing.

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• A Men Only interview with Alex, from the 1973 can be read here.

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• Alex Sanders was also an advisor on the 1966 film Eye of the Devil

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Video Clips

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 Legend of the Witches is a film from 1970 which features Alex Sanders and other Coven members. Buy it here, see the DVD Intro here and watch it all here: