Recently, I had the privilege of creating an antiqued brass nameplate for Heathman Manor, the historic residence once home to famed magician-mentalist Anna Eva Fay. Hidden behind its majestic front door, Heathman Manor holds over a century of history. It is best known for its association with Anna Eva Fay (1851 - 1927), a pioneering stage performer whose blend of spiritualism, illusion, and mentalism made her an international sensation. Known as "The Indescribable Phenomenon" and "The High Priestess of Mysticism", Fay toured the world and captivated audiences with acts that seemed to blur the line between theatrical illusion and psychic ability.
Photo of Anna Eva Fay, 1904 - Source: J. Willis Sayre Collection of Theatrical Photographs, University of Washington (public domain).
Fay was born Ann Eliza Heathman on February 3rd 1851, in Southington, Ohio, USA. Her childhood was marked by hardship. After losing her mother at an early age, Ann was taken in by a spiritualist family, where she lived and worked in humble conditions on their property. Raised in a household where table-rapping, slate-writing, and séance circles were part of daily life, she absorbed the language of spiritualism at an impressionable age. Before long, she was taking part in small public demonstrations.
Later she would marry Henry Melville Cummings, a medium, who went by the name Henry Melville Fay. She adopted the stage name of Anna Eva Fay, and together they toured the U.S. and Europe, combining magic and séances in a theatrical format. Fay was one of the first women to command the stage in an era when female performers, especially in magic and spiritualism, were rare. Fay applied for a membership to The Magic Circle and in 1913, during a tour of Britain, she was elected the first Honorary Lady Associate of The Magic Circle in London - generally, women were not allowed into The Circle at that time.
Present day Heathman Manor - photo kindly provided by Dr. Gene Yee.
Anna Eva Fay and Harry Houdini, July 1924. Photo kindly provided by Dr. Gene Yee.
Heathman Manor was built in 1897, and the family owned it until 1939. It is steeped in history and intrigue, and has seen many famous visitors over the years. Anna Eva Fay was a close friend and colleague of Harry Houdini, who visited the manor, as did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (who stayed 10 days with Lady Doyle and entourage).
Today, Heathman Manor remains a home to the spirit of performance. Its current caretakers, Dr. Gene Yee and his wife, Mrs. Jennifer Yee, are both stage illusionists who perform under the name Yee Magik. In their acts, they also perform trademarked illusions from Houdini (Metamorphosis) and Anna Eva Fay (The Spirit Cabinet). Their dedication to magical history and practice is not merely academic - Jennifer is in fact Anna Eva Fay’s great-grandniece! Through performance and research, the Yees are stewards of Fay’s legacy, helping to keep her work alive for new generations.
Before you ask, yes - the house has secret passages too (as the Yees found out during the final walkthrough prior to buying it)!
